Jeopardy

The Zoo Crew is spinning the infectiousავ:1/Jeopardy by the Greg Kihn Band from the 1983 album Kihnspiracy is a track that practically wrote itself, according to Greg Kihn. In a post on gregkihn.com, Kihn recounted how the song came together in just 15 minutes when his bandmate Steve Wright played a riff on a new Casio keyboard with a built-in drum machine. Kihn spontaneously sang “our love’s in Jeopardy, whoo-whoo-whoo,” and they knew they had a hit. The band nailed the recording in two takes at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, capturing what Kihn called pure “magic.” The song’s iconic video, shot over a grueling 72-hour session at Delores Mission in San Francisco, was one of the first zombie-themed music videos, complete with a giant latex dragon and a storyline that veers from wedding jitters to surreal horror. It became a staple on MTV, boosting the song to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1983.

Jeopardy also caught the attention of “Weird Al” Yankovic, who parodied it as I Lost on Jeopardy in 1984. Kihn embraced the spoof, making a cameo in the video driving a car with a “LOSER” license plate, a playful nod to his own video’s “LIPS” plate. In a 2022 interview quoted on variety.com, Kihn expressed his love for Yankovic’s version, noting he still earned royalties from it. The song’s cultural impact extended to its inclusion in video games like Grand Theft Auto V, introducing it to a new generation of fans, as Kihn proudly shared in the same interview.

Greg Kihn’s journey to rock stardom began in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was born on July 10, 1949. As a teenager, he started writing songs and playing coffee houses, showing early promise. At 17, his mother entered one of his original songs in a contest held by local radio station WCAO, and he won first prize—a typewriter, records, and a Vox electric guitar that changed his life. Inspired by The Beatles’ 1964 Ed Sullivan Show appearance, which Kihn cited in a Wikipedia bio as a defining moment, he pursued music with passion. In 1972, he moved to San Francisco, working odd jobs like painting houses and singing on the streets before landing a gig at a Berkeley record store alongside future bandmate Gary Phillips.

In 1974, Kihn signed with Beserkley Records, a label known for its melodic pop sound, and formed the Greg Kihn Band with bassist Steve Wright, guitarist Robbie Dunbar, and drummer Larry Lynch. Their early albums built a cult following through relentless touring, but it was 1981’s The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em) and 1983’s Jeopardy that propelled them to mainstream success. Kihn’s career later expanded to include a stint as a morning DJ at KUFX in San Francisco from 1996 to 2012 and a foray into horror novels, starting with 1996’s Horror Show, which earned a Bram Stoker Award nomination.

Fans can connect with Greg Kihn’s legacy through his official website at gregkihn.com and follow updates on his Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts. For deeper engagement, fans can join the Greg Kihn Band Fan Club on Facebook, a community where Zoo Freaks and other devotees share memories and celebrate Kihn’s music.