Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context VillainSong / LiveActionTV

Go To

1%%
2%% Image selected per Image Pickin thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=17075300770.87337200
3%% Please don't change or remove withouts tarting a new thread.
4%%
5[[quoteright:350:[[Series/OddSquadMobileUnit https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2024_02_10_at_04_42_09_odd_squad_series_4_18_villains_helping_villains_5.png]]]]
6%%
7Examples of VillainSong in live-action television.
8----
9* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSlimGoodbody'': There are numerous songs sung throughout the series, many of which the villains sing. Of these, The Gobbler's introductory song "I'm The Gobbler" stands out.
10* The direct-to-video show ''Series/TheAdventuresOfTimmyTheTooth'' had the grinch-like Cavity Goon, who got his own song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd-DHUfz4A0 here]].
11* The Spanish sitcom ''Aída'' has an example in episode 100. In this episode the character Mauricio Colmenero, a fascist and greedy innkeeper, sings [[http://www.telecinco.es/aida/especiales/Mauricio-Colmenero-cabron_2_1310430126.html "Soy un cabrón"]] in this song he boasts that he has no moral and that he will do anything for money. This song is played after he explains to his employees that he made a pact with the mayor in which he will gain a lot of money if he betrays his neighbors cheating them to sing a contract where they agree to leave their homes and let their district to be demolished to build a highway.
12* ''WebVideo/TheAnnoyingOrange'' TV show has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q4pFD0PDF4 Musical Nightmare]] Sung by Teddy Juicer.
13* ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' invokes this in its fourth season, when Lucille (quite possibly the most evil member of the family) is forced to write one from the heart to audition for a ''Fantastic Four'' play. The results are somewhat terrifying.
14* ''Series/Batman1966'': Frank Gorshin released a single featuring one of these for the Riddler. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAlfr7wsqcM7 Check it out here.]]
15* In the category of "not sung by the villain" is Series/BlackAdder's title song, which has many variations throughout the life of the series and associated specials. The [[http://blackadder.wikia.com/wiki/Blackadder_lyrics lyrics]] both praise and lambaste the titular VillainProtagonist in the first and the second season.
16* The [[JustForFun/TropeOverdosed required]] ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' example: "What You Feel", by the dancing demon Sweet in the MusicalEpisode "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E7OnceMoreWithFeeling Once More with Feeling]]", alongside its DarkReprise "See You in Hell".
17* The Metal Dudes in Series/ToddAndTheBookOfPureEvil have a doo-wap song in the musical episode ''2 Girls, 1 Tongue'' that vaguely details their evil plan to turn Todd into the Pure Evil One.
18* The short-lived ''Series/CopRock'' had one song in particular called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_3AaY1BG8k "Baby Merchant"]] that fit the bill.
19* ''Series/CrazyExGirlfriend'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhzN7SfnNeY "I'm the Villain in My Own Story"]] from the main character, Rebecca, as she's coming to her HeelRealization. The song is a ShoutOut to Disney style villain songs, and particularly to [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 Ursula's "Poor Unfortunate Souls"]], sharing many similarities with it.
20* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
21** The Master singing Music/ScissorSisters' "I Can't Decide" at the Doctor. "Oh, I could throw you in a lake, feed you poisoned birthday cake. I can't deny, I'm gonna miss you when you're gone..."
22** And of course, "Voodoo Child" from the episode before. "Here come the drums, here come the drums..."
23* The ''Series/DoomPatrol2019'' MusicalEpisode "[[Recap/DoomPatrol2019S4E9ImmortimasPatrol Immortimas Patrol]]" ends with Immortus singing "You're All Doomed", where she lashes out over the Doom Patrol standing up to her and refusing to continue playing along with the fantasy world she's created.
24* The TV special adaptation of ''Literature/EmmetOttersJugBandChristmas'' has the Riverbottom Nightmare Band singing an eponymous song. Lyrics include "We don't brush our teeth, 'cuz a toothache can help us stay mean" and "We break up your place / We are dangerous when we are near". The song actually fits into the plot because it is an entry in the local TalentContest.
