Bob Kulick Reveals New Version of ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Song ‘Sweet Victory’
Bob Kulick and David Glen Eisley released a new version of their song “Sweet Victory” in remembrance of late SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg.
The original version of the song, released in 1998, was featured in the 2001 SpongeBob episode “Band Geeks” and enjoyed a new lease of life as a result the exposure. It was also included on the 2005 soundtrack album SpongeBob SquarePants: The Yellow Album.
You can listen to the new version below.
“Upon hearing ‘Sweet Victory,’ Hillenburg was inspired to write the entire episode around this epic song,” a statement explained. “Eisley’s passionate vocals were sung by SpongeBob himself, in a football stadium performance at the Bubble Bowl, starring all the Bikini Bottom characters. The scene has become hailed as one of the most memorable moments from the series.”
Kulick noted that "the episode exemplified Stephen Hillenburg’s talents, so we, the ‘Sweet Victory’ creators, along with Doug Katsaros (orchestration and background vocals), Katie Katsaros (background vocals) and Mike Gillies (mixer) humbly present to you this new abbreviated version in tribute to Stephen Hillenburg.”
“May you all have a happy holiday season," Eisley added. "May the new decade find you all celebrating your own ‘Victories’ in your lives, your hearts and your souls.”
The statement also noted that, after Hillenburg's death at age 57 on Nov. 26, 2018, as a result of a degenerative disease, an online petition was created to have “Sweet Victory” performed at the Super Bowl. Even though it was unsuccessful, SpongeBob was featured on screens during the show, resulting in a jump of 566 percent in streams of the original track.