The Dan Band
Comedy band known for profane pop covers and film appearances.
The Dan Band is a comedy group fronted by actor and comedian Dan Finnerty. They are best known for taking pop songs originally sung by women and performing them with heavy profanity, a style that gained widespread attention after Finnerty’s appearances in the films *Old School* and *The Hangover*. In *Old School*, he sang “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “The Joker”; in *The Hangover*, he performed “Candy Shop” and “Fame” at a wedding scene that echoed his earlier film role. He also appeared in *The Terminal* and *Starsky & Hutch*, where he sang Roberta Flack’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love” at a bar mitzvah.
The band released their first live album, *The Dan Band Live*, in 2005. Their expletive-laden version of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” drew particular attention, along with covers of “Lady” by Styx, “Milkshake” by Kelis, and “Mickey” by Toni Basil. A one-hour concert special titled *Dan Finnerty & The Dan Band: I Am Woman* aired on Bravo, directed by McG and executive produced by Steven Spielberg.
In 2005, they put out a Christmas album, *Ho: A Dan Band Xmas*, which contained entirely original songs rather than covers. Tracks include “Ho, Ho, Ho” (a smooth R&B song about a prostitute), “Merry Christmakwanzakah,” “Please Don’t Bomb Nobody This Holiday,” and “I Wanna Rock U Hard This Christmas,” the latter featuring a video with Florence Henderson from *The Brady Bunch* making advances on Santa at a retirement home. The video for “Please Don’t Bomb Nobody This Holiday” included cameos from Sheryl Crow, Christina Applegate, Nicole Scherzinger, Kyle Gass, Neil Patrick Harris, Meg Ryan, Macy Gray, Christopher Guest, and others.
Beyond multiple appearances on *The Tonight Show with Jay Leno*, the band served as the house band on *The Ellen DeGeneres Show*, *Pajama Party*, and Spike TV’s *Spike Guys’ Choice Awards 2009*. They also appeared on *Jimmy Kimmel Live!*, *The Late Late Show*, and *Last Call with Carson Daly*. Finnerty wrote and performed the finale song for NBC’s *Last Comic Standing*, was a regular comedy correspondent on *The Jay Leno Show*, and continued as a correspondent on the new *The Tonight Show with Jay Leno*, performing all original material.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Genre
- Comedy / popular music
- Years Active
- 2000–present
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Dan Band gained attention due to their expletive-heavy version of Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart,' as well as their cover versions of 'Lady' by Styx, 'Milkshake' by Kelis, Toni Basil's 'Mickey,' and many others. Finnerty has appeared in the hit movies Old School (singing 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' and 'The Joker'), The Terminal, Starsky & Hutch, where he performed Roberta Flack's 'Feel Like Makin' Love' at a bar mitzvah, and The Hangover (performing 'Candy Shop' and 'Fame') in a wedding scene reminiscent of his appearance in Old School.
In 2005, they released The Dan Band Live, their live full-length debut album. They filmed a one-hour concert special of their live show called Dan Finnerty & The Dan Band: I Am Woman, for the Bravo network, which was directed by McG and executive produ
Reader's Guide
The Dan Band's significance lies in their niche of comedic, profanity-laced covers of pop songs, particularly those originally performed by women, which brought them cult fame through major film appearances. Their work on soundtracks for Old School and The Hangover cemented their association with raucous comedy. The band also demonstrated versatility with a Christmas album of original songs and a wedding-themed album featuring collaborations with artists like Nicole Scherzinger and Rob Thomas. Their television appearances as house band on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and as correspondents on The Jay Leno Show expanded their reach. The band's legacy is tied to a specific brand of irreverent humor that resonated in early 2000s pop culture, though their output remained sporadic, with albums released in 2005, 2006, and 2015.
Did You Know?
- The band's Christmas LP Ho: A Dan Band Xmas consists entirely of original songs, with no covers.
- The video for 'Please Don't Bomb Nobody This Holiday' featured celebrity cameos including Sheryl Crow, Christina Applegate, and Neil Patrick Harris.
- Finnerty co-wrote the song 'Look At Her' with American Idol musical director Michael Orland and performed it in the Netflix movie Dumplin'.
- The band's one-hour concert special I Am Woman was executive produced by Steven Spielberg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is The Dan Band?
The Dan Band is a comedy music group fronted by actor and comedian Dan Finnerty. They are best known for reworking pop songs originally sung by women into heavily profane, male-voiced performances.
What songs did The Dan Band perform in their film appearances?
In Old School, Finnerty sang "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "The Joker," while in The Hangover he performed "Candy Shop" and "Fame" at a wedding. He also delivered Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Makin' Love" in a bar scene in Starsky & Hutch.
Who are the members of The Dan Band?
Dan Finnerty handles lead vocals, supported by backing vocalists Gene Reed, John Kozeluh, and Matt Pollock, along with additional musicians.
What makes The Dan Band's comedic style distinctive?
Their entire premise is built on gender inversion—taking songs written and recorded by female artists and delivering them with aggressive, expletive-laden energy. This approach gained wide audience recognition after Finnerty's roles in Old School and The Hangover.
How do The Dan Band's Old School and Hangover performances connect?
The Hangover wedding number, in which Finnerty sings "Candy Shop" and "Fame," is widely recognized as a deliberate callback to his earlier Old School musical sequence, linking the two films through the same comedic device.
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