Ghostbusters (song)
Encyclopedia
"Ghostbusters" is a 1984
song recorded by Ray Parker, Jr.
as the theme to the film of the same name
starring Bill Murray
and Dan Aykroyd
. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
on August 11 in 1984, and stayed there for three weeks. It also peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart
on 16 September 1984, where it stayed for three weeks.
It was nominated for the Academy Award
for Best Music, Original Song
, but lost to Stevie Wonder
's "I Just Called to Say I Love You
".
The repeating line from the song, "I ain't afraid of no ghost" likely is borrowed from the children's book, "The Ghost-Eye Tree", by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, where the protagonist’s brother exclaims, "I’m tough! Real tough! I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghost."
Parker was later the defendant in a copyright infringement
lawsuit which claimed "Ghostbusters" was too similar in musical structure to "I Want a New Drug
," written and performed by Huey Lewis and the News
(more specifically, the guitar riff which runs through the song). "I Want a New Drug" was a U.S. top-ten hit earlier the same year. The two parties settled out of court. Details of the settlement (specifically, that Parker paid Lewis a settlement) were confidential until 2001, when Lewis commented on the payment in an episode of VH1
's Behind the Music
. Parker subsequently sued Lewis for breaching confidentiality. Coincidentally, Lewis had at one point been asked to record a theme song for the movie, but turned it down because he was writing songs for the Back To The Future
soundtrack.
In later years, AutoNation
adopted the theme for their advertising campaign. In the United Kingdom
, the song is parodied with Parker himself being featured in a commercial advertising direct enquiries line 118 118
.
The song re-entered the UK Top 75 on 2nd November 2008 at No. 49.
Lindsey Buckingham
claims to have been approached to write the Ghostbusters theme based on his successful contribution to Harold Ramis's National Lampoon's Vacation
(the song "Holiday Road
"). He turned down the opportunity as he did not want to be known as a soundtrack artist. He mentions this on the "Words & Music" interview disk.
designs outlining the sparse architectural and industrial features. It also contained footage from the film Ghostbusters
, and featured cameos from many celebrities of the day, including Chevy Chase
, Irene Cara
, John Candy
, Melissa Gilbert
, Nickolas Ashford, Jeffrey Tambor
, George Wendt
, Al Franken
, Danny DeVito
, Carly Simon
, Peter Falk
and Teri Garr
; all of whom exclaim the "Ghostbusters!" line of the song when shown.
The video concludes with Parker and the stars of the film, in full Ghostbuster costume, dancing down the streets of New York City
. The Ghostbusters also performed the similar dance in the closing credits to the Real Ghostbusters
cartoon series as well as in a trailer for the 2009 Ghostbusters video game
.
In Ghostbusters II
, at one point in the movie, Peter Venkman
says, "Kitten, I think what I'm saying is that sometimes, shit happens, someone has to deal with it, and who you gonna call?" There was also a scene where a commercial for the company's business featured Janine Melnitz and Louis Tully as a couple being bothered by a ghost. Louis picks up a phone, Janine asks who he is going to call, and the Ghostbusters appear answering "Ghostbusters!" Also, in the birthday party scene at the beginning of the movie, Raymond Stantz
and Winston Zeddemore
play and sing along to the song.
In an episode of The Real Ghostbusters
, the Ghostbusters are trapped in an alternate reality New York populated by ghosts, where a group of ghosts called the Peoplebusters go around the city catching human beings. When they are fleeing from the Peoplebusters, the GBs pass a ghost dining in an outdoor cafe, who witnesses the scene and sings "When there isn't something strange/in your neighborhood/Who you gonna call?/Peoplebusters!"
In TokyoPop
's Ghostbusters series, Ray, Peter, and Egon eat at a diner with pictures of famous patrons on the wall. Ray comments on the people on the wall, and, finding Ray Parker Jr, remarks that he's never heard of him.
The song appears in Ghostbusters: The Video Game
. It is played fully in the end credits of the game (on the Wii
, PS2, and PSP
versions).
St. Louis
CBS
station KMOV
spoofed the song for its mid-1980s "Newsbusters" promos.
Washington, DC NBC
station WRC-TV
spoofed the song in 1988 with "Broncobusters", which is all about the Washington Redskins
and their, at the time, upcoming match up against the Denver Broncos
at Super Bowl XXII
.
Professional wrestler Jerry Lawler
made a parody of the song in Memphis Wrestling
entitled "Wimpbusters".
In the 1995 movie Casper
when Carrigan and Dibbs are trying to get the ghosts out of the mansion, several pieces of furniture are thrown out of the door, and Dan Aykroyd (dressed as his Ghostbusters character, Dr. Raymond Stantz) is seen running out. He stops by Carrigan and Dibbs and says, "Who you gonna call? Somebody else." He then leaves quickly.
