The Cheat Is Not Dead

From Homestar Runner Wiki

Current revision as of 22:09, 25 April 2024

So glad The Cheat is not dead

Sheet music

The Cheat Is Not Dead is a song that originated in the Strong Bad Email caper. It was featured on Strong Bad Sings and Other Type Hits and day 17 of the Decemberweenvent Calendar, and performed onstage at the March 2008 Limozeen Live concert and both Homestar Runner 20th Anniversary Shows. A preview of the CD version was made available on the main pages for a short time before its release.

Strong Bad was inspired to sing the song after relating how he and The Cheat had a falling out when The Cheat botched a burglary of Homestar Runner's newspaper jumble puzzles. He sang the song as an apology to The Cheat.

[edit] Detailed Information

Album: Strong Bad Sings and Other Type Hits
Track: 19
Time: 3 minutes and 2 seconds
Artist(s): Strong Bad
Written by: Matt Chapman, Mark Cobb, Peter Olson
Style: Gospel
Origin: Extended version of the song from Strong Bad Email #68 caper.

[edit] Lyrics

STRONG BAD: The Cheat, man. Where did we go wrong? Seems like just yesterday we were setting fire to Strong Sad's underwears.
STRONG SAD: That WAS yesterday!
STRONG BAD: {overlapping} This one's for you.

{singing}
I got mad at The Cheat (Uh!)
For screwin' up the Jumble caper (Uh!)
I hope I don't see his name in the paper
In the obituaries, cause that would mean he's dead

The Cheat is not dead
I'm so glad The Cheat is not dead
The Cheat is not dead (STRONG SAD: Dead!)
I'm so glad The Cheat is not dead
The Cheat is not dead (STRONG MAD: Dead!)
I'm so glad The Cheat is not-
{spoken} Just the claps! Just the claps! Uh! Uh! Strong Sad, I didn't know you had any rhythm.
STRONG SAD: Oh sure, I got tons of rhythm!
STRONG BAD: Uh! Uh! All right guys, keep it rollin' for me. Keep it rollin! Come on!

{singing}
I cracked wise at The Cheat
But in my defense he cracked wise at me first
I hope he doesn't end up in a hearse
At the cemetery, 'cause once again that would mean that he's dead

{choir joins in}
The Cheat is not dead
I'm so glad The Cheat is not dead
The Cheat is not dead ({spoken} Whoa, where'd this choir come from?)
I'm so glad The Cheat is not dead
({choir harmonize})The Cheat is not dead ({spoken} You guys sound great!)
I'm so glad The Cheat is not dead
The Cheat is not dead
I'm so glad The Cheat is not dead
The Cheat is not deeaaad
I'm so glad The Cheat is not dead
The Cheat is not deeeaad
I'm so glad The Cheat is not deeeeeeeaaaaaaaa...d

Cheat is not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
Cheat is not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
No The Cheat's not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
The Cheat is not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
Ohhh, he's dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
No he's not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
I said The Cheat's not dead now! (Cheat is not dead!)
No Cheat's not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
Let's call the store! (Cheat is not dead!)
Collect the receipts! (Cheat is not dead!)
Got the frozen food! (Cheat is not dead!)
The Cheat is not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
Well The Cheat's not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
Cheat is not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
No, he's never been dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
Said The Cheat is not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
Whoaaa, dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
Whoa, he's not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
No, he's not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
No, he's not dead! (Cheat is not dead!)
No, The Cheat is not dead!

Cheat is not dead!

OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

[edit] Fun Facts

[edit] Remarks

The Jumble Caper

• There are a few differences between the first verse of this version of the song and the version heard in caper:
  • In the email version, Strong Sad was standing to Strong Bad's left. Since he is heard from the left speaker, it suggests that the song's point of view is either the Compy 386 or somewhere behind Strong Bad.
  • In the email version, the slow keyboard music starts up once Strong Bad actually starts singing, and then switches over to the faster version once he gets to the chorus. In this version, the keyboard starts before Strong Bad has even started talking ("The Cheat, man...") and switches over to the faster version when he starts singing.
  • The timing of Strong Bad's first "Uh" is different, occurring closer to the word "Cheat". This is probably to go better with the use of the faster background music rather than the slow version.
  • In the email, Strong Bad says "Ohhh" before the second time he says, "I'm so glad The Cheat is not dead."
  • In the email version, Strong Mad yelled "Dead!" before Strong Sad. In this version, they are reversed.
  • Strong Bad didn't say "Uh! Uh!" during the "just the claps" segment in the email.
  • In the email, Strong Bad said, "Keep it rolling for me guys, keep it rolling." On the CD, he says, "All right guys, keep it rollin' for me."
• Until the end beginning of the second verse, the music is very similar to the email version.
• If the song is listened to in stereo, Strong Sad's voice comes through the left speaker, and Strong Mad's voice comes through the right one.
• During the "just the claps" part, the song from the email can be faintly heard playing in the background.

[edit] Real-World References

• This song is very similar to Petula Clark's hit "A Sign of the Times".
  • The ending lick is from "I Just Can't Turn You Loose" by Otis Redding and other R&B Songs. It was also used as intro music by the Blues Brothers.
• This song may parody the song style of Joe Cocker, known for his gospel songs that start downbeat, followed by a choir randomly appearing, seeming to end, and then getting upbeat to the concluding scream at the end.

[edit] External Links

• "The Cheat Is Not Dead" on Songwhip

• Listen to the original version of the song in the Strong Bad Email "caper"
• Listen to the original version of the song in the Strong Bad Email "caper" on the old Flash site
• view the Flash file for Strong Bad Email "caper"
• Listen to a sample of the CD version
• The same sample mentioned above is available on this sbemail menu by clicking on CD