The Lonely Island: Track by Track

Time Out New York Cover Feature
From the Lonely Island Summer Preview Special



A hip-hop jam featuring an ’80s–style chorus about Pirates of the Caribbean, belted out by Michael Bolton.

How do you arrive at an idea this outlandish?
Samberg: That one was inspired by the beat. Because the beat starts out and it’s very club jammy, and then the chorus breaks and it feels like you’re on Pirates of the Caribbean all of a sudden.

Did you meet Bolton in the flesh?
Schaffer: Oh yeah, we had a meeting and many phone calls about changing lines and getting it just right. And we were on Skype while he was in the studio.
Samberg: I was laughing the whole time. The first time he sings on the track, it’s not even the main joke of the song, but when we play it people are like, this is awesome. And it’s no coincidence that dude has sold 80 trillion records; he really knows how to record and how to layer—he’s just built for it. It was very impressive.

Did he write any of the lyrics? I’m thinking: “This whole town’s a pussy/waitin’ to get boned”?
Taccone: That’s a quote! From Scarface. Once you see the video that doesn’t exist yet, it will explain everything.

And “the jester of Tortuga”?
Taccone: Tortuga is just a hilarious word so we try to put it in as often as possible. That’s just our loving description of Jack Sparrow, over the course of three films. Certainly I don’t think there would be anyone who disagrees that he is the papa of the surf, nor the jester of Tortuga. [They all crack up.]

Some would argue Pirates of the Caribbean is a terrible film.
Samberg: It’s friggin’ Depp! I could watch Depp stab a penguin. That actually sounds like quite a good movie.

For the full Turtleneck and Chain track by track click here