In "Sunday in the Park with Fran" (Episode 1.18 of The Nanny
), Niles and Fran are discussing the refrigerator, which has been broken throughout the entire episode. Fran says "Who you gonna call?" and opens the door. Dan Aykroyd
enters dressed as a repairman and announces "Frost Busters!"
In the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Spike asks Buffy
, "Who you gonna call?" then follows it with "God, that line is never gonna be usable again, is it?" to which she replies, "Probably not."
Disney
produced an abridged music video of the song in the special DTV
Monster Hits, set entirely to clips from the 1937 cartoon Lonesome Ghosts
.
A musical number on the Kids' WB! show Histeria!
, about Theodore Roosevelt and his anti-trust campaign (featured in the episode "The Teddy Roosevelt Show"), was sung to the theme.
In the "Petergeist
" episode of Family Guy
, Tom Tucker reports that the Griffin family's house is infested with ghosts. "Who they gonna call?" he asks. His co-anchor, Diane Simmons, suggests "Ghostbusters?" and Tucker replies with "No, Diane, their insurance company. That's just stupid what you said."
In an episode of the TV show Max and Paddy's Road To Nowhere, a motor mechanic who goes by the name of Mick Bustin has the slogan "When there's something strange/Underneath your hood/Who ya gonna call?/Mick Bustin" for his business, and Ghostbuster parody logos all over his auto shop.
In the "Bloooo" episode of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
, when Wilt asks Coco what to do for their "ghost" problem, Coco picks up a telephone, and Wilt says, "Who you gonna call?" Coco responds by saying "Co-coco!" in the same way the word Ghostbusters is said in the song. Wilt replies, "They've been out of business for years."
The BBC
children's comedy series Maid Marian and her Merry Men
featured a spoof of the song entitled "Call The Dentist".
In Sonic Unleashed
(PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360
versions) there is an achievement called "I Ain't Afraid of No Ghost", which is unlocked by freeing several NPCs from possession. It is also the name of an achievement in the Xbox 360 version of the Ghostbusters game that is unlocked after the player traps the Sloth Ghost.
An advert for UK Directory Enquiries service 118 118
features Ray Parker Jr multiple times in different costumes in a parody of the song. It alters lines slightly such as "If there's something strange, going through your head, Who Ya Gonna Call? 118!", and "I ain't afraid of no goats" (shortly after Parker Jr. frees two goats from the back of a car). The advert also features giant versions of the 118 men, in a parody of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
Ads for the Maroone car dealerships (Auto Nation affiliate of Palm Beach
and Broward County, South Florida) featured variations on the famous chorus. The variation went: "If you need a car/Truck or van/Who you gonna call/MAROONE!". Other Auto Nation affiliates (ex: AutoWay of Tampa, Courtesy of Orlando) use this song for their advertisements.
In the Doctor Who
episode "Army of Ghosts
", a couple lines of the song are sung by both The Doctor and Rose Tyler
, the Doctor carrying equipment that visually resembles the equipment the Ghostbusters used.
A parody version sung by the dead character Nappa ('Ghost Nappa') was used to close the first season of That Guy with the Glasses
hosted Dragon Ball Z Abridged.
The song is one of the playable songs in Lego Rock Band
, both in the console versions and in the Nintendo DS
version.
In the film Zombieland
, the central characters listen to the song while at Murray's mansion.
In the episode "The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis" in the FX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
, the gang references the Ghostbusters a few times during the episode, and drive around the city to the theme song.
In "Nan's Christmas Carol
", a special Christmas 2009 episode of The Catherine Tate Show
based on Charles Dickens
's A Christmas Carol
, The Ghost of Christmas Present (David Tennant
) makes his entrance dancing to the song as it plays on his phone.
In The Hoosiers
video "Goodbye Mr. A", a sign briefly appears saying "Hoosier gonna call?"
"Ghostbusters" was played before a commercial break during the NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings
and New England Patriots
on Halloween
2010
.
In the Futurama
episode, Ghost in the Machines, Philip J. Fry responds to Hermes' "Who ya gonna call?" with "Ghostbusters", but is cut off mid-sentence by a cannot be connected dial tone followed by "The number you have dialed has been lame since 1989".
The song was remixed for club play in 2010 by U.S. producer, Joel Dickinson
. A commercial version (including the original synth riff) and an underground club mix were released.
14 Gold. It is also a playable song in LEGO Rock Band
.
Mickael the Turtle version
Mickeal the Turtle version
Mickael Turtle
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1984 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
song recorded by Ray Parker, Jr.
Ray Parker, Jr.
Ray Erskine Parker, Jr. , is an American guitarist, songwriter, producer and recording artist. Parker is known for writing and performing the theme song to the motion picture Ghostbusters, for his solo hits, and performing with his band Raydio as well as the late Barry White.-Early life and...
as the theme to the film of the same name
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
starring Bill Murray
Bill Murray
William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
and Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
on August 11 in 1984, and stayed there for three weeks. It also peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
on 16 September 1984, where it stayed for three weeks.
