Some people are a little Country, and some people are a little Rock & Roll. But if you’re a 90s kid with a penchant for cartoons, it’s safe to say you were all of those Ren & Stimpie. And why wouldn’t you be? The show was as grotesque as it was hilarious, and was an MTV property that somehow ended up on Nickelodeon, much to our parents’ dismay. As unusual and colorful as the show was (especially those gross close-ups when they got sick), Ren & Stimpie has a legacy of downright bangers throughout the show. We’re going to do our best to rank some of the best songs Nickelodeon had to offer at the time with what we think are the best songs from the series!
10/10 LOG
Ren & Stimpie was no stranger to mocking how ridiculous some ads used to be, and “Log” is a shining example of this kind cheerful satire. In the commercial leading up to the song, a child is asked what kind of toys he wants. He rejects the usual things like a bicycle or a video game, then proudly proclaims that he wants Log! And what exactly is Log? It’s literally a block of wood with the most catchy jingle. The selling point is simple: “It’s Log, It’s Log, it’s big, it’s heavy, it’s wood. It’s Log, It’s Log, It’s Better Than Bad, It’s Good!” It’s safe to say that if Log was an actual toy in the real world, Blammo would have sold millions of them.
9/10 Happy, happy, joy, joy
If you are an enthusiast Ren & Stimpie fan, then of course you’re familiar with the styling of Stinky Wizzleteats, who was a musical mainstay on the show. Stinky Wizzleteats teaches Ren and Stimpy how to be happy. But more importantly, he teaches your grandmother how to suck eggs. The music video for “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy” involves the duo dancing along to the lyrics “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy”, but there’s more to it than that. To Ren’s dismay, he has a “happy helmet” on his head that actually makes him miserable as he can’t be his usual evil self. As the song progresses, Ren is frantically hit in the head with a hammer to try to deactivate and dislodge the device, while Stimpy fumbles around like the glitzy idiot we all know and love.
8/10 Don’t buzz the electric fence
Time for another toy jingle. In the case of “Don’t Whiz on the Electric Fence”, it’s more like a board game. The game itself is somewhat similar Operation, and the board itself is powered with real household electricity. The message is very clear: if you whiz over the electric fence, you are scared! The song simply breaks it off with the lyrics, “You can make it rain in the hard shoulder, waving to ladies and gentlemen, just don’t whiz the electric fence.” This number makes one thing clear; it’s amazing that a show likes Ren & Stimpie flew under the radar and aired in the same blocks as other more kid-friendly Nicktoons. While it’s not exactly the most moral song, it still has a positive message and has probably saved thousands of lives.
7/10 Muddy Mudskipper
Ren & Stimpie is known for its use of meta humor, and some of this comes from the TV shows the titular characters watched themselves. The Muddy Mudskipper Show is a shining example of why Ren viewed the TV as an idiotic box that only polluted Stimpy’s mind. Muddy Mudskipper, the titular character, would be a great guy with segmented eyes. He flops and flutters around as Stimpy mimics his every move from the comfort of his living room, much to Ren’s dismay.
6/10 12 days Yaksmass
This song is just a parody of “12 Days of Christmas” but with all the gifts that grotesque bodily functions bring. These gifts are not given to Ren and Stimpy by their “true love,” but rather by their “cousin Sven,” and the gifts are as follows: “twelve runners run, eleven watchmen watch, ten oars leak, nine cups per corning, eight loaves-a-toast, seven logs-a-wood, six yaks-a-shave, five gold hairballs, four stapled socks, three spent bandages, two jars of spit, and a nose goblin attached to a chair. Why anyone would want one of these gifts is still a mystery to this day, but Ren and Stimpy seem to be quite happy with all of these gifts, so it’s best to just let this one be.
5/10 Decorate yourself
In keeping with the holiday spirit, “Decorate Yourself” has a positive message about how to be thrifty around the holidays. Why spend money on popcorn balls and candy canes when you can just decorate yourself. They even call back to “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy” in this uplifting sing-along, so it’s clearly worth mentioning “Decorate Yourself.”
4/10 I’m going to be a monkey
“I’m Gonna be a Monkey” is probably the shortest song in the entire series, with Stimpy in a monkey costume singing “I’m gonna be a monkey!” over and over while circus music plays in the background and Ren doesn’t look exactly thrilled. Maybe some wouldn’t consider this a song, but the short musical number paints a picture of the duo’s relationship in a very short time, and it’s very catchy too!
3/10 Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen
Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen is everywhere, which makes it so great. Ren and Stimpy are dressed as Canadian Royal Mounted Police, wearing kilts and singing to the tune of “Our Country Tis of Thee”. The lyrics are also worth a look: “Our land smells like trees, our Yaks are really big, and they smell like rotting beef carcasses!” Sometimes the nonsense just needs to be appreciated for what it is, and not over-analyzed. Leave it to Stimpy to make no sense until Ren is red in the face.
2/10 Ren’s Pecs
When Ren gets breast implants, Stimpy is upset about how this changes his canine companion. Stimpy sings sadly Ren Pecs, a song that sounds more like an Elton John ballad than usual Ren & Stimpie songs, which are usually more cheerful and catchy. Ren’s Pecs is a bittersweet ballad because Stimpy is happy for Ren, and he hopes that his new life with his new pecs will one day lead them back together, where they can be happy together again. This is just the way Ren & Stimpie showed sincerity through absurdity, and why “Ren’s Pecs” is truly a ballad for all ages.
1/10 Dog Pond Hop
And finally, who can forget “Dog Pound Hop”., or as most people know it, the Ren & Stimpie theme song. Clocking in at two and a half minutes, this instrumental sets the tone for the show. It’s a quirky bebop jam with a drum beat that shuffles, a bassline that goes on long, and a sizzling blues guitar solo on top of it all. We know, of course, the abbreviated version of the song used each week to introduce the show, but the full version is worth listening to. “Dog Pound Hop” immediately sets the tone and lets the viewer know they’re about to have fun.
It’s crazy to think that Ren & Stimpys legacy started over 30 years ago, but the show and musical numbers have stood the test of time, and they’re here to stay.