music of the jv club

The theme song of The JV Club Podcast, which has appeared at the beginning and end of every episode, is "Back Before We Were Brittle" by the late, great Say Hi, from their 2008 album, The Wishes and the Glitch.

Lyrics:

Hey, remember when we could save kittens from trees
Or lunch on skyscrapers, bring the villains to their knees?
Maybe we should move someplace new
And build time machines to go and get us back

Back before we were brittle
Back before we were brittle

Hey, remember when all of time stood still
And really all you'd need was a peck from her?
Maybe we should trade for some physics
Or black market spines to go and get us back

Back before we were brittle
Back before we were brittle

Songwriter: Eric Elbogen

Back Before We Were Brittle © Kobalt Music Pubilshing Ltd.

Many people (including Janet herself!) have performed renditions of "Back Before We Were Brittle" at live recordings of the JV Club podcast.

LA Podfest 2012

Priscilla Ahn joined Janet as the musical guest on the JV Club's first live episode (#33 with Lizzy Caplan) at the first annual Los Angeles Podcast Festival. Discover more from Priscilla Ahn on her website!

LA Podfest 2014

Suzanne Santo (herself the guest on episode #24) and Ben Jaffe of Honeyhoney joined Janet for episode #128 (with Janet's You're the Worst co-star Kether Donohue) live from the Los Angeles Podcast Festival.

Discover more from Honeyhoney on their website... like their song "Angel of Death," the video for which features an all-star cast alongside our very own Janet Varney!

All Jane Comedy Fest 2015

At Portland's All Jane Comedy Festival, Hutch Harris sat in on episode #176 (with guests Sarah Mirk & Janet Weiss.) Discover more from Hutch Harris & the Thermals!

SF Sketchfest 2016

Matt Nathanson accompanied Janet's conversation with Veronica Belmont and Chuck Bryant (host of Stuff You Should Know) and treated the crowd in San Francisco to "Back Before We Were Brittle" and an additional special treat. Discover more from Matt Nathanson!

LA Podfest 2016

At LA Podfest, Janet was joined by a formidable array of guests–Natalie Morales, Tim Omundson, and Chuck Bryant–who combined to form a brand new supergroup: Beard Nacho.

SF Sketchfest 2017

Janet and her guests Rachel Dratch & Jon Hamm were joined by Matt Nathanson, reprising his role as Sketchfest live episode musical director. Discover more from Matt Nathanson!

SF Sketchfest 2019

Matt Nathanson reprised his role as the JV Club musical accompanist for a live episode which also featured Janet’s conversation with Aparna Nancherla & Scott Adsit!

Boys of Summer

For her 'Boys of Summer' series each year, Janet's male guests provide an impromptu (but compulsory) rendition of Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer." 

Lyrics:

Nobody on the road,
Nobody on the beach.
I feel it in the air,
The summer's out of reach.
Empty lake, empty streets,
The sun goes down alone.
I'm driving by your house
Don't know you're not home.

But I can see you,
Your brown skin shining in the sun.
You got your hair combed back
And your sunglasses on, baby.
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone.

I never will forget those nights.
I wonder if it was a dream.
Remember how you made me crazy,
Remember how I made you scream.
I don't understand what happened to our love.
But, baby, I'm gonna get you back,
I'm gonna show you what I'm made of.

I can see you,
Your brown skin shining in the sun.
I see you walking real slow
And you're smiling at everyone.
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone.

Out on the road today I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac.
A little voice inside my head said:
"Don't look back, you can never look back."
I thought I knew what love was.
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever.
I should just let 'em go, but

I can see you,
Your brown skin shining in the sun.
You got that top pulled down,
And that radio on, baby.
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong,
After the boys of summer have gone.

I can see you,
Your brown skin shining in the sun.
You got that hair slicked back,
And those Wayfarers on, baby.
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong,
After the boys of summer have gone.

Songwriters: Don Henley / Michael W. Campbell

The Boys of Summer lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Cass County Music / Wisteria Music / Privet Music

Paul & Storm!

For their episode in 2014, celebrated musical comedy duo Paul & Storm recorded a fantastic JV Club-inspired cover of the The Boys of Summer!

Boys of Summer Mashups!

Please enjoy these collections of the various renditions of 'The Boys of Summer' from our gentleman guests of the JV Club Boys of Summer Series!