It was nominated for the Academy Award
57th Academy Awards
The 57th Academy Awards were presented March 25, 1985 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Jack Lemmon.This ceremony is best-remembered for perhaps the most quoted and famous Academy Award acceptance speech ever...
for Best Music, Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
, but lost to Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's "I Just Called to Say I Love You
I Just Called to Say I Love You
"I Just Called to Say I Love You" is a song, produced, written and performed by Stevie Wonder. It was one of Wonder's most commercially successful singles....
".
Background
According to Parker, he was approached by the film's producers to create a theme song for the film. Unfortunately, he only had a few days to do so and the film's title seemed impossible to include in any lyrics. However, when watching television late at night, Parker saw a cheap commercial for a local service that reminded him that the film had a similar commercial featured for the fictional business. This inspired him to write the song as a pseudo-advertising jingle that the business could have commissioned as a promotion.The repeating line from the song, "I ain't afraid of no ghost" likely is borrowed from the children's book, "The Ghost-Eye Tree", by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, where the protagonist’s brother exclaims, "I’m tough! Real tough! I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghost."
Parker was later the defendant in a copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
lawsuit which claimed "Ghostbusters" was too similar in musical structure to "I Want a New Drug
I Want a New Drug
"I Want a New Drug" is a song by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News from their third album Sports. It was released as the second single from the album, following the top-ten hit "Heart and Soul" in January 1984. The single reached number six on the U.S...
," written and performed by Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
(more specifically, the guitar riff which runs through the song). "I Want a New Drug" was a U.S. top-ten hit earlier the same year. The two parties settled out of court. Details of the settlement (specifically, that Parker paid Lewis a settlement) were confidential until 2001, when Lewis commented on the payment in an episode of VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
. Parker subsequently sued Lewis for breaching confidentiality. Coincidentally, Lewis had at one point been asked to record a theme song for the movie, but turned it down because he was writing songs for the Back To The Future
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
soundtrack.
In later years, AutoNation
AutoNation
AutoNation, the largest auto retailer in the USA, was founded in 1996 by entrepreneur H. Wayne Huizenga, also founder of Blockbuster and Waste Management. The company is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The current Chairman and CEO is Mike Jackson, former CEO of Mercedes Benz North America...
adopted the theme for their advertising campaign. In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the song is parodied with Parker himself being featured in a commercial advertising direct enquiries line 118 118
118 118 (UK)
118 118 is a UK directory enquiries provider based in Cardiff that assists customers with telephone number enquiries and general queries.The service is provided by The Number UK Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of US directory enquiries provider Knowledge Generation Bureau , whose company motto is...
.
The song re-entered the UK Top 75 on 2nd November 2008 at No. 49.
Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Adams Buckingham is an American guitarist, singer, composer and producer, most notable for being the guitarist and male lead singer of the musical group Fleetwood Mac. Aside from his tenure with Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham has also released six solo albums and a live album...
claims to have been approached to write the Ghostbusters theme based on his successful contribution to Harold Ramis's National Lampoon's Vacation
National Lampoon's Vacation
Vacation, sometimes referred as National Lampoon's Vacation, is a 1983 comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Dana Barron and Anthony Michael Hall...
(the song "Holiday Road
Holiday Road
"Holiday Road" is a 1983 single written and recorded by Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. The song was featured in the 1983 film National Lampoon's Vacation and was played during the opening titles. The song was also used in the sequels National Lampoon's European Vacation and Vegas...
"). He turned down the opportunity as he did not want to be known as a soundtrack artist. He mentions this on the "Words & Music" interview disk.
Music video
A music video for the song featured a young woman, played by Cindy Harrell, who was being haunted by a ghost portrayed by Parker, roaming a nearly all-black house interior with vibrant neonNeon
Neon is the chemical element that has the symbol Ne and an atomic number of 10. Although a very common element in the universe, it is rare on Earth. A colorless, inert noble gas under standard conditions, neon gives a distinct reddish-orange glow when used in either low-voltage neon glow lamps or...
designs outlining the sparse architectural and industrial features. It also contained footage from the film Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
, and featured cameos from many celebrities of the day, including Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase
Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...
, Irene Cara
Irene Cara
Irene Cara is an American singer and actress. Cara won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing "Flashdance... What a Feeling." She is also known for her recording of the song "Fame", and she also starred in the 1980 film Fame.She married Hollywood stuntman...
, John Candy
John Candy
John Franklin Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City and its related Second City Television series, and through his appearances in comedy films such as Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle...
, Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Gilbert
Melissa Ellen Gilbert is an American actress, writer, and producer, primarily in movies and television. Gilbert is best known as a child actress who co-starred as Charles Ingalls's second daughter, Laura Ingalls Wilder, on the dramatic television series Little House on the Prairie...
, Nickolas Ashford, Jeffrey Tambor
Jeffrey Tambor
Jeffrey Michael Tambor is an American actor, perhaps best known for his roles as George Bluth Sr. and Oscar Bluth on Arrested Development and Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show.-Early life:...
