History Music / PacManFever

* {{Sampling}}: The song sprinkles in some sound effects from the original ''VideoGame/PacMan'' arcade game. They were recorded from a gameplay session on an actual cabinet at a local deli, as that was the only way to rip them at the time. Supposedly, the sound of a man ordering a pastrami can faintly be heard at one point, which was edited out in the 1999 remake. The sound effects were left verbatim in all of the remasters (except for "Mouse Trap", which used StockSoundEffects instead), and the difference in sound quality is rather jarring to say the least.

* OneHitWonder: Although Buckner & Garcia continued to release songs throughout the years, none of them were as popular as this.

* {{Sampling}}: The song sprinkles in some sound effects from the original ''VideoGame/PacMan'' arcade game. They were recorded from a gameplay session on an actual cabinet at a local deli, as that was the only way to rip them at the time. Supposedly, the sound of a man ordering a pastrami can faintly be heard at one point, which was edited out in the 1999 remake. The sound effects were left verbatim in all of the remasters, and the difference in sound quality is rather jarring to say the least.

** Many fans consider [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl2uM_KX_9g "Wreck-It Ralph"]] (which the band recorded for [[Disney/WreckItRalph the movie's]] soundtrack) to be this; in terms of theme and style, it's a perfect fit for a ninth track (other than the conspicuous lack of sound effects from the game).

''For the trope about wildly inappropriate portrayals of VideoGames, [[PacManFever click here.]]''

[[caption-width-right:320:Original version cover]]
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pacmanfeveralbum.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:Remake cover]]

* ProtagonistTitle: A couple of the songs feature the name of the game's lead character in the title (Pac-Man Fever, Froggy's Lament, The Defender, arguably Mousetrap). A couple (Do the Donkey Kong, Ode to a Centipede) were [[AntagonistTitle Antagonist Titles]] instead.

** The song ''Mr. T'' (originally recorded back in the 1980s, but not released on an album until a few years ago) had a very similar feel to the video game songs, but replacing the video game sound effects after each chorus with sirens and a bad imitation of Creator/MrT himself.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pac_man_fever_original.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Original version cover]]

[[caption-width-right:320:I've got a pocket full of quarters\\
and I'm headed to the arcade...]]

* StockSoundEffects: The re-release version of "Mousetrap" had to make use of stock sound effects of a cat, mouse, dog, and bird since there wasn't a functioning Mousetrap arcade game at the time of the recording to capture its sounds.

!!This album demonstrates the following tropes:

* StockSoundEffects: The re-release version of "Mousetrap" had to make use of stock sound effects of a cat, mouse, dog, and bird since there wasn't a functioning Mousetrap arcade game at the time of the recording to capture its sounds.

* AppealToNovelty: Played with; after the single "Pac-Man Fever" became a hit, Buckner and Garcia signed a record deal with Columbia/CBS Records. The duo did not want to become a novelty act, but Columbia insisted insisted on a full album of video-game songs, which the group produced in a month.

''Pac-Man Fever'' is the sixth release by [[http://bucknergarcia.com Buckner & Garcia]], released in 1982. Named after the title song, it was the second album from the group, and is [[OneHitWonder their most famous work ever.]] The entire album was remade and released on compact disc in 1999 when the duo couldn't secure the rights to the original recordings from CBS Records.

** In fact, most of ''Now and Then'' is this. The songs aren't specifically about video games, but most of them are about other fads and pastimes (E.T., pogs, skateboarding, and so on).

''Pac-Man Fever'' is the sixth release by [[http://bucknergarcia.com Buckner & Garcia]], released in 1982. Named after the title song, it was the second album from the group, and is [[OneHitWonder their most famous work ever.]]

# "Pac-Man Fever" (3:46)
# "Froggy's Lament" (3:16)
# "Ode to a Centipede" (5:35)
# "Do the Donkey Kong" (4:22)

# "Hyperspace" (4:05)
# "The Defender" (4:05)
# "Mousetrap" (3:58)
# "Goin' Berzerk" (4:17)

* ComeOutComeOutWhereverYouAre: "Ode to a Centipede" has the singer doing this to the centipede, bordering on StalkerWithACrush.

* ProtagonistTitle: Most of the songs feature the name of the game's lead character in the title.

** Many fans consider [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl2uM_KX_9g "Wreck-It Ralph"]] (which the band recorded for [[Disney/WreckItRalph the movie's]] soundtrack) to be this; in terms of theme and style, it's a perfect fit for a ninth track.

''Pac-Man Fever'' is the sixth studio album by [[http://bucknergarcia.com Buckner & Garcia]], released in 1982. Named after the title song, it was the second album from the group, and is [[OneHitWonder their most famous work ever.]]

* SpiritualSuccessor: Many fans consider [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl2uM_KX_9g "Wreck-It Ralph"]] (which the band recorded for [[Disney/WreckItRalph the movie's]] soundtrack) to be this; in terms of theme and style, it's a perfect fit for a ninth track.

* DescentIntoAddiction: "Pac-Man Fever" describes the player as obsessively spending all of his money on the game every day, to the point of developing callouses on his fingers.

[[caption-width-right:320:I got a pocket full of quarters and I'm headed to the arcade...]]

* SpiritualSuccessor: Many fans consider [[Disney/WreckItRalph "Wreck-It Ralph"]] (which the band recorded for the movie's soundtrack) to be this; in terms of theme and style, it's a perfect fit for a ninth track.

* ShoutOut: "Froggy's Lament" is a tribute to Smilin' Ed McConnell and Froggy the Gremlin from the children's television show ''Andy's Gang''

The album became a top-ten hit, reaching #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1982, and eventually sold over a million copies. The single "Pac-Man Fever" sold 2.5 million copies as of 2008. In 2009, "Pac-Man Fever" was ranked at #98 on [=VH1's=] "Top 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the 80s" list.

* AppealToNovelty: Played with; after the single "Pac-Man Fever" became a hit, Buckner and Garcia signed a record deal with Columbia/CBS Records. The duo did not want to become a novelty act, but Columbia insisted insisted on a full album of video-game songs.