Ain’t It Strange? Lyrics – Beetlejuice

Song Overview

Review and Highlights

Quick summary

1. Cut closing number from Beetlejuice development, released on the 24-track set Beetlejuice - The Demos The Demos The Demos on October 30, 2020.
2. Music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect, who also performs the demo studio parts; issued for streaming with companion track-by-track commentary.
3. Concept: Betelgeuse leads a raucous self-audit where the company admits faults while clocking the awkward fact that a creep saved the day.
4. Tone and texture: call-and-response chant, brass-friendly groove, and a knowingly provocative chant hook.
5. Position in draft: late finale slot that was ultimately replaced by a different wrap for Broadway pacing and tone.

Creation History

Perfect’s demo album gathered alternate routes the musical took between 2014 and 2019. This song arrived as part of that Halloween-timed drop, complete with an official commentary video that frames why it was fun - and why it got the axe. As stated in Playbill’s release note, the digital set was produced by Perfect and distributed for streaming and download with label support, while Broadway press highlighted the full 24-track trove and the idea’s evolution across drafts.

Highlights

Two moments stick. First, the acid joke of a crowd shouting along while the lead brags about being awful. Second, the grace note where Lydia starts to confess and the ensemble pulls rank: “you were a teenager.” The number wants the laugh and the sting - showbiz sparkle around a messy truth.

Song Meaning and Annotations

Plot

In this draft ending, Betelgeuse takes a victory lap after helping defeat a bigger threat. One by one, the family lists their own flaws. The gag is meta: the show asks whether a lousy person can still do a decent thing, and if the group can sit with that without rewriting the past.

Song Meaning

A morality knot in party clothes. The lyric toasts the paradox - people are not tidy; actions do not cancel each other out. The choir chanting “asshole saves the day” is a designed discomfort, pushing the audience to hold contradiction without letting anyone off the hook.

Annotations

“I was evil... I did things... not cool”

Betelgeuse opens by naming harm, not dodging it. The self-own sets up the twist: a scoundrel still made the winning play.

“Got hitched to a child”

The line flags the faux-wedding plot as predatory, not cute. The number refuses to soften the setup even as it tries to land a communal shrug.

“You were an asshole... No, you were a teenager”

The best ethical calibration in the lyric - maturity and power matter. Lydia’s anger gets context that adults do not.

“A-S-S-H-O-L-E”

Cheer-spell satire. The song borrows pep-rally form to lampoon our appetite for neat redemption arcs.

Style, context, instrumentation

Anthemic rock-cabaret with gang vocals built for a curtain call. On the demo, rhythm section and stacked voices carry the joke while leaving space for call-outs and ad-libs.

Key Facts

• Artist: Eddie Perfect
• Composer & Lyricist: Eddie Perfect
• Producer: Eddie Perfect
• Release Date: October 30, 2020
• Album: Beetlejuice - The Demos The Demos The Demos (digital)
• Status: Cut closing number from 2017 draft
• Genre: Musical theatre demo - rowdy finale
• Instruments: Keys, drums, bass, guitars, layered vocals
• Mood: Brash, sardonic, oddly reflective
• Track #: 24 on the demo compilation
• Language: English
• Music style: Call-and-response chorus with chant hooks
• Poetic meter: Patter quips into refrain cadences

Canonical Entities & Relations

Questions and Answers

Why was this finale cut?

It toys with a tricky sentiment - that a bad actor can still do a good act. The finished show steered toward a cleaner emotional landing.

Is there an official audio upload?

Yes - the label issued a “Provided to YouTube” audio, and the production’s channel posted a commentary clip explaining the draft’s intent.

Where does it sit in the demo album?

Last slot. The set is sequenced like a scrapbook of the show’s alternate roads, and this one closes the book.

How does it sound on headphones?

Like a curtain call - bright drums, chant-ready chorus, and a crowd-pleaser groove that invites handclaps.

Does the lyric absolve Betelgeuse?

No. The humor lives in admitting the paradox while the ensemble keeps receipts.

Any live versions?

Not in official stage releases; the track exists as a studio demo with commentary.

Is there a throughline to the final Broadway ending?

Yes - the show still wraps with communal energy, but the redemption gag is toned down in favor of family-first closure.

Awards and Chart Positions

No independent awards or charts for this track. The demo album served as a behind-the-scenes release rather than a single campaign.

Additional Info

Perfect’s commentary series is worth the quick watch - it places each demo in the show’s labyrinth of rewrites and trims. Press on release day grouped the album with a round of links to major platforms, and the “Provided to YouTube” uploads make it easy to grab clean audio art for reference.

Sources: Playbill; BroadwayWorld; Ghostlight Records on YouTube; Beetlejuice The Musical YouTube channel; TheaterMania; Apple Music; SoundCloud.