Party Rock (Anthem)

January 27, 2012 8:24 PM

Problem: There haven't been enough electronica genres clumsily co-opted by pop! Also, we need more modern interpretations of awkward '80s fashions. Solution: Party Rock Anthem.

By LMFAOVEVO [NSFW], the equal and opposite polar force to Portlandia.

posted by Slap*Happy (110 comments total)

I just want to come right out and say that I am pro-LMFAO.
posted by swift at 8:28 PM on January 27, 2012 [7 favorites]

What? This… you know that that song has… like, for the better part of the past year… and that "VEVO" isn't actually part of…?

What the hell kind of bizarre joke am I missing here?
posted by wreckingball at 8:34 PM on January 27, 2012 [23 favorites]

Oh heh he just didn't realize they've been on MTV for all of last year... or that VEVO has taken over pop music on YouTube.

Hey Gramps! Get back in the house!
posted by carsonb at 8:36 PM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Did we just go back in time or something? I don't understand.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 8:37 PM on January 27, 2012

Yeah, I'm with wreckingball. I thought this was a joke post. There's a Skyrim dance mod and everything.
posted by june made him a gemini at 8:38 PM on January 27, 2012

Slap*Happy, I'm about to blow your mind even more.

One of those dudes is the other dude's UNCLE. And he is thirty-goddamn-six years old.
posted by penduluum at 8:40 PM on January 27, 2012 [4 favorites]

And it is almost certainly not the dude you think it is.
posted by penduluum at 8:41 PM on January 27, 2012

Relevant
posted by EtzHadaat at 8:43 PM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm just going to say that I can't shuffle.
posted by infinitywaltz at 8:44 PM on January 27, 2012

MTV for all of last year

What the hell's an MTV?

(Hmm. Mods may need to delete - I haven't had cable in over a year. This may be less a "How ossum is a guy with a cardboard robot head mocking DaftPunk?" post than a "You would totally be into the Whole Earth Catalog if this were the '70s" thing. On the other hand, it's very eerie to know there's an entire pop-culture phenomena out there I =had no idea existed=.)
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:46 PM on January 27, 2012 [3 favorites]

Nah, hey, I'm with you. Viz. And you ask me, anybody who doesn't get hyped when that one dude explodes off the ground from his back is dead inside.
posted by penduluum at 8:50 PM on January 27, 2012

KatyPerryVEVO has a video making fun of 80s music and Kenny G.
posted by birdherder at 8:51 PM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

The very hip edgy rock band ColdplayVEVO has an album called VivaLaVidaVEVO.
posted by drjimmy11 at 8:54 PM on January 27, 2012 [3 favorites]

what the
posted by elizardbits at 8:54 PM on January 27, 2012

Here's a great video from DEVOVEVO. [NSFPinks]
posted by mintcake! at 8:54 PM on January 27, 2012 [6 favorites]

And who can forget Livin' La VEVO Loca by RickyMartinVEVO?
posted by drjimmy11 at 8:54 PM on January 27, 2012

Yes, um, gulp, I am old and far from with it but I have seen this lo these many months past. Also, fond of it! So kill me! And, in my role as the bearer of bad news, let me add: double, sorta, in that it was on the blue before, even - I swear, although I can't find it - but in this Halloween context.
posted by mygothlaundry at 8:55 PM on January 27, 2012

OP has balls of steel. How many FPP's in the past year have been parodies?? For fuck's sake. Props to you for the anti-joke.
posted by victory_laser at 8:58 PM on January 27, 2012

VEVO has even assimilated Weird Al.

They've even made an offer to Matt for the MetaFilterMusic Catalog. I hear they left a horse's head in his bed.
posted by evilmidnightbomberwhatbombsatmidnight at 9:02 PM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Whenever I see LMFAO on TV (which is rare, but definitely often enough), I'm always like, "Wait, what is this shit? Didn't they used to be awesome?"

No, that's MGMT I'm thinking of. Every damn time. Fuckin' capital letters, man.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:04 PM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

No, just shoulder-rests of sand. Googling around, I'm beginning to worry about my engagement with the outside world. I mean, didn't the Giants already pay the Patriots in the superbowl? At least I know about SMOSH... wait, that's 2005? I'm gonna go lay down.

