Arcade Fire vs Eddie and the Cruisers or Keep the Car Running on the Darkside
The Arcade Fire have quietly become one of the most vital bands in current music, spearheading the Canadian Invasion (trademark). In one of these quiet moments, I believe they watched Eddie and the Cruisers in the comfort of their tour bus. The melody verse of Keep the Car Running by the Arcade Fire is similar to the melody verse of On the Darkside by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band.
Eddie and the Cruisers, released in 1983, is a story of about a fictional 1960s rock band. The band makes a name for itself playing as a cover band, until the new keyboardist (played by Tom Berenger) helps the band release an album of original material called Tender Years that becomes a hit largely because of the song On the Darkside. The next album, Season in Hell, is too experimental for the record company (along the lines of the Beach Boys’ Smile) so it’s shelved, Eddie gets depressed and dies in a car crash Jackson Pollock style…..or does he?!?! It’s a good rock n’ roll movie, but don’t bother with the pointless sequel.
The music for the film is performed by Rhode Island’s John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, and it’s their claim to fame. Their is a heavy Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band influence, which was the exact ripoff (OK…homage) that the film intended. The band road off the coattails of the Cruisers soundtrack for awhile, but things eventually faded, though you probably remember the kickass montage song Hearts on Fire used in Rocky IV. Ivan Drago was such a jerk to Apollo Creed. I think a proper solution would be that Arcade Fire has to write and record the montage song from the next Rocky movie. No, Sly is not done with the series. No way.
Extra Credit: On the Darkside shares a similar guitar part with what Prince song? Please don’t answer this question until you’ve baptized yourself in the majestic waters of Lake Minnetonka.
Hear what I’m talking about in this audio clip:
