Danny Elfman re-records Oingo Boingo’s ‘Running on a Treadmill’ while in isolation

The announcement that Danny Elfman would perform a career-spanning set at Coachella had fans buzzing about what Oingo Boingo material he might resurrect, a question still hanging in the air with the Southern California music festival pushed to October over coronavirus concerns — a delay that still might not be enough to save this year’s installment.

But we do now have a very good idea about at least one Boingo song that’s been stuck in Elfman’s head: “Running on a Treadmill,” off the band’s second album Nothing to Fear, released in 1982.

Elfman today shared a video on Instagram filmed by his daughter of himself performing a new solo version of the song he recorded while in isolation at home due to the virus.

He writes:

“I had poured so much of myself into preparing for Coachella, and suddenly… nothing. … Weirdly, as I struggled though those first few weeks, an old tune I had written decades ago began running though my mind. I didn’t know why, but it didn’t go away. Eventually I decided not to resist and laid down tracks, just for the simple pleasure. It’s really almost like a nursery rhyme. Maybe under all that stress that’s why it came back to me, and just the act of recording it was really calming for my brain.”

Elfman says he played everything on the track and is singing live in the video to his own backing tracks. “This thing is funky! This is NOT my new single or for a new album that I’m working on. Just a little something that was fun to record and relaxed me, and maybe it will do the same for you?”

Check out the new version of “Running on a Treadmill” below — and the Boingo original as well.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

When we started our isolation, I found myself out of sorts (like most of us surely did). My energy was very low. I had poured so much of myself into preparing for Coachella, and suddenly… nothing. Like everyone else, I was stunned and a little shell-shocked. I decided to return to an orchestral commission, but I found that my focus was also whacked from everything turning upside down. . Weirdly, as I struggled though those first few weeks, an old tune I had written decades ago began running though my mind. I didn’t know why, but it didn’t go away. Eventually I decided not to resist and laid down tracks, just for the simple pleasure. It’s really almost like a nursery rhyme. Maybe under all that stress that’s why it came back to me, and just the act of recording it was really calming for my brain. . I decided finally to share it with everyone. It’s silly and simple. Playing everything and singing live to my backing tracks. This thing is funky! This is NOT my new single or for a new album that I’m working on. Just a little something that was fun to record and relaxed me, and maybe it will do the same for you? Totally home-made! Daughter @malielfman shot it on her iPhone, and homie Jon Mann Krieger (my Danny and Buddy Show collaborator) edited it. Hope you like it! . #socialdistancing #lockdown #weekfour #isolation #dannyelfmansfriends #yukielfman #runningonatreadmill @noahscotsnyder

A post shared by Danny Elfman (@dannyelfman) on Apr 20, 2020 at 11:11am PDT

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