, George Wendt
George Wendt
George Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
, Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....
, Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
, Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
, Peter Falk
Peter Falk
Peter Michael Falk was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo...
and Teri Garr
Teri Garr
-Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...
; all of whom exclaim the "Ghostbusters!" line of the song when shown.
The video concludes with Parker and the stars of the film, in full Ghostbuster costume, dancing down the streets of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The Ghostbusters also performed the similar dance in the closing credits to the Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters is an American animated television series based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters. The series ran from 1986 to 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television, DiC Enterprises, and Coca-Cola Telecommunications. "The Real" was added to the title after a dispute with...
cartoon series as well as in a trailer for the 2009 Ghostbusters video game
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a 2009 cross-platform action game based on the Ghostbusters film franchise. Terminal Reality developed the Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions, while Red Fly Studio developed the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii versions, and Zen Studios...
.
Cover versions
- A version of the song with a different set of vocals serves as the theme song for the spin-off cartoon series The Real GhostbustersThe Real GhostbustersThe Real Ghostbusters is an American animated television series based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters. The series ran from 1986 to 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television, DiC Enterprises, and Coca-Cola Telecommunications. "The Real" was added to the title after a dispute with...
. - Run DMC recorded a rap cover for the Ghostbusters IIGhostbusters IIGhostbusters II is a 1989 science fiction comedy film produced and directed by Ivan Reitman. It is the sequel to the 1984 film Ghostbusters and follows the further adventures of a group of parapsychologists and their organization which combats paranormal activities...
soundtrack - David EssexDavid EssexDavid Essex OBE is an English musician, singer-songwriter and actor. Since the 1970s, Essex has attained nineteen Top 40 singles in the UK , and sixteen Top 40 albums...
covered the song on his 1987 album Central Stage. - Rapper Mistah F.A.B.Mistah F.A.B.Stanley Petey Cox , better known by his stage name Mistah F.A.B. , is an American rapper. He attended Oakland Technical High School and Emery High School. He is signed to Bay Area rap legend Mac Dre's label, Thizz Entertainment and Atlantic Records. Mistah F.A.B...
samples the song in his 2006 single "Ghost Ride ItGhost Ride It"Ghost Ride It" is a single from the unreleased studio album Da Yellow Bus Rydah by Bay Area rapper Mistah F.A.B.. The song is about "ghost riding," exiting a moving vehicle to walk or dance beside it while it continues to move. The song imitates the theme song of Ghostbusters.-Music video:The...
". - A cover of the song also appears on the debut album PeepPeep (album)Peep is the debut album by Finnish alternative rock band The Rasmus , released on 23 September 1996 on Warner Music Finland....
by the Finnish band The RasmusThe RasmusThe Rasmus are a Finnish rock band that formed in 1995 in Helsinki while the band members were still in upper comprehensive school. The original band members were Lauri Ylönen , Eero Heinonen , Pauli Rantasalmi and Janne Heiskanen...
. It is available on their compilation album Hell of a CollectionHell of a CollectionHell of a Collection is the first compilation album by the Finnish band The Rasmus, released in 2001 by Warner Music Finland....
as well. - BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
thrash metalThrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band XentrixXentrixXentrix were a British thrash metal band of the late 1980s/early 1990s hailing from Preston, Lancashire. Xentrix were one of the leading lights of the British Thrash movement. They had videos for their songs For Whose Advantage and their cover of Ray Parker, Jr's Ghostbusters theme. They had...
covered the song as a single and released it in various versions on several albums. There was a bit of controversy when they used a parody of the GhostbustersGhostbustersGhostbusters is a 1984 American science fiction comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis and follows three eccentric parapsychologists in New York City, who start a...
logoLogoA logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
on the single sleeve (with the ghost flickingFinger (gesture)In Western culture, the finger , also known as the middle finger, is an obscene hand gesture, often meaning the phrases "fuck off" , "fuck you" or "up yours"...
a V SignV signThe V sign is a hand gesture in which the index and middle fingers are raised and parted, while the other fingers are clenched. It has various meanings, depending on the cultural context and how it is presented...
) without permission, but the band later reissued the single with different artwork. - A remix of the song serves as the theme song for the cartoon series Extreme GhostbustersExtreme GhostbustersExtreme Ghostbusters is an animated television series and a follow-up to the animated series Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters. It is a part of the film/TV Ghostbusters franchise...
. - Beatmania IIDX 14: Gold includes a remix of the "Ghostbusters" Theme as a playable track.
