When a curious fan inquired about the financial impact of SpongeBob SquarePants rocking out to a re-imagined “I Wanna Rock,” Snider’s response was equal parts humorous and revealing.
His blunt honesty, laced with a touch of self-deprecating wit, confirmed what many suspected: the “Spongebob” deal might just be the key to keeping him financially metal – even if it meant altering a classic for a pineapple under the sea.
The rockstar wrote, “Believe me, they had to pay me a LOT to let me change the words like they did. I’m a wh*re…but an expensive wh*re!”
SpongeBob Goes Metal with “Goofy Goober Rock”
The iconic “I Wanna Rock” got a whole new lease on life in the world of Bikini Bottom. A reworked version, titled “Goofy Goober Rock,” became the showstopping finale in “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.” This new take featured the vocals of Jim Wise and Tom Rothrock, but the financial windfall went straight to Dee Snider.
Snider himself has expressed his appreciation for the collaboration. He previously revealed on AXS TV’s The Top Ten Revealed that licensing the song for SpongeBob was a lucrative move. He even praised the show’s creative twist on the classic anthem.
Snider shared, “Years later, I got a phone call [from] my manager that ‘SpongeBob Squarepants’ was interested in using ‘I Wanna Rock’ as the big finale in The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie.”
Snider’s Initial Hesitation and Big Pay Day
While the financial benefits of licensing “I Wanna Rock” were undeniable, Snider initially had reservations about the creative direction. When his manager informed him about SpongeBob’s interest in the song, Snider learned there was “one catch” – they wanted to change the lyrics to “Goofy Goober Rock”. This initially left him feeling frustrated, questioning the artistic merit of the alteration.
However, Snider’s concerns quickly melted away when he found out the compensation involved. He jokingly admitted to losing his mind, but in a good way. The hefty sum offered by Nickelodeon ultimately won him over, and “Goofy Goober Rock” was born. The song even received critical acclaim, landing the number four spot on Nerdist’s ranking of the best SpongeBob songs.
“I’m, like, ‘Are you kidding me? This is my music. This is my art. How much? Do they want me to sing it?’ They paid me a lot of money. It’s called ‘Goofy Goober Rock’. God bless ‘SpongeBob Squarepants’,” the rock singer recalled.