Part of the genius of Wet Hot American Summer was the cult 2001 comedy’s convincing throwback soundtrack, a collection of ’80s-styled songs that genuinely sounded like forgotten gems from the era.
So when director David Wain & Co. got back together to create the Netflix sequel series more than a decade later, it was only natural that Craig Wedren returned to the musical realm he helped create to lead a new team in making music for Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp.
One of the musical highlights of the new series (aside from the hysterical Electro-City stage musical) was the lovely “I Am A Wolf, You Are the Moon,” an original composition from Wedren & his musical team Pink Ape that Paul Rudd performs in the series’ seventh episode. Today, Billboard is exclusively premiering the video for “I Am a Wolf, You Are the Moon,” which features cameos from Sam Trammel (True Blood), Thomas Lennon (Reno 911!) and Ally Stamler (Role Models). Wedren — who sings the tune and appears in the video — also co-directed the clip with Amy Redford.
‘Wet Hot American Summer’ Composer Craig Wedren Wants to Do ‘Electro-City: The Movie’
“With ‘I Am A Wolf,’ I really wanted to evoke that place between youth and adulthood, where love and desire are laid bare and boldly exclaimed,” Wedren — who fittingly met Wet Hot director Wain at day camp — says. “It’s the moment when one chooses a side and marches, whistles and sings for what they believe. I wrote it for a ‘joke’ montage in Wet Hot, but I hope the earnest longing it evokes is what it feels like to be a teenager in love at summer camp.”
“I Am a Wolf, You Are the Moon” is currently up for Emmy consideration in the Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics category. Check out the premiere below. (And btw, Wet Hot American Summer – Original Music From the Motion Picture is available now.)