Squidbillies Returns with Theme Songs by Dan Auerbach, John Hiatt, the Hold Steady and More

When Squidbillies returns to Adult Swim on Sunday, August 11, it’ll officially become the least likely TV show to ever make it to 12 seasons. Hell, it might be the least likely TV show to ever exist, period: a 12-minute cartoon about redneck squids in Georgia that feels like a Hee Haw sketch on a bad acid trip, full of local and regional in-jokes? Not exactly the kind of thing network executives are rushing to put on the air. But Dave Willis and Jim Fortier’s absurd skewering of Southern stereotypes has survived for over a decade on Adult Swim, with the twelfth season premiering on Sunday, and a thirteenth already renewed for the future. Uh, go Dawgs!

Throughout its long run Squidbillies has brought in dozens of different musical artists to perform the theme song, which was originally done by Billy Joe Shaver. This season is no different. Over the course of season 12 you’ll hear such disparate artists as John Hiatt, Clutch and Jason D. Williams playing their own versions of the theme from Squidbillies. Did you ever want to hear the Hold Steady play a 20-second song about being so poor and hopeless that they want the whole damn world to explode? Well, you’ll get your chance in the middle of September.

Here’s the full list of season 12 theme song artists.

Shannon Shaw and Dan Auerbach (airdate: 8/11 @ 12am)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band (airdate: 8/11 @ 12:15am)
Ray Wylie Hubbard (airdate: 8/18 @ 12am, half-hour episode)
Tony Tidwell (airdate: 8/25@ 12am)
Jason D. Williams (special live action opening) (airdate: 8/25@ 12:15am)
Clutch (airdate: 9/8 @ 12am)
John Hiatt (airdate: 9/8 @ 12:15am)
Shooter Jennings (airdate: 9/15 @ 12am)
The Hold Steady (airdate: 9/15 @ 12:15am)

We have more than mere words for you today, though. At the bottom of this post you’ll find two behind the scenes videos for the first two Squidbillies theme song artists of season 12. The first features Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys and Shannon Shaw from Shannon and the Clams and Hunx and His Punx. The second stars the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, who do a rousing New Orleans-style rendition. You can get previews of their themes below, and watch them in full glory on your TV set when Squidbillies returns to Adult Swim this Sunday, Aug. 11, at midnight. And oh, if you want to listen to the official Squidbillies soundtrack, Double Platinum Gold, with music from the show’s earlier seasons, here’s a link.

Shannon Shaw and Dan Auerbach Behind the Scenes Video:

Preservation Hall Jazz Band Behind the Scenes Video:

And if you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the trailer for season 12.