25* In the MusicalEpisode of ''Series/EvenStevens'', we have [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYwBkoZBy84 "Master of the Gym"]], sung by Coach Tugnut as he forces the boys to participate in a sadistic obstacle course. In true VillainSong tradition, it's one of the best songs in the episode. Although it's also a subversion, since [[spoiler:it ends with the boys standing up against him and forcing him to participate in it instead]].
26* ''Series/FraggleRock'' has ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ1dIxHM3WM Manic McMooch]]'' sung by Wander [=McMooch=].
27* The Muppet adaptation of "Literature/TheFrogPrince" has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4takKxhdJMQ Sweetums' self titled song]].
28* ''Series/{{Galavant}}''
29** "She'll Be Mine" for King Richard, "No One But You" for Madalena in first season.
30** "Do the D'Dew" is a duet between Chester Wormwood and Madalena.
31* ''Series/GameOfThrones'' has "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRO0jQFnLjE The Rains of Castamere]]", also known as the Lannister song, for Lord Tywin Lannister, which chronicles his annihilation of House Reyne of Castamere, a rebellious vassal, and it is ''SugarWiki/{{Awesome|Music}}''. See also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moZExve-AeQ the metal cover]]. Famous in-story, it's effectively used as BadassBoast, ImpliedDeathThreat and leitmotif.
32* ''Series/HorribleHistories'' has many of these. Just as an example, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0_z-MbODVo&feature=related Caligula, Elagabalus, Commodus, and Nero]] trying to prove [[EvilerThanThou which of them was the baddest Roman Emperor]]. [[spoiler:And the winner is... Nero!]]. Other highlights include:
33** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqNHbrVsfVQ&feature=related Aztec priests]]
34** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qSkaAwKMD4&feature=related Vikings]]
35** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KbXyALq7uA&feature=related Highwayman Dick Turpin]]
36** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCmogoGpnxg The Tudors]]
37*** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fadCAHjN-s&feature=related Henry VIII gets a solo one, too.]]
38** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51aHb_U8Zr0&feature=related Incan warlord Pachacuti]], [[LyricalDissonance probably the most happy, upbeat song about how horribly someone treated slain enemies you'll ever hear]].
39** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sUaJZX9ZkM&feature=related Blackbeard]]
40** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RaITtjcTy0&feature=related The Borgia Family]]
41** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDIDcaKAZJY Marcus Licinius Crassus]]
42** It also has some subversions:
43*** Ironically, UsefulNotes/RichardIII- infamously immortalized by Shakespeare as the arch-villain Theatre/RichardIII- gets a sweet, longing ballad in which he proves himself to have been quite a nice guy.
44*** "Bloody" UsefulNotes/MaryTudor also gets a musical chance to explain that she really was ''trying'' to be good (yes, back then that could easily include burning "heretics" at the stake) and wasn't so much unsuccessful as pathetically naive and unfortunate.
45*** "[=VikEngland=]" is about the many developments the Vikings brought to Britain.
46* The Lallakki song ''Kill the Humans'' in BBC series Series/{{Hyperdrive}}.
47* Averted in ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' with the Nightman's cut song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBMKLyRfY8Q It's Nature, Shit Happens]] from [[MusicalEpisode "The Nightman Cometh]]. While the song is the Nightman's major piece, he spends it justifying his deeds by claiming to be evil by nature ("Some people are born evil with the eyes of a cat").
48* [[Series/KamenRiderDenO Kamen Rider Gaoh]] is so much of a badass that he gets [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZiXX2uzpGU his own solo for his fight theme song]] of which all of the others are duets. Despite being included on TheMovie's soundtrack, it is too good for the theatrical release and only gets played in the DirectorsCut.
49** All of Series/KamenRiderKiva's members of the Checkmate Four have their own theme song. ''All'' of them, [[spoiler:including the two Queens and two Kings (if you count Roots of the King as such)]].
50** The Showa Kamen Riders have many. "Oh Shocker!" and "Akuma no Shocker" for the original, "Destron Sanka" for Series/KamenRiderV3, "GOD(Government of Darkness)'s March", (Series/KamenRiderX) and "Wahhaha! Terrorizing The Country!" for Series/KamenRiderStronger. The last two are done by Koorogi '73.
51** [[Series/KamenRiderExAid Kamen Rider Cronus]] gets his own theme "JUSTICE" sung by Hiroyuki Takumi of access who also plays as the rider [[spoiler:Masamune Dan]].
