Bob’s Burgers is a show that has a unique and sometimes magical grasp on how we use music in our everyday lives. Frivolous pop songs, goofy songs about farts, sing-songy nonsense that pops into our heads; each episode has a little touch that explores just how important music is in our day-to-day routine. That also tends to manifest when the cast sings their feelings, which, let’s face it, we all do, and they’re better musicians than we are, so we should follow their leads. Hey, they’re the ones getting covered by St. Vincent!
When You’re Justifying A Purchase To Yourself
“Nice Things Are Nice” turns up in a two-part episode where Bob, enthralled by the idea of opening an upscale burger joint in Felix Fischoeder’s proposed condo development (which would destroy Wonder Wharf), pitches his landlord on the idea. In addition to revealing that Fischoeder really is a Bond villain, or at least wants to be, it’s also a song about convincing yourself you deserve something nice. Which can be especially true when you’re an overworked dad with three kids. But, come on, Bob, don’t you have that bus model to finish? Keanu would be disappointed in you.
When You’re Getting Psyched Up For A Long Night
“Lifting Up The Skirt Of The Night” plays in an early episode when Bob, needing to pay for Tina’s birthday party, takes a job driving a cab late at night. The job itself is hardly Taxi Driver, as the worst Bob runs across is a few flirty transgender prostitutes, making this the perfect song to play when you’re staring down a long night and need that emotional lift to get started. Not in the least because it’s about riffling around under people’s clothes, which is probably the goal of most late night outings.
When Your Phobias Suddenly Strike
When the Belchers visit family in Florida and discover that Linda’s parents have moved into a swinger community, Gene, Tina and Louise barely notice because they’re too busy trying to collect on the bounty for a lost Chihuahua. Unfortunately, they quickly discover that even a small patch of woods in Florida can be infested with reptiles and that Gene absolutely dreads snakes. Poor Gene is so paralyzed he winds up tightly wrapping himself in a sleeping bag and singing this song to deal with his feelings, like a self-actualizing burrito. It is oddly soothing, although if Gene is going to be this afraid of snakes, he should consider a career in archaeology.
When You’re Reconsidering A Friendship
When Tina first meets her future nemesis, Tammy introduces herself as a friend who can jazz up Tina’s life, ignoring, of course, that Tina doesn’t really need any jazzing up in the first place. Two boys aren’t having dance fights over you, Tammy. But really, we’ve all been there, when we meet somebody only to realize that maybe they’re not the best for us, which is what this song is really all about.
When You’re Just Done With The Holidays
The Fischoeder brothers have a complicated relationship, to put it mildly, and when Felix discovers a shot at validation via the Belcher children’s attempt to make “Santa” happy with a musical extravaganza, he jumps at it. The brothers ultimately wind up realizing the true meaning of the holidays, namely getting tanked because who can take their brother for a whole day, are we right? That’s a near universal feeling, especially at 10pm on December 25th when you have a night of sleep fartnea to look forward to.
When You’re Really Into Somebody
Tina is supposed to be the boy-band fan, but Louise, it turns out, discovered her inner awkward teen when she sees Boo-Boo, the youngest member of Boyz 4 Now (no boy bands were harmed in the making of this episode, although Nick Lachey was reportedly mildly upset at the lack of a cameo.) The whole episode is packed with songs that you could probably slip onto a radio station’s “Millennium” rotation and get away with it. But the song that closes the episode, all about how the boy who likes you is a borderline stalker who wants to know everything, is the catchy gem that sums up how into somebody you can get…. and maaaaaybe the point where you should back off.
When You Feel Like A Fifth-Grader
Come on, it’s a song about butts. If that doesn’t bring out the giggles, your inner child probably actually enjoys raw kale.
Bob’s Burgers returns November 6th.
