If you’re a veteran to the world of The Sims, then you’ll know that the franchise has gotten itself enough clout to use some chart-topping songs for its music features – whether that’s a teenage Sim dancing in their room to a boombox, the Grim Reaper of Sims standing in a darkened loungeroom watching a music video show, or you’ve locked some weird goblin in the basement to do nothing but build furniture while slowly going mad to a soundtrack of one song played over and over on a stereo that’s *just* out of reach.
We know you’re all sadists when it comes to this game, so don’t deny it.
Because it’s The Sims and their entire language – Simlish – is entirely made up, it’s only fair enough that all the songs in the games also be sung in simlish, right? Right.
I once read somewhere that Simlish is like what English sounds like to non-English speakers and wow it makes me realise that we all must sound like total idiots.
Instead of just getting a voiceover artist to do a weird karaoke rendition of some of the biggest hits, the team behind The Sims have SOMEHOW managed to get the songs’ artists into their studios to re-record their own tracks. In simlish. For real.
From big names like 5 Seconds Of Summer, My Chemical Romance, and Carly Rae Jepsen, these are some of our favourite Sims songs, ranked from “what the hell” to “Jesus Christ this is the funniest fucking thing I’ve ever heard” levels of how much we wanted to be a fly on the wall in the studio.
We Are Young – fun.
This one was a big hit back in 2011 (??) so it’s extremely fair enough that this decent hit got the Sims treatment. Plus there’s lyrics to this one, so you can sing along at home. Alone. In a darkened room.
Need You Now – Lady Antebellum
All you pop-country lovers out there, here’s a crooner for you, and it’s even got a sweet homemade Sims video clip to go with it that makes absolutely no sense whatever. Much like the song.
Pressure – Paramore
There’s not much that makes my precious teen emo heart happier than knowing that Hayley Williams and Paramore went BACK into the studio to record an entirely Simlish version of ‘Pressure’. Bloody try belting this one out at Warped Tour (may it rest in peace.)
On My Side – Gordi
Our first Aussie inclusion! Gordi‘s soulful vocals laying down some velvety nonsense language is blissing me out. This one is featured on a newer version of The Sims, so you best believe you can be woo-hooing with Santa to the folktronica sounds of a chick from Canowindra.
Smile – Lily Allen
Just picture trying to get Lily Allen in the EA studios to re-record this song. Picture it.
Kimbra – Good Intent
I mean Kimbra has always been weird and eccentric as hell so it’s a pretty natural career move that she’d record one of her own songs in an entirely fictional language to be played in a video game where you emulate human life.
Saturday Night – Jessica Mauboy feat. Ludacris
Oh come on, couldn’t you have picked a better Jessica Mauboy song? Really? The one with Ludacris? You have brought shame upon this country, Mr. Sims (who I assume is the owner of the game.)
M.A.D. – Hadouken!
Ok so not everyone might remember this song but I used to absolutely belt it out in my shitty Mazda 626 wagon with two seats that used to fold up out of the boot and look out the back window. It’s a UK group called Hadouken! who made like that weird brit-pop club music you’d imagine would be on Skins or something.
Even picturing these people in a studio laying down a weird brit-techno-whatever track is funny.
When It All Falls Apart – The Veronicas
Hell fuckin’ yeah. I have no other words for this.
Pocket Full Of Sunshine – Natasha Bedingfield
Hey remember that song you got stuck in your head on loop after watching Easy A? Yeah how about that, but in an entirely different language just to really fuck with you.
I didn’t realise a song could still be an earworm in an entirely made-up language but here we are. You’re welcome.
Na Na Na – My Chemical Romance
YESSSSSS GIVE IT TO ME.
Can My Chemical Romance please do an entire album in Simlish? Can The Sims release an entire game called Sims: Your Awkward Emo Years?
EA Games, call me. xoxo
Don’t Cha – The Pussycat Dolls
An absolute banger, in every language – real or not. You can’t ruin perfection, honey.
Shut Up – Black Eyed Peas
Yeah, there was once a spinoff game called The Urbz where it was meant to be like The Sims, but in the city! And what better conveys the feelings of ~urban life~ than getting the Black Eyed Peas to rap their top hits in Simlish? Nothing, that’s what.
Fa Fa Fa – Datarock
Look, the only thing funnier than this would be if they did a rendition of ‘Computer Camp Love’. This one from Datarock is pretty much all Simlish anyway so it’s not too far from the original.
Want You Back – 5 Seconds Of Summer
Wanna know if you’re a Verified Notable Band? You get asked to do one of your top hits for The Sims. Our sweet angels in 5SOS have clearly made it because they feature in the latest Sims game. Hell yeah boys, hell YEAH.
Run Away With Me – Carly Rae Jepsen
CRJ IS GREAT IN EVERY SINGLE ASPECT AND HER SINGING RUN AWAY WITH ME IN SIMLISH JUST PROVES THAT WE DO NOT DESERVE HER AT ALL.
Fucken play this at all of my life events, wedding, birthdays, marriage, funeral. Everything.
Last Friday Night – Katy Perry
This is the iconic one, the Katy Perry Simlish special. Watching her record this in a completely fabricated language is not only funny, but it’s downright absurd. Katy that’s not words! You look ridiculous! These lyrics don’t even sound anything like the lyrics to Last Friday Night! Ba-dipsa frooby noop!
Jesus Stole My Girlfriend – Violent Soho
This was so so close to being the best one for me because holy shit not only is it another Aussie artist being picked out by the Sims team to do a wild rendition of their own song, but it’s fuckin’ Violent Soho, of all bands.
What the fuck how does this even HAPPEN? Actually, I don’t care because I’m just so, so thankful that this exists.
Steal My Sunshine – Len
I mean if course this is the funniest/best/most iconic of the lot. I swear the guys behind Len will never have to work another day in their lives after all the bloody royalties they get off this one song that wasn’t meant to be a hit.
I love it. I love it so much.
