Ray Parker, Jr. got his groove on in the music video for his classic Ghostbusters theme song. But it”s nothing like the way the quartet of comediennes dance their hearts out in the newly released Japanese version of the song.
The new cover and accompanying music video features comedians Tomochika, Oniyakko Tsubaki, Naomi Watanabe, and Shizuyo Yamasaki donning their jumpsuits and proton packs in a neon landscape inspired by the original 1984 music video. The synth-powered sound of this cover is also a lot closer to Parker”s track than cover unveiled stateside last week. Sony deserves kudos for trying to deliver something different with that Fall Out Boy and Missy Elliott cover rather than a carbon copy of the original. But I bet this Japanese version will be much more of a fan pleaser than Fall Out Boy”s over-produced track that insisted on choking the silly fun out of the Ghostbusters theme with an attempt to be edgy and moody.
Sony Pictures Japan posted the video on its official YouTube channel, so it”s being used in some official capacity – perhaps the song will be used instead of Fall Out Boy”s in theaters in Japan, but that”s not clear yet.
These ladies had fun with this music video. Also they dared to actually sing the word “ghostbusters” – repeatedly – something neither Parker nor the members of Fall Out Boy do, though Elliott raps the word once (a chorus shouts out the response to “Who you gonna call?” in English-language both versions). Parker has said that “it”s hard to write a song where your main objective is to use the word ‘ghostbusters.”” Difficult to write, or difficult to let go of the cool and sing that admittedly goofy word?
Watch this quartet having a a blast with their cover, then check out to Parker”s and Fall Out Boy”s for comparison (if you can bear to listen to the latter again):