Float On

Todd plays "Float On" on his piano.

MODEST MOUSE - FLOAT ON A one-hit wonder retrospective

Todd: Modest Mouse.


 * Video for "Float On"
 * Modest Mouse: All right, all ready
 * We'll all float on
 * All right

Todd (VO): I don't think it's unfair to say that "Float On" by Modest Mouse is one of my favorite songs of all time. I feel like my life was changed the first time I heard it, and that it ever charted in the Hot 100 at all was, in itself, remarkable. I had never listened to Modest Mouse before then, but I knew them by reputation, and I considered them basically the epitome of a band you would never, ever hear on the radio ever.

Todd: "But wait," I hear some of you asking, "would you really count Modest Mouse as a one-hit wonder?"

Todd (VO): Sure, they only had one song that cracked the Hot 100, but by the same metric, Jimi Hendrix or Frank Zappa would be one-hit wonders. And usually, the term signifies not just limited chart success, but also relevance and influence; [Various clips of Modest Mouse performances] and Modest Mouse are indie rock legends with tons of fans and critical acclaim up the yin-yang, not to mention [brief clip of "Ocean Breathes Softly"] several other songs that made it onto the Alternative charts.

Todd: "So, given all that," you may ask, "is it really fair to call Modest Mouse one-hit wonders?" And my answer to that question is...no.


 * Record scratches, switching to "Float On" by the Floaters
 * Floaters: Float, float on
 * Ralph Mitchell: Come on, come on, come on

Todd: April Fools, bitches! Yes, today, we are not...

Todd (VO): ...looking at any song people remember or care about. No, I'm sick of doing those. After all, there is so much weird and wonderful that no one remembers at all, and folks, we've got a ripe slice of 70s cheese today.

Todd: Yes, the "Float On" we will be covering is not the indie rock song from 2004...

Todd (VO): ...but instead, the R&B smash from 1977 by—get this, no joke—[album cover of Float On: The Best of the Floaters] the Floaters.

Todd: Yes, [picture of a toilet] the Floaters.

Todd (VO): I assume, in 1977, that wasn't a slang term for an [picture of Baby Ruth] unpleasant surprise in the pool, but trust me, if there was any song that deserved to be accidentally associated with turds, it's this one. There's a reason this one doesn't get played on the oldies stations, and I'm gonna walk you through it.

Todd: So even if you don't know this one, please keep watching 'cause this is an amazing song. And, uh...well, let's take a look. All right, all ready...yeah, no Modest Mouse episode, deal with it.


 * Paul Mitchell: Mmm...

Before the hit

Transcript in progress