Flintstones [Import]

Choosing the B-52's, temporarily rechristened the BC-52's for two songs, to sing the theme song is along the lines of inventing the wheel, one of those really inventive ideas. They've gone back to the producers of Cosmic Thing here. Don Was in produces the theme song, perfect as Fred Schneider quirkiness and Katie Pierson's unique chirpiness add to the fun-ness of the song. Cartoon effects from the series are incorporated, such as running and Dino. And it's Nile Rodgers producing "The Bedrock Twitch" which is another danceable hit like "Love Shack." In this case, it's what, "stone roof, rusted"? If this was done in the 60's when dance crazes were all the hype.... I can imagine people jamming to "do the twitch like you got an itch itch itch."

Some songs don't exactly go past second gear. Biethnic UK hip-hop/remix group Stereo MC's tackle "Human Being (Bedrock Steady)" a steady cycle of multilayered drum tracks and wailing vocals, while My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult's "Hit & Run Holiday" features the same industrial sounds they provided on the Cool World soundtrack, but with some more distorted vocals and horns. Not one of their better songs, and not too relevant to the movie.

One of the last bows of Shakespears Sister, that group by ex-Bananarama singer Siobhan Fahey, is seen in the reggae of "Prehistoric Daze"

Big Audio Dynamite do "Rock With The Caveman," opening with excerpts of some tribal chanting, then "Wilma, I'm home!" and then it's a Bill Haley-type 50's rock with guitar and piano and backing vocals. "Stalactite, stalagmite, hold your baby very tight." Clever that, with near the same fun as the BC-52's.

"I Showed A Caveman How To Rock"? More like how to rap, given that it's US3 featuring Def Jef with some "yabadabadoo" and horn samples heard.

"I Wanna Be A Flintstone": yes, that's the name of this hard-guitar/rockabilly song by the Screaming Blue Messiahs. Fred can be heard in the background, and in fact he stops the song with his "Hold it hold it! Hoo boy!"

Laid back instruments, such as airy synths and piano, back bass vocals feature in the Crash Test Dummies' "In The Days Of The Caveman." It's an idyllic look back at a simpler time, when cavemen "didn't have to keep a certain bedtime" and were able to hear noises at nighttime. One of the better songs here.

Actually, it's not "Anarchy In The UK", rather it's "anarchy in Bedrock" and "I WANNA BE FRED FLINTSTONE" in Green Jelly's over-the-top and constipated cover of the Pistol's classic anthem in which there are other liberties taken to, such as the lead singer yelling out "WILMA" as if Stan Kowalski was screaming for Stella in Streetcar Named Desire. I'm a purist at heart, but I'm only lightly unamused here.

Some songs have been previously released. Weird Al Yankovic's "Bedrock Anthem," a send-up of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under The Bridge" and "Give It Away." Some effects from the cartoon series include Dino's yapping and Barney Rubble "laughing like a hyena." And Was (Not Was) recycle a danceable soul single from their What's Up Dog? album, "Walk The Dinosaur," whose title was just asking to be put on a Flintstones album. Or Jurassic Park if that movie featured songs.

A fair mix of songs reflecting mid-90's music, but why include an excerpt of the incidental music, i.e. Mesozoic Music by David Newman, which throws the whole thing off balance. Rating: three yabba-dabbas and a doo, rounded up to four yabba-dabbas.