Stage Synopsis: A performing magician has fallen on hard times, but just as things look bleak for his career, a gang of costumed thieves holds up the casino... giving him and his assistant a golden opportunity to wow the casino owner. With the Agents' support, the magician uses the full strength of his bag of tricks to capture the crooks one by one.

Song Analysis: Sort of a romantic comedy in song form, Rock This Town follows a couple through a crazy night of club-hopping. This couple obviously embodies the Stray Cats' rebellious retro attitude, as they discuss their styled hair and hatred of disco.

How Do They Match Up? Fair. Given that Rock This Town is a song about having fun, marginally in a dating scenario, it's a pretty good fit. The magician and his assistant are a couple themselves, and the level involves them working together to smack down another set of costumed characters... which seems like a good analogy to the Swing vs. Disco fight mentioned in the song.

Episode 6: A Pug's Life! 400 Miles from Home!!
Featured Song: Deep Purple - "Highway Star" (1972)
You Can Blame It For: Inventing speed metal.
Embarrassing Secret: The actual song is twice as long as the DS level.

Stage Synopsis: A dog is separated from his owner and needs to travel 400 miles to find him again. Along the way, his path is interrupted by various tests of valor. The Agents' provide the energy that keeps the pug moving on his quest.

Song Analysis: It's ostensibly about a man's love for his car, but, like most of the 70s, is probably more about sex. It's one of those songs where the delivery of the lyric is more important than the lyric itself, as evidenced by the theatrical chorus of "I love her / I need her / I seed her" with each line punctuated by by a musical hit... and, when performed live, a pelvic thrust.

How Do They Match Up? Eh. I mean, the dog does start out on a literal highway, but he quickly ends up in a small town and forested countryside... and anyway, he's in a difficult situation. He's not loving anything. In Highway Star, it's about a man's carnal love for something. The dog just wants to get home.

Episode 7: Ahoy, Mates! Sunken Delights and Adventure!!
Featured Song: Village People - "Y.M.C.A." (1978)
You're Humming It Right Now Because Of: Sporting events.
Embarrassing Secret: Most sports audiences still don't get it.

Stage Synopsis: A one-eyed sea captain is convinced he is on the track to an underwater treasure trove, but his fellow sailors don't buy it and abandon him. With the help of his parrot, this modern-day pirate dives into the ocean at great personal risk. The Agents' are on hand to help the captain determine the twists and clues on his treasure map.

Song Analysis:
RED STATE VERSION: It's about how nice it is that disadvantaged, perhaps homeless, youth can find a comfy cot, a hot bath and sustaining food at socially uplifting non-profit organizations like the YMCA. While there, these wayward souls may find solace in the counsel of trained volunteers, with the goal of getting their lives back together. Why not raise our voices in salute to those whose mission is to help others?

REST OF WORLD VERSION: It's about how easy it is to hook up with other gay dudes at the Y.

How Do They Match Up? Subversively. A song about the friggin' YMCA has scratch-all to do with a SCUBA-diving treasure hunter. But I'll hazard a guess that pairing up the sailor story with the gay anthem was no coincedence.

Episode 8: Cry Wolf! Meteorology and Parenting!!
Featured Song: Earth, Wind and Fire - "September" (1978)
Other Months EWF Rejected As Song Titles: January through August, October through December.
Embarrassing Secret: It took at least ten dudes to sing this song.

Stage Synopsis: A TV weathercaster has plans with her son to go on a picnic, but the forecast calls for rain. Rather than disappoint her son, whom she knows is watching at home, she predicts a bright, sunny weekend... a lie that could cost her job. With the Agents' help, she sets out to literally change the weather, so that her forecast is proven true and her day with her son is not ruined.

Song Analysis: It starts off as a reminiscence about a night in September, where the singer and his whoever fell in love. They sang, they danced, they watched the stars. What I don't get is this:

Now December
found the love that we shared in September.
Only blue talk and love, remember
the true love we share today.

What's December have to do with anything? I think EWF was just hard up for a rhyme.

How Do They Match Up? Very cute. The song contains a fair amount of nature mentions - chasing the clouds away, never was a cloudy day, golden deams were shiny days - which nicely dovetails with the pleasantly bizarre mission of the weathermom. And any song about love that avoids explicit sexual talk can easily be transferred to a parent-child relationship, so this mix ends up feeling very appropriate.