A Classic South Park Song Is Getting The Full Orchestra Treatment For Season 25
If you're a child of the '90s like me, chances are you have a soft spot for "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut." While watching current "South Park" is, let's just say, gauche, the 1999 film seemed to be made at just the right time: the show was still on a high of breaking the conventions of the adult animation mold and debuting a raw, raunchy inventiveness. One of the things the series has always done best is its music, so it makes sense that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone assembled a 30-piece Broadway orchestra, complete with singers, to perform the memorable track, "Kyle's Mom's a B****" — possibly my favorite of them all — in honor of the upcoming season 25 premiere.
This rendition was arranged by Broadway composer Stephen Oremus and features singers Tamar Greene, Jeff Kready, Nikki Renee Daniels, and Elizabeth Stanley, as well as — you guessed it — the "South Park" boys themselves.
Oremus told The Hollywood Reporter of the new version:
"I was thrilled to get to reimagine these South Park classics in a more traditional orchestral concert setting. It was so much fun getting to blow them up and give them such proper classical renditions. I called some of the best musicians and singers I knew — friends and colleagues who I have worked with on Broadway and TV, and we got to make music and dress up and laugh our asses off for a few days."
Do You Know My Friend Kyle's Mom?
"Kyle's Mom" is perhaps the most iconic song from the show's entire history and is sung by Cartman about Sheila Broflovski, who is, obviously, his friend Kyle's mom. The track was initially performed in the season 1 episode "Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo," however, the second version of the song is the one fans have really latched onto. The song was revived in "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" as a result of Sheila's quest to censor the media the "South Park" boys consume. Additionally, an instrumental version of the song appears in the video game "South Park: The Fractured but Whole."
The show's executive producer, Anne Garefino, also told The Hollywood Reporter, "We worked with Stephen [Oremus] on 'The Book of Mormon.' [Parker and Stone] completely trust him with their work. For the 25th season, we thought it would be fun to celebrate the music of 'South Park.' This is just the beginning." Creators Parker and Stone wrote the music, lyrics, and book for "The Book of Mormon" alongside theatre composer Robert Lopez, who wrote "Avenue Q."
South Park's last full season aired in late 2019, but the show has since aired several COVID-centric specials amid the pandemic. "The Pandemic Special" premiered in September 2020, and last year, the show aired "South ParQ Vaccination Special" in March. The show is set to begin its 25th season, consisting of six episodes, on Comedy Central on February 2.