There are just two days left until Pokemon Day, which will feature a concert from artist Post Malone. Ahead of the anniversary festivities, The Pokemon Company and Universal Music Group have released a new song by the rapper, which is a cover of Hootie and the Blowfish’s classic 1994 track “Only Wanna Be With You.” In what can only be described as a baffling decision, the song is not called “Only Wanna Be With ‘Chu,” but is instead a fairly faithful recreation of the original song, complete with the exact same title. Frankly, I don’t get it either; the Pikachu reference would have worked perfectly!
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All jokes aside, it’s a fairly strong cover, even if it is a bit unusual! There are a couple neat sound samples from the Pokemon games used throughout the track. It isn’t obnoxiously done, and it’s something that longtime Pokemon fans will be able to appreciate! The subtle nature of these references will likely convince non-Pokemon fans to give the song a chance, as well.
Outside of these smaller Pokemon references, Post Malone does make one notable change to the song. The Hootie and the Blowfish version of the track makes a reference to the Miami Dolphins, which has been changed in this version to the Dallas Cowboys. Post Malone is a huge fan of the NFL team, so it’s not surprising to see. Since this cover was created specifically for the Pokemon Day event, that kind of makes it the second piece of official Pokemon media to reference an NFL team! The Dallas Cowboys now join the Minnesota Vikings, which Ash memorably referenced in Pokemon: The First Movie.
While Pokemon Day has become an annual event, this year is special as it marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Pokemon Red and Green in Japan. The Pokemon Company has been fairly quiet about its plans for the event, but a Pokemon Presents video will release tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. PDT. No additional information has been provided (including the runtime), but fans can likely expect to see some new video game announcements, such as the long-rumored remakes of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. Pokemon fans will definitely want to tune in!
Are you a fan of Post Malone’s cover? Do you think it should have been named “Only Wanna Be With ‘Chu?” Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