52** Series/KamenRiderBuild features "Evolution" [[spoiler:For Evolto's debut]].
53* In ''Series/LazyTown'' Robbie Rotten gets quite a few of these. Examples from the series' first run include [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDmZ_WkBrfc Master of Disguise]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4CTC_01mAQ Good To Be Bad]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwS4the0uE0 Woof Woof Woof]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d8jPooU9ig Fun To Be The Mayor]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLsJyfN0ICU You Are A Pirate]].
54** The original Icelandic stage plays give us [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR9wuZDQzRo Versti Fantur]] (Worst Villain), which is arguably creepier and more sinister than its remade counterpart "Master of Disguise", as well as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYfPYSKFOUs Glaumbæjargengið]] (Party Town Gang), which is sung by Robbie's minions.
55** And of course, the revived series' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfYnvDL0Qcw "We Are Number One"]] features Robbie teaching a trio of look-a-likes he hired as minions how to be villains.
56* The ''Series/LegendsOfTheSuperheroes'' special "The Roast" features Mordru singing a version of the Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz song "That's Entertainment" with the lyrics changed to have him describe the kinds of havoc and destruction he enjoys causing with his magic.
57* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'' has "Where the Shadows Lie", being performed by Fiona Apple at the end of Season 1. The song is an adaptation after the "Ring-verse" written by Tolkien.
58* ''Series/MacGyver1985'' even has one of these in the Season 5 premiere, 'Tough Boys', appropriately called the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSpSnzWnrlg Tough Boys Rap]]. Of course, it only works if you believe the Tough Boys are the episode's [[DesignatedVillain Designated Villains]], because they're just vigilantes trying to end their neighborhood's crack problem. Nevertheless, the song sounds pretty cool.
59* ''Series/TheMightyBoosh'' has "The Hitcher" and "Eels".
60** Also arguably Old Gregg's "Love games". He's not exactly a villain but then again there is what he did to Curly Jefferson.. And what he plans to do to poor Howard too.
61* ''{{Series/Mongrels}}'', a British adult comedy, features the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qUNFnjmP4o "I'm a ***" song]], where Vincent just straight up brags about how much of a [[CountryMatters c**t]] he is via song, and the rest of the cast agreeing with him, as demonstrated by the chorus below. Also, as a bonus, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68N_-OqaJ7g an animated version with the cast of Team Fortress 2.]]
62--> He robbed me! Knifed me! Shot me! He poured acid down my front! He managed to castrate me even though the knife was blunt! He took me to Oxford and abused me in a punt!/He anally invaded me as a publicity stunt! I think that we all agree he is a massive-
63* ''Series/TheMrPotatoHeadShow'': Queenie Sweet Potato plays an EvilOverlord in the superhero episode, and her first moment on-screen in the in-universe episode is a song about world domination.
64* [[spoiler: Ralph Fellowes]] gets one in the MusicalEpisode of ''Series/MurdochMysteries''. Since the rules of the MusicalWorldHypothesis are that anyone who sings is [[spoiler: actually standing over Murdoch's bedside talking while he lies in a coma]], this is very bad news.
65* When ''Series/OnceUponATime'' did a MusicalEpisode in Season 6's "The Song In Your Heart", most of the numbers are sung by the villains:
66** "Love Doesn't Stand A Chance", the Evil Queen's number about how nothing's going to stop her from crushing the Charmings.
67** "Revenge Will Be Mine", Hook's song about his intent to hunt down and kill Rumplestilskin.
68** "Wicked Always Wins", Zelena's melody about how she's going to watch Regina fail and then come out on top of her.
69** Subverted by Rumple, who {{Troll}}s Regina into thinking he's about to sing (with a melodic version of his {{leitmotif}} even appearing for a moment), then reveals that the spell didn't work on him because "The Dark One doesn't sing". Ironic and something of a shame, since Creator/RobertCarlyle actually can sing quite well.
70* ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'': In "Shimazu's Return Part 1", as an attempt to further Lothar's plans by winning a televised talent show, Marah and Kapri perform a catchy pop song that contains a SarcasticConfession about how "''I'm an interstellar ninja from an evil UFO!''"