- DJ team Umi GhouliesCJ CrewCJ Crew are a dance music DJ duo, consisting of Chris Bucknall and John Briely. Other aliases include Big Vin & Hugh Jardon, Chi K Monkey, Chi K Munki, Connie and the Plainsman, Demanche Noir, Muff and the Munchers, Nancy and the Boys, The Orff Ki Ensemble, Pyan Issim, Pynck Hobo, Terry and the...
remixed and covered the song at 175 bpm for the 2003 dance compilation Speed SFXSpeed SFXSpeed SFX is a compilation album of Dancemanias Speed series, released by EMI Music Japan in the late 2003.As a special edition in the Speed G series, the album features uptempo remixes of popular theme songs for various films, mainly those of science fiction.Different remixes of the album's...
. - "Ghostbusters" was also covered in 2004's Kidz Bop HalloweenKidz Bop HalloweenKidz Bop Halloween is an album in the Kidz Bop series.-Track listing:#Ghostbusters#Monster Mash#Addams Family#Witch Doctor#Nightmare on My Street#Thriller#Werewolves of London#The Purple People Eater#Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!# Haunted House...
album. - The song was also covered by Mickael TurtleMickael TurtleMickael Turtle from New Caledonia is a fictional turtle who hit the French music charts with a reworking of the Ghostbusters theme. He has also made a teaser video .-External links:****...
, an animated character, in 2005, and reached No. 5 in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on December 3, 2005, and No. 23 in SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
on January 15, 2006. - The band McFlyMcFlyMcFly are an English pop rock band who first found fame in 2004. The band consists of Tom Fletcher , Danny Jones , Dougie Poynter and Harry Judd . They were signed to the Island Records label from their 2004 launch until December 2007, before creating their own label, Super Records...
performed the song live on their 2006 "Motion in the Ocean" tour. The song later appeared on their tour edition album as well as on the DVD of the show. - Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
covered the song in their cartoonAlvin and the Chipmunks (TV series)Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated television series featuring The Chipmunks, produced by Bagdasarian Productions in association with Ruby-Spears Enterprises from 1983–87, and DIC Entertainment from 1988-90....
episode "Who Ghost There?" - Rapper The GameThe Game (rapper)Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
, used the song as a sample for the first song on his mixtape Ghost Unit. - St. Louis based band LudoLudo (band)Ludo is an alternative rock band from St. Louis, Missouri. The band consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Andrew Volpe, lead guitarist/back up vocalist Tim Ferrell, moog/synth and back up vocalist Tim Convy, and drummer/back up vocalist Matt Palermo.-History:...
performs a cover at their concerts around the month of October. - A cover by heavy metal / experimental band VomitronVomitronVomitron is a heavy metal/experimental band based in Lowell, Massachusetts USA. Their music first circulated in 2002 on mp3.com.-Releases:On January 8, 2007, Vomitron announced on its MySpace that its first, self-titled CD was available for purchase...
can be found circulating the internet. - Another mashup of "Ghostbusters" and AC/DCAC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
's "ThunderstruckThunderstruck (song)"Thunderstruck" is the first song on the 1990 AC/DC album The Razors Edge.The song peaked at No. 5 on U.S. the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. It was released as a single in Germany, Australia, and Japan. The song is said to be inspired by lead guitarist Angus Young's hair-raising experience...
" was included on Mash Up Your Bootz Vol.6. - Texas pop-punk band Bowling for SoupBowling for SoupBowling for Soup is an American pop-punk band which originally formed in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1994...
covered the song for the movie Just Like Heaven. - The alternative band HoobastankHoobastankHoobastank is an American rock band, best known for their 2004 hit "The Reason" and other hits "Crawling in the Dark" and "Running Away". They formed in 1994 in Agoura Hills, California, with singer Doug Robb, guitarist Dan Estrin, drummer Chris Hesse, and original bassist Markku Lappalainen. They...
recorded a version of the song for Halloween in 2009. A video, which features the band dressed in the multi-colored uniforms worn by The Real Ghostbusters, opposed to the tan jumpsuits worn by the motion picture Ghostbusters, was also put on YouTube. - The song was covered on The X Factor (Series 6) by the twins John & Edward.
- Latvian instrumentalInstrumentalAn instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
cello rockCello rockCello rock and cello metal are subgenres of rock music and heavy metal characterized by the use of cellos as primary instruments, alongside or in place of more traditional rock instruments such as electric guitars, electric bass guitar, and drum set.Cellos, often in groups of three or more, are...
trio Melo-MMelo-MMelo-M is a Latvian instrumental cello rock trio consisting of three classically trained cellists: Kārlis Auzāns, Valters Pūce, and Antons Trocjuks...
(featuring Intars BusulisIntars BusulisIntars Busulis is a Latvian singer represented Latvia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia with the song Probka . It competed in the second semi-final on May 14 but finished last with seven points and failed to win a place in the final.- External links :* *...
on vocals) included a cover version in their 2007 album SingalongsSingalongs (Melo-M album)Singalongs is the second studio album released by Latvian instrumental cello rock trio Melo-M. The album is produced by trio member Kārlis Auzāns and recorded 2007 at Chellout Studios in Riga, Latvia...
.
