James Gunn Put 1 Song in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Because It’s ‘So Weird’
When it came out, Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy was one of the quirkier superhero movies on the market. Director James Gunn said he had to include a 1970s song in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 because he loved how weird it was. In addition, he initially wasn’t sure if the track in question was an authentic 1970s track or a modern song that was meant to sound retro.
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ director James Gunn thought this song might be a trick
The first Guardians of the Galaxy brought a number of late 1960s and 1970s radio staples back to the limelight, including Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling,” The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” and Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky.” During a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, Gunn discussed his process of choosing songs for Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 2. “One of the most exciting things was knowing I would be making bands that may have been forgotten suddenly be a topic of conversation,” he opined.
After the first film came out, Gunn’s friends and fans sent him songs from the 1970s to use in the sequel. Gunn had heard most of these suggestions before but not Silver’s one-hit wonder “Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang,” also known as “Wham Bam.” “It was so weird,” said Gunn. “For a minute, I wasn’t sure if I was being tricked because I had never heard the song. I wasn’t sure if was a modern band doing a retro version of a song or if it was actually an old song.”
1 character from ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ loved ‘Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang’
Gunn said the songs in Guardians of the Galaxy movies are supposed to reflect the tastes of Star-Lord’s mom, Meredith Quill. “She’s a music lover, but she’s completely not elitist,” Gunn explained. “If it’s something that’s thought of as goofy and pop, she likes it. If it’s cool or funk, she likes it. She just likes hooks and melodies.
“She’s a very quirky, young girl who fell in love with, you know, as it ends up, an alien,” he added. “And falling in love with an alien is right up there in Meredith Quill’s alley. She’s an oddball, like her son.” “Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang” lives up to Meredith’s quirky spirit and her love of hooks and melodies.
How people reacted to the song in the 1970s
Silver’s “Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang” was a hit long before the Guardians of the Galaxy movies existed. The song reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 21 weeks. It was the band’s only charting single in the United States. While the tune didn’t make it to the top 10, it lasted a respectable amount of time on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang” appeared on the album Silver. That record climbed to No. 142 on the Billboard 200 and spent six weeks on the chart. While the band only had one hit single, their album Silver Apples managed to chart as well. It peaked at No. 193 and spending three weeks on the Billboard 200.
“Wham Bam Shang-A-Lang” is an unexpected pop nugget in the 1970s in much the same way the Guardians of the Galaxy series is now.
