The Theme Song Thunderdome

This post is a wiki for tracking results. See post #2 for thread intro.

Round History

Round # Host Character Winning Song
1 Thraeg Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
2 SadleyBradley Vision Computer Eyes - Ayreon
3 CraigM James Bond No One Said It Would Be Easy - The Postmarks
4 Triggercut Captain Jack Sparrow Best Dressed Chicken in Town - Dr. Alimantado
5 Dissensus Emily Gilmore
13 JoshL Arthur Dent Subterranean Homesick Alien - Radiohead
15 JoshL Hans Gruber The Perfect Crime #2 - The Decemberists
17 JoshL Cthulhu The Thing that Should Not Be - Metallica

Scoreboard
SadleyBradley: 1

Back in the days of yore when family vacations were a thing, we had some fun car conversations making a playlist of songs inspired by various characters (mostly MCU since this was immediately post-Endgame). So I figured it might be fun to try and adapt it here as well – here’s what I’m thinking:

  • The host makes a “Round XX Start” post (including that header to make it easy to search). This should name a character and provide a bit of context for them (in the form of brief summary, wiki link, movie clip, etc.), sufficient that someone unfamiliar with the character could at least take a stab at finding something appropriate.
  • Everyone other than the host may nominate one piece of music that they find appropriate/emblematic/evocative for that character, and post a link or embed in the thread. You are free to promote, explain, discuss, and argue for your choices to your heart’s content.
  • After a minimum of 24 hours for nominations, the host makes a “Round XX Voting” post, with a poll naming all of the song selections, in posting order.
  • Everyone can vote for their favorite nominee other than their own. The host may vote.
  • After a minimum of 24 hours for voting, the host makes a “Round XX Results” post announcing the winner. If someone ignored the above and voted for their own song, the host rejects that vote. If there is a tie, the host is the tiebreaker, and chooses the winner from the tied nominees. The host then updates the first post wiki with the result.
  • The winner hosts the next round. Repeat ad nauseam.

FAQ

  • What sorts of characters are eligible? Anything goes. You’ll probably get better results with characters that at least a chunk of the board is familiar with though.
  • What if someone else already nominated the song I want to pick? Probably pick something else. A cover or alternate version of the same song would be fair game, though it risks splitting the vote.
  • Can I pick an existing theme song or music that was already used in a movie? Yes, but people are free to vote against it just for being a lazy and uninspired choice.
  • Can I change my nominee or vote? Yes, as long as that part of the round is still open. If changing your song nomination, please edit your original post, and add a note explaining the substitution.
  • Can I vote even if I didn’t nominate a song? Yes.
  • Can I vote strategically to improve my own song’s chances? Don’t see a good way to police this, but please don’t.
  • Can I choose a character that has already been done? Judgment call. If it’s been long enough that it feels relevant to you then go ahead. You could also mix things up by picking a distinct version of the character if you wanted to.
  • How should I set up the poll? Use the Discourse built-in poll with these settings: Type: Single Choice, Results: When Closed, Show Who Voted: Checked, Automatically Close: Set to 24 hours after post.
  • What if the host stops posting? If at least three full days have passed since their last post, anyone is free to step in and take the reins to keep things moving and finish the current round or start a new one.
  • What if I don’t like these rules? Propose a change and see if people agree.

I’ll go ahead and start us off and host the first round shortly.

Round 1 Start

Let’s start off with something topical since a good chunk of the board is watching WandaVision: Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch

Here’s an exhaustive wiki:

And here’s a compilation of her scenes from the movies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdOE2bR1hc4

The floor is open for song selections for the next 24 hours. Have fun!

I mean this one seems fairly obvious, given where WandaVision is

https://youtu.be/tMDFv5m18Pw

I mean super spoilers for WandaVision follow:

Beezelbub’s not screaming? Mephisto is one of the fan theories behind the hex
I mean she is definitely on the crazy train right now!
Millions of people, living as foes? Well it isn’t millions of people in her hex… yet. But thousands? most certainly.
I’m living with something that just isn’t felt? A bit on the nose here, again, with her living with magic kids and dead husband.

I rest my case.

I’m basing this more on comic book Wanda than anything, but I think it captures many of her aspects - retreat into a false comfortable world, desire to be left alone, and the occasional explosion into white-hot fury.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peENJe_ORdI

Heretix covering Donovan’s Season of the Witch. A little more rock than the original.

“You’ve got to pick up every stitch
Mmm-hmm, must be the season of the witch”

I think you may only be able to make the original post a wiki?

Edit: Actually the more I read the more I think that we just don’t have that permission anymore. Ask @stusser.

Thanks. I looked at the edit menu for the first post, but didn’t see anything that looked relevant.

@stusser, would it be possible to either make the second post a wiki, or if necessary to make the first post a wiki and swap the contents?

Anything is possible with the power of imagination!

First post is a wiki, feel free to swap content etc.

Maybe I need more coffee, but several times now I’ve looked at this thread and read it as either “Theme Song Threesome” or “Theme Song Trombone.”

Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCcEjZQQNjo&ab_channel=Eagles-Topic

I mean…

Raven hair and ruby lips
Sparks fly from her fingertips
Echoed voices in the night
She’s a restless spirit on an endless flight

Woohoo, witchy woman
See how high she flies
Woohoo, witchy woman
She got the moon in her eye

She held me spellbound in the night
Dancing shadows and firelight
Crazy laughter in another room
And she drove herself to madness with a silver spoon

Woohoo, witchy woman
See how high she flies
Woohoo, witchy woman
She got the moon in her eye

Well, I know you want a lover
Let me tell you brother
She’s been sleeping in the Devil’s bed
And there’s some rumors going round
Someone’s underground
She can rock you in the night time 'til your skin turns red

Woohoo, witchy woman
See how high she flies
Woohoo, witchy woman
She got the moon in her eye

I mean obviously Unleash the Archers work here, and in lieu of “Desolation,” I’ve gotta go with “The Matriarch,” AKA, how the other denizens of the MCU would absolutely describe Wanda right about now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs8RUFS18g0

I’m not sure how you’re gonna enforce that.

It’s literally in the next bullet point. Once the poll closes, everyone can see who voted for what. Before declaring the winner, the host can just quickly look at whatever got the most votes, verify that it wasn’t voted for by its nominator, and subtract one vote from its total if necessary.

Round 1 Voting

Some great choices here from everyone! Please vote for which of these options makes the best theme song for Wanda.

Reminder that you cannot vote for your own nominee (the poll doesn’t enforce this, but I’ll disallow any such votes before declaring the winner).

And if you’re just reading this but didn’t submit a song, you are still invited to participate in the voting.

  • Crazy Train
  • Welcome Home (Sanitarium)
  • Season of the Witch
  • Red Rain
  • Witchy Woman
  • The Matriarch

0 voters

Indeed some solid options here. It was a tough for me to pick between my top 2 choices.

I was a little surprised no one posted Black Magic Woman.