The PoP!-Stars narrow it down to the cream-of-the-crop in categories ranging from (but not limited to) Comics, Movies, Toys, and Geek Culture in general. This is The PoP!-Top Six-Pack.
In conjunction with the release of J.J. Abrams sleek, sexy new Star Trek flick on Friday, May 8th, we here at PanelsOnPages.com will be running a few weeks of Trek-themed Six-Packs that will boldly go where no man has gone before (not true in the least…but still, definitely worth a click).
First up, to soothe his ego following a rather public snub by Abrams in regards to the new Trek, this week we examine William Shatner‘s illustrious career…as a crooner. Below, we’ve pulled together the six best (read: worst) William Shatner musical performances, chock full of more cheese than a Wisconsin rest stop toilet. Grab yourself a Marlboro Red and a High-Ball, and enjoy the visual and auditory sexiness than only the Shat can bring.
#6. ‘It Hasn’t Happened Yet’
An original song from Shatner’s album ‘Has Been‘, which was produced and arranged by Ben Folds, this is the first of two collabos between the two on this very list. While this clip might not be the funniest, it’s Shatner at his Shatty-best, performing live for a pretty decent-sized audience. Turn the lights down low, and snuggle up with your best green-skinned lady-friend.
#5. ‘It Was a Very Good Year’
Hear that? No, not the dulcet tones coming from Shatner’s velvet throat. I’m talking about the sound of Frank Sinatra rolling over in his grave. This morsel is courtesy ofThe Mike Douglas Show from the early-1970′s, and Shatner is at full-Kirkiness. Enjoy his mugging to the camera in the opening, not to mention the SUH-WEET ’70′s graphics!
#4. ‘You Did it Your Way (My Way)’
The Shat gave props to fellow Sci-Fi legend George Lucas at the presentation of Lucas’s AFI Life Achievement Award with this rework of Sinatra’s classic. Shatner + Chorus Line of Stormtroopers = Nerd Fever Dream.
#3. ‘In Love’ w/Ben Folds/Fear of Pop
Performed in 2000 on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, off of Fold’s Fear of Pop: Vol. 1 album, his partnership with Folds has to be the most legit Shatner’s singing career has reached to date. This song, although still slathered in Shatner bravado, is actually pretty fucking awesome, and is currently sitting atop my iTunes ‘Most Played’ list.
#2. ‘Common People’ w/Joe Jackson
The solitary cover song off of Shatner’s *gasp* critically-acclaimed (!?) album ‘Has Been‘, which was produced and arranged by Ben Folds, a Pulp original, as performed on The Tonight Show, and featured at the close of Episode 2 of the Awful Show PoP!-Cast!
#1. ‘Rocket Man’
This gem grabs the number 1 spot thanks to its viral notoriety, as referenced on Family Guy. Shatner, host of the 1978 Science Fiction Film Awards, is introduced by ‘Rocket Man’ songwriter Bernie Taupin prior to his spoken-word free-style of the Elton John classic. Enjoy watching Shatner duet with his multiple-personalities thanks to late-seventies chroma-key tech.
Stewie’s homage to Shatner’s Rocket Man from Family Guy.
That was enough Shat to choke a gross of Tribbles. Stay-tuned to PoP! and the Six-Pack in the coming weeks for more Trek-themed goodness. What could be next? Aliens Kirk nailed? Best Captains? Nimoy’s best photos of naked fat chicks? You’ll have to wait and see. Until then, beam my ass outta here, Shaun of the Dead!
Jason Knize, K-Nice if you're nasty, is a co-founder of PanelsOnPages.com, resident News Editor, and one-half of the World Tag Team Champions, The 11th Hour. You can usually find him in the most wretched hive of scum and villainy...The PoP!ulation Forums.
PERFECT!!
I love it. Sad fact is NONE of this is as embarrassing as his talk show.
Has Been is a WONDERFUL album. Ben Folds is the Bernie Taupin to Shatner’s Elton John…or is that the other way ’round?
u know i hate to even say it. but i liked “has been”. there its out now. just dont tell my parents
Has Been is a little awesome. It’s just true.
I JUST stumbled across this little gold nugget and now I have to change my underpants. Shatner’s musical talents shall not be undersold!