In the media
The song is referenced in both the films and the cartoon series.In Ghostbusters II
Ghostbusters II
Ghostbusters II is a 1989 science fiction comedy film produced and directed by Ivan Reitman. It is the sequel to the 1984 film Ghostbusters and follows the further adventures of a group of parapsychologists and their organization which combats paranormal activities...
, at one point in the movie, Peter Venkman
Peter Venkman
Peter Venkman, Ph.D. is a fictional character from the Ghostbusters franchise. He is a parapsychologist and member of the Ghostbusters, appearing in the films Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II and in the animated television series The Real Ghostbusters...
says, "Kitten, I think what I'm saying is that sometimes, shit happens, someone has to deal with it, and who you gonna call?" There was also a scene where a commercial for the company's business featured Janine Melnitz and Louis Tully as a couple being bothered by a ghost. Louis picks up a phone, Janine asks who he is going to call, and the Ghostbusters appear answering "Ghostbusters!" Also, in the birthday party scene at the beginning of the movie, Raymond Stantz
Raymond Stantz
Raymond "Ray" Stantz, Ph.D., is a fictional scientist and member of the Ghostbusters, appearing in the films Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, and Casper and in the animated television series The Real Ghostbusters . He is one of the three doctors of parapsychology on the team, along with Dr. Peter...
and Winston Zeddemore
Winston Zeddemore
Winston Zeddemore is a fictional character appearing in the Ghostbusters films, TV series, and video games. He was played by Ernie Hudson in both movies and was voiced by Arsenio Hall in the first two seasons of The Real Ghostbusters. Buster Jones provided Winston's voice in the remaining seasons,...
play and sing along to the song.
In an episode of The Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters
The Real Ghostbusters is an American animated television series based on the 1984 film Ghostbusters. The series ran from 1986 to 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television, DiC Enterprises, and Coca-Cola Telecommunications. "The Real" was added to the title after a dispute with...
, the Ghostbusters are trapped in an alternate reality New York populated by ghosts, where a group of ghosts called the Peoplebusters go around the city catching human beings. When they are fleeing from the Peoplebusters, the GBs pass a ghost dining in an outdoor cafe, who witnesses the scene and sings "When there isn't something strange/in your neighborhood/Who you gonna call?/Peoplebusters!"
In TokyoPop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
's Ghostbusters series, Ray, Peter, and Egon eat at a diner with pictures of famous patrons on the wall. Ray comments on the people on the wall, and, finding Ray Parker Jr, remarks that he's never heard of him.
The song appears in Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a 2009 cross-platform action game based on the Ghostbusters film franchise. Terminal Reality developed the Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions, while Red Fly Studio developed the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii versions, and Zen Studios...
. It is played fully in the end credits of the game (on the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, PS2, and PSP
PSP
PSP most commonly refers to the PlayStation Portable, a handheld game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment.PSP may also refer to:-Computing and programming:*Corel Paint Shop Pro, a graphics editor...
versions).
St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
station KMOV
KMOV
KMOV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station in St. Louis, Missouri. KMOV is owned by the Dallas-based Belo Corporation, with its studio and office facilities in St...
spoofed the song for its mid-1980s "Newsbusters" promos.
Washington, DC NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
station WRC-TV
WRC-TV
WRC-TV, channel 4, is an owned and operated television station of the NBC television network, located in the American capital city of Washington, D.C...
spoofed the song in 1988 with "Broncobusters", which is all about the Washington Redskins
1987 Washington Redskins season
The 1987 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 12-4 record from 1986. The 1987 NFL season was shortened from 16 games per team to 15 games because of a players' strike. Games to be played during the third week of the season were canceled, and replacement players were...
and their, at the time, upcoming match up against the Denver Broncos
1987 Denver Broncos season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-External links:* *...
at Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
.
Professional wrestler Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
made a parody of the song in Memphis Wrestling
Memphis Wrestling
Memphis Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:Memphis Wrestling evolved from an earlier short-lived promotion called Memphis Championship Wrestling.-Television:...
entitled "Wimpbusters".
In the 1995 movie Casper
Casper (film)
Casper is a 1995 American comedy fantasy film starring Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci, based on the Casper the Friendly Ghost animated cartoons and comic books. The ghosts featured in the film were created through computer-generated imagery...
when Carrigan and Dibbs are trying to get the ghosts out of the mansion, several pieces of furniture are thrown out of the door, and Dan Aykroyd (dressed as his Ghostbusters character, Dr. Raymond Stantz) is seen running out. He stops by Carrigan and Dibbs and says, "Who you gonna call? Somebody else." He then leaves quickly.
In "Sunday in the Park with Fran" (Episode 1.18 of The Nanny
The Nanny
Nanny may refer to:* Nanny, a child's caregiver* A grandmother * A Cajun word for godmother * A female goat* Nanny , a 1981–83 British drama series starring Wendy Craig* Nanny of the Maroons...
