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In the very early '80s, the world as a whole had come down with Pac-Man fever. But this condition wasn't formally diagnosed until budding musicians Buckner & Garcia released their hit album of the same name in 1982. Slapped together to address the then-recent fad known as "video games," this collection of songs took pop culture by storm—but the duo behind it failed to follow up on their tribute to arcade mania. This week on Retronauts, join Bob Mackey, Henry Gilbert, and Drew Mackie (of Thrilling Tales of Old Video Games) as the crew digs into this novelty album and learns how to Do the Donkey Kong.

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James Eldred

Chubby Checker's Dig Dug song is the second best song about Dig Dug after Digital Air's Dig Dug, which was written and produced (and possibly sung by?) Gary Wright. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zja0KJcPmx0 Also, there are so many other great ("great") video game novelty albums out there. The Kids' Stuff albums about Asteroids, Missile Command and Yars Revenge are something else.

Patrick McClafferty

A video game novelty song record that isn't complete shit. It's a Christmas in July miracle.

Gabriel Schray

My dad played in a band with either Buckner or Garcia in Akron, he told me that after PAC Man Fever came out him and his buddies were sort of teasing them about it saying “what kind of music is this pac man fever?” to which Buckner or Garcia angrily replied “THE KIND THAT PUTS GOLD COINS IN MY HAND!!!” I still say that phrase often

Jason LaDue

This song is very special to me, I remember going to a pizza place where a band was playing this live. Because it was my birthday they wanted me to go on to the stage, I was loudly singing along with it. I will never forget this song, because of that.

Chris Cashmoney

That NFL song sounds like someone shouting over a keyboard demo. But I'm glad they eventually got it together.

Devon Dale

Thoroughly enjoyable episode—always happy to hear from the Talking Simpsons duo! I've got to admit, as much as I love the MST3K-grade razzing on display, I kinda dug hearing some of those songs. I would unironically listen to a couple of those tracks.

Chris Cashmoney

The berzerk song , particularly the part where they just list the movement options, made me think it would be really cool for a throwback game to have their tutorial given in a similar style of song.

Tall Rob

The Who write a song about pinball wizardry and years later Weird Al writes a song about leaving behind pinball for Pac-Man, but it only gets radio play. Buckner & Garcia make a more famous song about Pac-Man around the same time. I wonder whether Homer Simpson is mistaking The Who for Weird Al or for Buckner & Garcia.