71* One ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' "TV Funhouse" sketch had a fake preview for "Titey", a animated UsefulNotes/RMSTitanic film produced by Disney. The villainous iceberg (voiced by Creator/WhoopiGoldberg) apparently gets her own villain song.
72* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'': While he's not technically a villain, the Janitor's verse in the middle of Dr. Cox's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUDmvhcZNrA Rant Song]] certainly counts.
73* ''Series/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents2017'':
74** In "The Bad Beginning: Part 1", Count Olaf and his acting troupe sing "[[https://youtu.be/czqhyVGdYiE It's the Count]]", a very comical, over-the-top song that consists of Olaf showing off his massive ego, while also making it clear that he intends to steal the Baudelaires' fortune.
75--->''Who else has such robust good lucks in such a large amount?''\
76''I'm handsome and I'm talented and love your bank account!''
77** In "The Ersatz Elevator: Part 1", Larry tries to convince Olaf to sing a song, in a desperate attempt to [[WeNeedADistraction distract him]]. After refusing a few times, Olaf reluctantly complies and sings a catchy song called "[[https://youtu.be/ODU34hYxWLI Keep Chasing Your Schemes]]". As Olaf is in disguise (as a FunnyForeigner, no less), the song seems like a typical motivational song on the surface, but the lyrics contain some not-so-subtle hints of Olaf's true intentions (which, of course, nobody picks up on.)
78--->''No one's going to hand you\
79A fortune on a plate\
80You've got to open wide\
81Put your mouth around the bait\
82You gotta keep chasing your schemes\
83Keep chasing your schemes''
84** In "The Carnivorous Carnival: Part 1'', Olaf sings "[[https://youtu.be/PU4lE62_nUg Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to the House of Freaks]]" as he, disguised as a ringmaster, sings about TheFreakshow. Although, unlike the previous two songs, Olaf doesn't sing about his villainous goals in this one, he does mock the freaks in [[KickTheDog gratuitously cruel ways]], and the song and visuals are just as bombastic as you'd expect. CreepyCircusMusic is in full effect here.
85--->''Welcome, welcome, welcome to the house of freaks!\
86You'll never find such weirdos in the oddest of boutiques!''
87* ''Series/SpittingImage'' has "I've Never Met A Nice UsefulNotes/{{South Africa}}n" (written during UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra), which features a chorus of {{Amoral Afrikaner}}s gleefully boasting about how rotten they are. (When they bring up [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breyten_Breytenbach Breyten Breytenbach]], who was imprisoned for opposing apartheid and who spent the rest of his time in UsefulNotes/{{Paris}} until apartheid ended, they concede: "Yes, ''he's'' quite a nice South African/ And he's hardly ever killed anyone/ And he's not smelly at all!/ That's why we put him in prison.")
88* ''Series/StrangerThings'': ''Every Breath You Take'' by Music/ThePolice serves as this for the [[spoiler: Mind Flayer]] in the Season 2 finale.
89* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' has a few examples:
90** ''Series/HimitsuSentaiGoranger'' has ''Akuma no Kurojuujigun''
91** ''Series/JAKQDengekitai'' has "Iron Claw's theme"
92** ''Series/KousokuSentaiTurboranger'' has Oola no Urami
93** ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger'' has Bandora's theme, "Dolla! Theme of Witch Bandora"
94** ''Series/BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger'' has "Dead End Game" which doubles as an ImageSong for Abarekiller (who does pull a HeelFaceTurn at the end of the series but started out and remained a villain for most of the series).
95** And compare the opening theme to ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB5coPCWazc seen here]]) with the theme song to ''ThePsychoRangers'' of that series, ''Bousou Sentai Zokuranger'' ([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9FST34_ibU here]]).
96* ''Series/WandaVision'': [[spoiler: When Agatha Harkness reveals her true colors to Wanda, she does so by promptly putting on a ''Series/TheMunsters''-esque [[https://youtu.be/P8u8md-NiHM theme song]], allowing her to show off the ways she's inserted herself into Wanda's life and manipulated things behind the scenes--before ''then'' revealing that [[AndYourLittleDogToo she killed Wanda's dog For The Evulz]]]].
97* ''Series/TheWhitestKidsUKnow'' has this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rurBHWxYaR0 Hitler rap]].

Top