‘Arrested Development’ Playlist: Songs the Bluth Family Would Love

Michael, the second oldest Bluth child and the show’s protagonist, is (relatively) firm in his family-first motto, which forces him to put up with his family’s bizarre antics and careless spending habits. ‘A Real Hero’ has been a good fit for Michael ever since he didn’t bail on his family and head for Arizona in the pilot episode, and it’s certainly how he perceives himself.

Listen to ‘A Real Hero’

George Sr., the perpetually incarcerated Bluth patriarch, goes through mixed emotions regarding his time in prison, and it’s a bit uncanny how well this Muscles song captures those feelings.  At first, George Sr. tells Michael he is having “the time of his life,” what with the seemingly endless supply of ice cream sandwiches and all. However, George Sr. quickly became familiarized with the dangerous reality of prison — dangers which seem to be most present during inmate baseball games for some reason.

Listen to ‘Ice Cream’

We could see Lucille Bluth, the matriarch of the family, jamming to this cover of the Hall & Oates classic. Between her collection of fur coats and suggesting that a banana couldn’t cost more than $10, Lucille lives extravagantly without much regard for her spending. Of course, this seems to be a quality that runs in the Bluth family.

Listen to ‘Rich Girl’

‘Arrested Development’ has a long list of recurring jokes, one of which is GOB’s — the eldest Bluth child — catchphrase, “I’ve made a huge mistake,” which follows any one of his numerous missteps. For instance, GOB, a professional magician, is continually giving away the secrets behind his tricks (sorry, illusions). Of course, like many of the Bluths, GOB feels little responsibility for his mistakes, and we think he might chime in with this Fiona Apple tune that proclaims, “I’ve acquired quite a taste for a well-made mistake.”

Listen to ‘A Mistake’

In an act of rebellion against her parents, Lindsay, the only Bluth daughter, married Tobias Fünke, a psychiatrist-turned-actor who, unbeknownst to him, says and does things that bring his sexuality into question. While this is no secret to the rest of family, especially Lindsay, we think she might choose answer A in the Blow’s song posing the question, “Hey boy, why you didn’t call me?” (By the way, A is “You’re gay.”)

Listen to ‘Hey Boy’

As we noted, after quitting his career as a psychiatrist, Tobias became a self-proclaimed actor, although he never seems able to land any roles. After losing a part in a commercial (after over-acting a fire sale as though it were a real fire) to his wife, taking over as director of his daughter’s high school play and painting himself blue to land a spot in the Blue Man Group — he, too, is an “actor out of work.”

Listen to ‘Actor Out of Work’

Buster, the youngest Bluth child, never quite grew up. A grown man still living with his mother, he is definitely a ‘Momma’s Boy,’ and it’s caused him some problems not too far off from this Chromeo song. In the first season, Buster dates his mother’s best friend and nemesis, Lucille Austero. In order to differentiate between his girlfriend and his mother, he calls the former Lucille Two, because, of course, his mother comes first.

Listen to ‘Momma’s Boy’

George Michael, Michael’s only son, is the (Mr.) manager of the Banana Stand, a Bluth business that sells frozen bananas. In attempts to distract himself from his growing feelings for his cousin, Maeby, he picks up more hours at the Banana Stand. Long story short, Michael and his son burn down the Banana Stand as a symbolic act of rebellion against the family, but mistakenly so, because George Sr. enlightens Michael, “There’s always money in the banana stand.” This Radiohead song found on ‘The Bends’ collectors’ edition perfectly captures George Michael’s Banana Stand troubles, even offering the line, “Everything’s burning down. / We’ve gotta put it out somehow.”

Listen to ‘Banana Co’

Maeby, the daughter of Lindsay and Tobias, is always trying to rebel against her self-involved parents, who never seem to notice. At one point during the show, she even cons her way in as an executive on a movie set, which led to her go-to catchphrase, “Marry me!"

Listen to ‘Marry Me’

This Strokes tune has some lines that seem perfectly parallel to the Bluth’s misadventures. The song brings up questions of work ethic and money woes, ones all too familiar for the Bluth family. Besides, the entire Bluth existence is “barely legal” — with some light treason to boot.

Listen to ‘Barely Legal’