), Niles and Fran are discussing the refrigerator, which has been broken throughout the entire episode. Fran says "Who you gonna call?" and opens the door. Dan Aykroyd
Dan Aykroyd
Daniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
enters dressed as a repairman and announces "Frost Busters!"
In the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Spike asks Buffy
Buffy Summers
Buffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
, "Who you gonna call?" then follows it with "God, that line is never gonna be usable again, is it?" to which she replies, "Probably not."
Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
produced an abridged music video of the song in the special DTV
D-TV
D-TV was a series of music videos created by Walt Disney Productions in 1984 using popular music and video footage from Disney videos, mostly cartoons, created out of the trend of music videos on cable channel MTV, which inspired the name of this series...
Monster Hits, set entirely to clips from the 1937 cartoon Lonesome Ghosts
Lonesome Ghosts
Lonesome Ghosts is a 1937 Disney animated cartoon featuring the Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy trio as members of the agency "Ajax Ghost Exterminators" .-Plot:...
.
A musical number on the Kids' WB! show Histeria!
Histeria!
Histeria! is a 1998 American animated series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Unlike other animated series produced by Warner Bros. in the 1990s, Histeria! stood out as the most explicit edutainment program in order to meet FCC requirements for...
, about Theodore Roosevelt and his anti-trust campaign (featured in the episode "The Teddy Roosevelt Show"), was sung to the theme.
In the "Petergeist
Petergeist
"Petergeist" is an episode from season four of Fox animated series Family Guy. Peter decides to build a multiplex to top Joe's new home theater, but comes across an Indian skull in his backyard and desecrates it...
" episode of Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, Tom Tucker reports that the Griffin family's house is infested with ghosts. "Who they gonna call?" he asks. His co-anchor, Diane Simmons, suggests "Ghostbusters?" and Tucker replies with "No, Diane, their insurance company. That's just stupid what you said."
In an episode of the TV show Max and Paddy's Road To Nowhere, a motor mechanic who goes by the name of Mick Bustin has the slogan "When there's something strange/Underneath your hood/Who ya gonna call?/Mick Bustin" for his business, and Ghostbuster parody logos all over his auto shop.
In the "Bloooo" episode of Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is an American animated television series created and produced at Cartoon Network Studios by animator Craig McCracken, creator of The Powerpuff Girls. It first premiered on Cartoon Network on August 13, 2004, as a 90-minute television movie, which led to a series...
, when Wilt asks Coco what to do for their "ghost" problem, Coco picks up a telephone, and Wilt says, "Who you gonna call?" Coco responds by saying "Co-coco!" in the same way the word Ghostbusters is said in the song. Wilt replies, "They've been out of business for years."
The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
children's comedy series Maid Marian and her Merry Men
Maid Marian and her Merry Men
Maid Marian and her Merry Men is a British children's sitcom created and written by Tony Robinson and directed by David Bell. It began in 1989 on BBC One and ran for four series, with the last episode shown in 1994...
featured a spoof of the song entitled "Call The Dentist".
In Sonic Unleashed
Sonic Unleashed
Sonic Unleashed , is a video game and the 11th installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for multiple platforms...
(PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
versions) there is an achievement called "I Ain't Afraid of No Ghost", which is unlocked by freeing several NPCs from possession. It is also the name of an achievement in the Xbox 360 version of the Ghostbusters game that is unlocked after the player traps the Sloth Ghost.
An advert for UK Directory Enquiries service 118 118
118 118 (UK)
118 118 is a UK directory enquiries provider based in Cardiff that assists customers with telephone number enquiries and general queries.The service is provided by The Number UK Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of US directory enquiries provider Knowledge Generation Bureau , whose company motto is...
features Ray Parker Jr multiple times in different costumes in a parody of the song. It alters lines slightly such as "If there's something strange, going through your head, Who Ya Gonna Call? 118!", and "I ain't afraid of no goats" (shortly after Parker Jr. frees two goats from the back of a car). The advert also features giant versions of the 118 men, in a parody of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
Ads for the Maroone car dealerships (Auto Nation affiliate of Palm Beach
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
and Broward County, South Florida) featured variations on the famous chorus. The variation went: "If you need a car/Truck or van/Who you gonna call/MAROONE!". Other Auto Nation affiliates (ex: AutoWay of Tampa, Courtesy of Orlando) use this song for their advertisements.
In the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
episode "Army of Ghosts
Army of Ghosts
"Army of Ghosts" is the twelfth and penultimate episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who which was first broadcast on 1 July 2006...
", a couple lines of the song are sung by both The Doctor and Rose Tyler
Rose Tyler
Rose Marion Tyler is a fictional character portrayed by Billie Piper in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was created by series producer Russell T Davies...
, the Doctor carrying equipment that visually resembles the equipment the Ghostbusters used.
