I like Random Weekends the best when they unearth a gem that I have long since forgotten, a song that for one reason or another just fell off my radar over time.
We have a great example today with ‘Out On the Town,’ a bonus track from the 2012 album Some Nights by pop rock band fun. This song, like every song on that album, is catchy and smart and anthemic in the most casual way. A real blast.
Technically, the band Fun is not broken up. The three members — Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, and Jack Antonoff — say that they will be happy to record as a trio again when inspiration strikes, but in the meantime they are all pursuing other projects.
Ruess released a solo album in 2015 while Antonoff has become one of the most sought-after producers and songwriting collaborators in the industry. Dost is probably dying for the band to get back together.
Today’s pick for a future one-hit wonder is controversial for a couple of reasons.
First, you could argue that fun. has had two hits. ‘We Are Young‘ was their blockbuster, hitting number one in multiple countries and spending more than a month in the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100. But today’s SOTD, the title song of their album Some Nights, was a pretty big hit in its own right. It reached #3 on the Hot 100 and topped a few of the smaller charts.
The eagle-eyed among you might have noticed that my Song of the Day number jumped ahead by 10 after yesterday. That’s because, while perusing old blog entries, I stumbled upon a mistake in the numbering.
In May of 2014, during a theme week on my five desert island songs, I posted R.E.M.’s ‘Maps and Legends’ as SOTD #2,117. It should have been #2,127.
Top Songs of 2012 – #4
Some Nights, the sophomore album by New York City band fun., was one of the most creative and dynamic releases of the year, a blend of indie rock and Queen-inspired bombast that never pauses to take a breath.
The big hits on Some Nights were the millennial anthem ‘We Are Young’ and the epic title song, with its fantastic multi-track harmonies and military drum beat. But my favorite song on the album is a deeper cut.
Meet Me In Montauk 