First off, despite what may be a misleading blog title, I actually loved Beetlejuice Beetlejuice! However, ever since watching it recently I have had three different songs stuck in my head – two that were actually used in the film – one used in a trailer for the movie Venom that was shown before the main attraction (whatever sequel number…3?). It’s not unusual for me to get songs stuck in my head, which is nice if you like the song. Not so nice when I had “Blurred Lines” in my head for nearly a week back in the fall of 2015 🤦‍♂️

These songs from BJ2 currently stuck in my head are as follows – “Tragedy,” Bee Gees; “MacArthur Park,” various artists and…

“Wild World,” Cat Stevens.

I’m not gonna lie – getting a Bee Gees song stuck in my head is…all right! No problem there! I think that the Brothers Gibb were talented guys. Even if falsetto and disco ain’t your bag, they were talented songwriters. Barry is the only surviving brother as of September 2024 – his brothers Andy, Robin and Maurice would have gotten tickets for the “Soul Train” by now if they were characters in the movie. Like Prince, Barry Gibb wrote some songs made popular by other artists. Islands in the Stream? Yo…

So “Tragedy” being in my head is fine! “MacArthur Park?” No, just no…that song needs to be erased from existence. Leave it out in the rain. Burn the recipe! Those breakup metaphors just don’t land – all I can think of is a cake literally being left out in the rain.

Now to see how an AI generator handles this!

I’m also not complaining about “Wild World,” which I had the pleasure of hearing in full surround sound while the Venom whatever # trailer played before the movie began. Honestly I don’t follow all of these Marvel films too closely. I’m more of a DC gal.

Great, great timeless song! Unlike the overly maudlin and confusing breakup metaphors in “MacArthur Park,” “Wild World” and its more thoughtful writing – can not only fool people into thinking that it’s not actually a breakup song (which it is), but can be interpreted in other ways too. Sure, if you’re a Cat Stevens fangirl like me, you know it’s a song about his breakup with actress Patti D’Arbanville. But it can also be interpreted as a cautionary tale, leaving the nest song, what have you.

I found myself singing this in private moments at work today! It really is a good song- if I had to guess, it would be one of his most streamed songs on Spotify. If I had children, I’d sing this to them. I mean, why not? I’m fairly certain that my mom sang Cat Stevens songs around me when I was a baby! While I was wearing my older brother’s hand-me-down clothes and rubber pants over cloth diapers! Behold me being exposed to early 1970s hits when I wasn’t even toilet trained:

The only other two films I can think of that feature Cat Stevens songs are Harold and Maude and Rushmore (I’m sure that there are others).

Now I want to see the movie again so I can see the Venom trailer – and hear “Wild World” in full surround!