The Captain Rocks Out to His Favourite Ancient Song

Can’t stand it, I know you planned it
I’m-a set it straight, this Watergate…
I can’t stand rockin’ when I’m in here
Because your crystal ball ain’t so crystal clear

So while you sit back and wonder why
I got this fuckin’ thorn in my side
Oh my God, it’s a mirage
I’m tellin’ y’all it’s sabotage

These animated pics — found via Sean Bonner — reminded me of the theory of why young James Kirk rocked out to the Beastie Boys’ Intergalactic in the 2009 Star Trek film, in the scene where he steals his stepdad’s car. It’s supposed to be a gentle poke at William Shatner, who insisted on pronouncing the “a” in “sabotage” like the “a” in “hat”. Sabotaaaage. Take a listen:

The problem with having Kirk listen to the Beasties is that another one of their songs makes a very clear Star Trek reference — Intergalactic:

Now when I wrote graffiti my name was Slop
If my rap’s soup my beats is stock
Step from the tables when I start to chop
I’m a lumber jack: DJ Adrock
If you try to knock me you’ll get mocked
I’ll stir fry you in my wok
Your knees’ll start shaking and your fingers pop
Like a pinch on the neck from Mr. Spock

Of course, a true Trek fan would simply say that the explanation is simple: the Beasties are Bajoran Prophets — the outside-linear-time aliens from the wormhole in Deep Space Nine.

Now that I’ve mentioned a couple of Beasties tunes, it’d be wrong of me not to include them in this post…