Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Simpsons season 36, episode 17, “Full Heart, Empty Pool”

Viewers who noted that The Simpsons season 36, episode 17 was dedicated to Jill Sobule may be left wondering who the late musician was and what made her work so notable. The Simpsons is now the longest-running scripted primetime American TV show in history, so getting a dedication at the end of an episode is quite a feat. Throughout the show’s more than 780 episodes, The Simpsons has dedicated outings to late guest stars, animators, behind-the-scenes workers, voice actors, and musicians among others.

While The Simpsons season 37 may change this tradition, season 36, episode 17, “Full Heart, Empty Pool,” proved it is alive and well for now. After Homer and Grampa’s Noodleball tournament ended with the pair simultaneously suffering career-ending injuries, the episode switched to a hopeful note as the Squeaky Voiced Teen finally found himself a love interest. The credits rolled over Grampa and Homer explaining the byzantine rules of Noodleball, before a post-credits dedication.

Why The Simpsons Season 36, Episode 17 Is Dedicated To Jill Sobule’s Memory

“Full Heart, Empty Pool” Aired Days After The Singer’s ing

Season 36, episode 17, “Full Heart, Empty Pool” is dedicated to singer-songwriter Jill Sobule, an iconic musician who once wrote a track for a 2019 episode of The Simpsons. Sobule contributed “The Lumberjill Song” to season 31, episode 6, “Marge The Lumberjill,” and this contribution was singled out by critics as a strong moment in an otherwise forgettable outing. Like much of Sobule’s best-known work, “The Lumberjill Song” was an LGBTQ+ love song with quirky, comical lyrics and a sly satirical bent.

The musician died in a house fire in May 2025, days before she was due to perform in her home city of Denver, Colorado, according to the BBC. Sobule’s ing was met with tributes from across the music world, and her relatively recent contribution to The Simpsons resulted in the dedication’s inclusion in this episode. She was 66 years old.

Who Jill Sobule Is

Jill Sobule Was A Legendary Singer-Songwriter

Since The Simpsons includes numerous oclassic episodes with LGBTQ+ themes, Sobule’s song was a fitting addition to “Marge The Lumberjill.” Blending understated satirical comedy and catchy folk melodies, Sobule’s work was often reminiscent of Randy Newman and Warren Zevon. Like Zecvon, her more moving songs could be surprisingly poignant, and, like Newman, her funnier efforts were often filled with laugh-out-loud lines as well as memorably catchy hooks.

Later in her career, Sobule became a pioneer of crowdfunding in the late ‘00s, using this method to finance later albums, tours, and other projects.

Perhaps her most famous contribution to the world of TV and film came in “Supermodel,” a tremendously fun track included in the soundtrack of 1995’s classic teen comedy Clueless. In the world of music, Sobule’s 1995 song “I Kissed A Girl” was notable for being one of the first songs with explicitly LGBTQ+ themes to crack the top 20. Later in her career, Sobule became a pioneer of crowdfunding in the late ‘00s, using this method to finance later albums, tours, and other projects.

Jill Sobule's Best Works

Sobule Wrote A Song For The Simpsons Season 31 Episode 6

Sobule’s debut album Things Here Are Different wasn’t a major success, although time has been kind to its initially underwhelming reception. In contrast, 1995’s self-titled Jill Sobule featured both “Supermodel” and “I Kissed A Girl,” the latter of which was notable for including ‘90s pop culture icon Fabio in its music video. Jill Sobule earned Sobule comparisons to superstar Alanis Morissette, but her later works cemented both her critical acclaim and limited mainstream appeal.

Both 1997’s Happy Town and 2000’s Pink Pearl were arguably Sobule’s best records, as they both featured some of her most moving and fun songwriting. However, poor sales meant that Sobule relied on crowdfunding to finance many of her future records, resulting in continued critical acclaim and a string of inventive, innovative campaigns over the next two decades. In the years before The Simpsons honored her memory, Sobule released 2018’s successful album Nostalgia Kills and opened a much-loved semi-autobiographical musical from 2022 whose title can’t be reprinted here.

Source: BBC

Enjoy ScreenRant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.

SIGN UP NOW!