"Anything, Anything " is a 1985 song by the alternative rock band Dramarama released as the first single from their debut albumCinéma Vérité. Written by Easdale in the mid-1980s, "Anything, Anything" features a steady beat and lyrics about the breakdown of his marriage. Although initially unsuccessful, the song saw commercial success after being played on KROQ and featuring on the soundtrack. "Anything, Anything" remains one of the band's most famous songs and is a live favorite.
Background
"Anything, Anything " was written by Dramarama singer John Easdale in the period from 1984 to 1985, a time he recalled as "definitely not a high point in life." The song was written as a reflection on Easdale's deteriorating marriage. Lyrically, the references to drinking and pills were intended to reference partying, with the latter being used to rhyme with "one-hundred dollar bills." The song features the same beat throughout, a feature Easdale explains was meant as "a way to keep the anguish constant."
Release
Dramarama were largely unknown until Los Angeles DJ Rodney Bingenheimer began regularly playing "Anything, Anything" on KROQ. The song garnered phone requests and was added to the station's rotation shortly thereafter. The success prompted Dramarama to move to Los Angeles; the track remains one of the most requested songs in the history of Los Angeles radio station KROQ. Easdale later described the song's success as a "miracle."
Music video
Two versions of the "Anything, Anything" music video were ultimately released. The first version, featuring clips of Edie Sedgwick from the underground1972 film, Ciao! Manhattan interspersed with the clips of the band, was initially rejected by MTV due to the use word "pills". A second video was filmed in 1990 to accompany a re-released single by Chameleon Records.
Reception and legacy
"Anything, Anything" remains one of the band's most popular songs. Easdale reflected on this, "I love that people I have never met know the song. I love hearing strangers perform cover versions. I love that it is still getting played on the radio, on the internet and elsewhere. I love that I still get to sing it and that people still come to hear us play it in concert. I love that 30 plus years later, outlets like NOISEY are asking me questions about it. I have written many, many songs, but it is the only one that has really had a life of its own." The song remains a live favorite for the band; according to Easdale, "It's a fun song to play, the crowd more often than not sings along, the best is when the audience is singing louder than me. 'Anything, Anything' is the only song that has consistently been performed at nearly all Dramarama live shows since 1985." The single was featured on the ' soundtrack. A short clip of it was also featured in an episode of Entourage. Since 2009 the song has been the name and title of Rich Russo's free form radio show Anything Anything with Rich Russo where the song opens the show each week. The song also features in the 2014 filmTwo Night Stand, as well as the 2003 film '. American talk show hostEllen DeGeneres has said it is her favorite song. For DeGeneres' 50th birthday, Ellen DeGeneres Show DJ Stryker surprised her by bringing Dramarama to the show to perform the song live.
