Fall Out Boy and Missy Elliott Ain’t Afraid on New ‘Ghostbusters’ Theme
Just three weeks ahead of its July 15 release, Sony Pictures has released the new theme song for its women-powered Ghostbusters reboot, and like a phantom lurking in the shadows, it's a whole dimension away from Ray Parker Jr.'s jazzy 1984 tune
Fall Out Boy and Missy Elliott team up for a modern take on the iconic film track, transforming the theme from a spooky Halloween-friendly bop into a sinister slice of punked-out electropop. Somewhat more of a re-imagining than a proper cover, the updated jam features Patrick Stump's emotive howls ("I'm not afraid, not afraaaid!") over a tangle of jagged guitars and skittering synths, the electrifying original riff threatening to set the whole thing ablaze with frantic bursts of nostalgia.
Later on the track, Missy joins the pop-punkers to inject a smattering of girl power, as well as drop a brief but spirited verse, rapping, "Can't sleep when I'm home alone / Night time my light is on / Woo! Got me scared / Woo! Underneath my bed..."
Coincidentally, neither Fall Out Boy and Missy Elliott are strangers to working on songs to be used for movies: In 2014, the band released "Immortals" off the soundtrack for Disney-Marvel's Oscar-winning animated film, Big Hero 6, and Missy Elliott famously co-produced and provided vocals for the 2001 version of "Lady Marmalade," recorded for Baz Luhrmann's cult hit Moulin Rouge!.
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