A parody version sung by the dead character Nappa ('Ghost Nappa') was used to close the first season of That Guy with the Glasses
That Guy with the Glasses
That Guy with the Glasses is a website that mostly showcases satirical reviews of movies and video games. It primarily stars Chicago native Douglas Darien "Doug" Walker as "That Guy with the Glasses". The founder and administrator of the site is Michael Michaud, CEO of the parent company Channel...
hosted Dragon Ball Z Abridged.
The song is one of the playable songs in Lego Rock Band
Lego Rock Band
Lego Rock Band is a music video game and part of the Rock Band series developed by Harmonix Music Systems, but also incorporates elements from other Lego video games as developed by Traveller's Tales. The game is published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and MTV Games...
, both in the console versions and in the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
version.
In the film Zombieland
Zombieland
Zombieland is a 2009 American zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer from a screenplay written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a zombie apocalypse...
, the central characters listen to the song while at Murray's mansion.
In the episode "The Gang Solves the Gas Crisis" in the FX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4, 2005. New episodes continue to air on FX, with reruns playing on Comedy Central, general broadcast syndication, and WGN America—the first-ever cable-to-cable syndication deal for a sitcom...
, the gang references the Ghostbusters a few times during the episode, and drive around the city to the theme song.
In "Nan's Christmas Carol
Nan's Christmas Carol
Nan's Christmas Carol is a spin-off of The Catherine Tate Show. The one-off special based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is about Nan visited by three ghosts on Christmas night in her council flat.-The Beginning:...
", a special Christmas 2009 episode of The Catherine Tate Show
The Catherine Tate Show
The Catherine Tate Show is a British television sketch comedy written by Catherine Tate and Aschlin Ditta. Tate also stars in all but one of the show's sketches, which feature a wide range of characters. The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC Two and is shown worldwide through the BBC...
based on Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
's A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
, The Ghost of Christmas Present (David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
) makes his entrance dancing to the song as it plays on his phone.
In The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are an English pop/rock band, consisting of members Irwin Sparkes , Martin Skarendahl and Alan Sharland ....
video "Goodbye Mr. A", a sign briefly appears saying "Hoosier gonna call?"
"Ghostbusters" was played before a commercial break during the NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
2010
2010 in television
2010 in television may refer to:*2010 in American television*2010 in Australian television*2010 in British television*2010 in Canadian television*2010 in Japanese television...
.
In the Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
episode, Ghost in the Machines, Philip J. Fry responds to Hermes' "Who ya gonna call?" with "Ghostbusters", but is cut off mid-sentence by a cannot be connected dial tone followed by "The number you have dialed has been lame since 1989".
The song was remixed for club play in 2010 by U.S. producer, Joel Dickinson
Joel Dickinson
Joel Dickinson is a remixer, electronic music producer, recording engineer and DJ based in Minneapolis, MN. He has worked for Junior Vasquez on a number of projects in recent years. He is a founding member of the remix team Audio Assembly who have produced for artists such as Katy Perry and Lady...
. A commercial version (including the original synth riff) and an underground club mix were released.
In video games
"Ghostbusters" was made a playable song in Beatmania IIDXBeatmania IIDX
is a series of rhythm video games and the sequel to Beatmania that was first introduced by Konami in Japan on February 26, 1999. IIDX has since spawned over 19 arcade releases and over 13 console releases on the Sony PlayStation 2...
14 Gold. It is also a playable song in LEGO Rock Band
Lego Rock Band
Lego Rock Band is a music video game and part of the Rock Band series developed by Harmonix Music Systems, but also incorporates elements from other Lego video games as developed by Traveller's Tales. The game is published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and MTV Games...
.
Track listings
Ray Parker Jr. version- 7" single (Arista)
- "Ghostbusters" — 3
- 46
- "Ghostbusters" (instrumental) — 4:03
NEWLIN
Mickael the Turtle version
- CD single (Universal)
- "Ghostbusters" (radio edit) — 2
- 26
- "Ghostbusters" (extended club original mix) — 5:07
- "Ghostbusters" (who's that remix long voix) — 6:15
- "Ghostbusters" (extended club instrumental mix) — 5:07
- "Ghostbusters" (Who's that remix long dub) — 6:12
- Mickael The Turtle - Teaser Video
NEWLIN
Certifications
Ray Parker Jr version| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Platinum | September 1, 1984 | 100,000 |
| France | Platinum | 1985 | 1,000,000 |
| UK | Gold | October 1, 1984 | 500,000 |
| U.S. | Gold | August 7, 1984 | 1,000,000 |
Mickeal the Turtle version
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | Silver | December 1, 2005 | 125,000 |
Charts
Ray Parker Jr.| Chart (1984/85) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 8 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 4 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 4 |
| Irish IRMA Singles Chart | 4 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music Club Play | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 1 |
| End of year chart (1984) | Position |
|---|---|
| Swiss Singles Chart | 12 |
Mickael Turtle
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 21 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 5 |
| German Singles Chart | 56 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 23 |
| End of year chart (2005) | Position |
|---|---|
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 50 |
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