Today, Marvel Studios' latest release Ant-Man crawls into theaters. Fans are hoping the Paul Rudd lead superhero flick features as much action as the Marvel brand and humor as its crowd-pleasing star are known for. While Ant-Man may not be quite as well known as many of his Marvel contemporaries, his place at the box office could be something of a hodgepodge hybrid sleeper-blockbuster hit, not unlike the place ants have had in American pop culture. While they may not be welcome at your summer picnic, ants have managed to climb the charts on a few memorable occasions, as we've assembled just the playlist to get you amped. Here's our Ant-Man Playlist.
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Dave Matthews Band – “Ants Marching”
You know that one Dave Matthews Band song you instantly recognize as being by Dave Matthews Band but can't remember the name of it? It's called “Ants Marching.” The band's second hit single, it uses the metaphor of the repetitive colony lives of ants to describe the march toward adulthood humans find themselves in coming of age. Among hardcore Dave Matthews Band loyalists, you could say it's an ANThem. You wouldn't necessarily have to, we're just saying you could.
Xzibit – “Chamber Music”
Years before Mr. X-to-the-Z Xzibit was pimping rides, he was releasing some of the finest lyrics to appear on any west coast rap release. His sophomore album 40 Dayz N 40 Nightz is something of a cult classic with memorable production, anthemic hooks and some outstanding lyrics. Xzibit's always had his own definitive style that no-one's ever been able to duplicate, but what gets him a spot on our list is “Chamber Music's” line “Never get along like red and black ants.” It's an unexpected simile that hip-hop fans are still unpacking to this day.
Gorillaz – “Empire Ants”
From The Gorillaz's 2010 album Plastic Beach comes the Little Dragon assisted “Empire Ants.” Perhaps best known for the excellent beat change-up following the relaxing melodic opening, turning the song into an energetic danceable groove, the spaced our airiness of “Empire Ants” gives focus to both the meticulous nature of each ants' roles in their society, as well as the ability of each individual to rebuild no matter what happens to the ant hill around them.
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James Brown – “I've Got Ants in My Pants”
Discovering ants in one's pants can lead to a variety of reactions. For the Godfather of Soul James Brown, it's as good of a reason as any to “need to dance.” Brown and the JB's in their prime brought the funk like no-one else. With a funk groove that's as memorable as its title, we at The Weekly give bonus point to Brown for the memory of Don Cornelius on Soul Train introducing Brown as “The Number One Soul Brother” and then being unable to control his smile when saying “I've Got Ants in My Pants.”
Tim N Eric – “Celery Man”
But Ant-Man isn't the first time Paul Rudd has portrayed a specific man, man. In a classic Tim N Eric sketch, Rudd plays himself going through his computers' collection of dance sequences, starting with “Celery Man.” One of the most celebrated of the late era Tim N Eric sketches, Rudd's performances shows the diverse range of his comedic timing, not to mention sweet dance moves. We don't know for sure if there's dancing in Ant-Man, but we're hopeful.
See also:
The 50 Best Things About the OC Music Scene
The 50 Worst Things About the OC Music Scene
The 25 Greatest OC Bands of All Time: The Complete List
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