Paul Morigi/Getty Images for The Stronach GroupThis Saturday marks Pokémon's 25th anniversary, aptly titled Pokémon Day. To help celebrate the momentous occasion, Post Malone has released a brand new single Thursday that puts a spin on a classic Hootie and the Blowfish hit.
Posty, who is a long-time Pokéfan, released "Only Wanna Be with You (Pokémon 25 Version)" which pays tribute to the 1995 hit while infusing sound effects people have come to associate with the original Game Boy games.
Not only that, Malone even incorporates the Ecruteak City theme, which was featured in the franchise's followup games, Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal — which arrived in the U.S. in 1999.
As for why Malone chose to breathe new life into a classic Hootie hit, the singer notes "I Only Wanna Be With You" bowed on the Billboard charts 25 years ago, around the same time Pokémon Red and Blue made their debut and launched a global empire.
The two games first hit the shelves in Japan on February 27, 1996.
The "Circles" singer will perform his latest single when he headlines the Pokémon Day concert over the weekend. He previously said in a statement, "I’ve been a Pokémon fan for a long time, so the opportunity to headline the Pokémon Day concert celebrating 25 years is awesome."
The concert kicks off on the official Pokémon YouTube channel, Pokémon’s official Twitch channel, and on Pokémon’s 25th anniversary website starting at 7:00 p.m. ET on February 27.
By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
