<Li> 1975: In the novel Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach, describing a secessionist ecological utopia in the western United States, the protagonist (visiting the country as a US journalist) is informed that "cheaply built houses in newer districts" are scornfully referred to as "ticky - tacky boxes" by the population . </Li> <Li> 1980s: Russ Abbot took the music to the song and its general theme to satirize The Spinners, a contemporary popular folk group whose songs apparently "all sound the same", as a parody act "The Spanners" on his 1980s London Weekend Television Madhouse series . </Li> <Li> 2005--12: The song was used as the opening theme song for the Showtime television series Weeds . The first season used Reynolds's version . In the second and third seasons, various artists and celebrities performed covers of the song for the different episodes . The song was not used regularly during seasons four through seven, but was covered by various artists in the eighth and final season . See also: opening music of Weeds . </Li> <Li> 2005: The song is sung by both Keith Carradine (as "Elton Tripp") and Kate Mara (as "Zoe Tripp") in the film The Californians </Li>

Who sings the little boxes song on weeds