I missed out on the Arthur experience. The PBS children’s show debuted in 1996 as I was finishing college and had an amazing 26 year run. Since I have no kids, I never tuned into PBS during the day to watch shows like this, though I did watch a number of Backyardigans episodes when my niece was 2. They were cute and I loved the music. Sue me.
The theme song alone is iconic. Performed by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, the reggae “Believe In Yourself” exudes positive and uplifting energy and sets the tone for the entire series. It is hard not to believe in yourself when you hear this song.
Original Version:
It only makes sense that Skatune Network covered this song as they literally grew up along with Arthur. The move from reggae to ska is natural, and the aforementioned energy of the song is amplified by Jer’s vocals and instrumentals. The expansion of the song gives Skatune plenty of opportunity to show their skills as a musician. On top of it all, the song is just so much fun to listen to!
Skatune Network Cover:
It’s always impressive when a cover matches or even outdoes the original. This is one of those covers which matches it’s source material. I don’t say “outdoes” because the Arthur theme song on its own is such an amazing song. Skatune’s cover pays loving homage to it.
