To Caesar What Is Caesar's

One of the things I love about pop is its willingness to acknowledge debts. Few current bands do this more zestfully than Fountains of Wayne, whose mega-hit "Stacey's Mom" (video here) veered right out of tribute and into open mimicry. But then they're a bit snarky that way: when I saw them they stopped in the middle of "Radiation Vibe" and launched into "Carry On, My Wayward Son."

Heh. The crowd lapped it up without missing a beat.

But this is serious. Apparently, FOW are playing The Hollies in an episode of American Dreams.

The episode of the show -- which often features contemporary musicians portraying Sixties icons on American Bandstand -- will air in mid-March.

"Originally when [NBC] approached us, they suggested the Animals," Fountains co-frontman and songwriter Adam Schlesinger says. "But we were always bigger Hollies fans, so we asked them if we could switch, and they obliged."

But unlike all of the previous musicians who have appeared on the show -- including Alicia Keys and Kelly Clarkson -- Fountains of Wayne recorded their own rendition of the song, rather than using a pre-produced track.

"We were more comfortable doing it this way," Schlesinger says. "We've done tons of covers songs as a band, but the tricky thing is when you're trying to be literal, like we were this time. With most covers you want to take some liberties and change the song around, but we tried to stay as close to the original as we could. I think we came pretty close."

Does anyone know anything about this show? I've never heard of it, I confess.