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Today's CoronaVinyl category is "Various Artists," and in honor of Howard Hesseman's recent passing, it seemed like the right time to feature a soundtrack from a movie starring Hesseman.
The 1983 film Doctor Detroit starred Hesseman as a pimp in financial trouble with the mob. He had a chance encounter with a nerdy college professor played by Dan Aykroyd, who he then turns into a pimpish character named Doctor Detroit. Presumed hilarity ensues. I wouldn't know because I've never seen it, but given the description on Wikipedia, I am going to have to check it out, likely with the help of cannabis sativa.
The soundtrack is a strange mix that could only happen in the '80s. There are two synth pop songs by Devo (including the film's theme song), two songs by James Brown (who has a cameo role in the film), four songs by disco/pop soul singer Pattie Brooks (including two duets with Aykroyd), and finally a gibberish song called "Yo Skridlow" that is a duet between Aykroyd and one of the other film's actors, T.K. Carter, who has a special place in my heart because he played Mylo Williams on the Saved By The Bell precursor Good Morning, Miss Bliss.
Among the backing singers on the soundtrack are Darlene Love, her sister Edna Wright (who had a #1 song in 1971 with "Want Ads" as lead singer of Honey Cone), and Joe Esposito (of "You're The Best" from Karate Kid fame).
The soundtrack is not available on Spotify or YouTube, so I just embedded YouTube videos of the two songs I chose.
Favorite Song on Side 1: "Theme From Doctor Detroit" by Devo
The opening track is also apparently the song that plays over the credits, and it's just so damn perfect for an '80s movie theme song.
Favorite Song on Side 2: "Get Up Offa That Thing/Doctor Detroit" by James Brown
Even though it's not the original version of the song and it's revamped to tie into the movie with some new lyrics, it's still a James Brown classic.
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