Earlier today, I read an interesting article about the film noir influences in Cowboy Bebop, arguably one of the hippest anime series… well… ever. Naturally, it sent me looking for YouTube clips related to the series, which is when I stumbled across this clip of Yoko Kanno (one of the best movie/TV composers in the business) performing “Tank!” — Cowboy Bebop’s iconic theme — with her band, The Seatbelts.
“Tank!” is, quite simply, one of my favorite theme songs of all time. Obviously, it’s an incredibly catchy, funky, and energetic tune. Listening to it is like having a jolt of electricity shoot up your spine, especially when that saxophone starts wailing. But more importantly, it’s a perfect summation of its series: “Tank!” encapsulates all that is cool, hip, and slick about Cowboy Bebop. You listen to it, and you know exactly what kind of wild ride is in store for you.
To better illustrate what I’m talking about, here are the actual opening credits from Cowboy Bebop (aka, the coolest minute and a half you see (and hear) all week).
OK, three, two, one let’s jam!