Netflix’s Stranger Things is a science fiction horror series that blends the nostalgic feel of ‘80s synth with the Stephen King-style horror of movies from Carrie to Stand By Me. It doesn’t seem prone to musical stylings, but YouTuber Brian David Gilbert has married the two with surprising skill.
His YouTube video “Stranger Sings” is a backing track, synced up to the first episode, that turns the entire affair into a campy, narration-filled musical. The show’s youthful gang is rebranded as a boy band; the mouthy Demogorgon is now known as the “Jazz Man.” Even the show’s theme song is turned into a sitcom-esque explanation of the show’s premise:
Life can throw you for a loop when things are going swell
Sometimes you stub your toe and sometimes you drag to hell
Everybody makes mistakes but that just shows you tried
And when you accidentally tear a hole in space you find your friends are by your side.
The musical is camp to the nth degree, and it explores a wide range of musical styles, from jazzy tunes to goofy rap. If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy Stranger Things before season 2 starts streaming on Friday, October 27th, mute the show’s sound and sync up to the video on YouTube. The full album for the first episode is also available on Bandcamp.