Here's some goddamn Portal/Elfman pron for you vultures.
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:04 PM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

Confession time: In 20 years or so, the YouTube of that era will feature a video clip of me "dancing" akwardly, at a wedding, to Party Rock Anthem as an excuse to carry on a conversation that was interrupted by the music. You will know me by my grimace and steadfast efforts to avoid spilling my rather full tumbler of bourbon.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 9:04 PM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

i think the best part of this post was where someone sincerely alleged that mtv actually plays music. WE HAVE BECOME UNSTUCK IN TIME.
posted by elizardbits at 9:04 PM on January 27, 2012 [4 favorites]

What is this post, what is it.
posted by solarion at 9:05 PM on January 27, 2012 [10 favorites]

My first exposure to LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" was actually the Kia commercial with the hamsters.
posted by infinitywaltz at 9:07 PM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

Never heard of Smosh, but hey hands up who remembers Smoosh? I thought She Like Electric was surprisingly good.
posted by penduluum at 9:08 PM on January 27, 2012

clumsily co-opted by pop

Pure is poor!
posted by Artw at 9:17 PM on January 27, 2012

I find this strangely moving.
posted by Infinity_8 at 9:17 PM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

Why is Kirk Hammett in this group? Did Metallica break up?
posted by Pastabagel at 9:18 PM on January 27, 2012

Oh look, there's my Birthday Party bootleg cassettes. Well, goodnight, everyone.
posted by alex_skazat at 9:20 PM on January 27, 2012

I can't believe I'm the first to chime in with the amazing Kim Jong Il version.
posted by the_bone at 9:21 PM on January 27, 2012 [8 favorites]

Literal MS Paint Party Rock Anthem.

It's not top shelf, but it's all I got. Kinda takes until the chorus to get going, not unlike the actual song. VEVO.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 9:22 PM on January 27, 2012 [9 favorites]

So um.. this... uh....


... A year old video with 361,935,830 ...


uh...


I think you broke Metafilter a little bit.
posted by louche mustachio at 9:26 PM on January 27, 2012 [6 favorites]

On the other hand, it's very eerie to know there's an entire pop-culture phenomena out there I =had no idea existed=.

Don't feel bad; nobody's cool enough to always be in the first elite few 361,935,829 people to hear about something.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 9:28 PM on January 27, 2012 [11 favorites]

Wow, just wow.

Slap*Happy, are you going to get a job commenting for 60 Minutes, updating America on what their grandchilren are up to, with the hip-hops and the rainbow parties?
posted by the man of twists and turns at 9:30 PM on January 27, 2012 [4 favorites]

I want to find out where it is you hide out that you only just now managed to hear this song.

It must be a magical place.
posted by louche mustachio at 9:32 PM on January 27, 2012 [3 favorites]

Every day I'm snufflin'
posted by louche mustachio at 9:38 PM on January 27, 2012 [3 favorites]

I find the fact that you posted a music video to the song that probably got played the most on mainstream radio this past summer because you just really like the song to be super endearing. Slap*Happy, meet your spirit animal.

I like this post. So there.
posted by Phire at 9:45 PM on January 27, 2012 [4 favorites]

Literal MS Paint Party Rock Anthem.

I like the party rock. Why does the guy have to shake that so hard though, poor that.
posted by Ad hominem at 9:50 PM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

I'm not quite sure what the original post was supposed to convey, or what most anybody is talking about with the VEVO and DEVO stuff, but whatever just happened put me over the edge. I'm in favor of LMFAO after being on the fence.
posted by cmoj at 9:50 PM on January 27, 2012

Am I missing the irony here? So confused as to why this is here.
posted by Theta States at 10:12 PM on January 27, 2012

I don't understand if they are actually gay or just hipster-gay.


Tangentially related: My brother taught my 5-year-old nephew to respond to any comments like "aren't you cute!" with the phrase "thanks, I work out."
posted by Theta States at 10:16 PM on January 27, 2012 [30 favorites]

I WANT MY MTVEVO!
posted by KingEdRa at 10:19 PM on January 27, 2012

Every day I'm Dougie-ing.
posted by not_on_display at 10:20 PM on January 27, 2012

I'm just gonna leave this here. Must be new and exciting to someone.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:34 PM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

Some fairly irrelevant amusements, also:

Every Day I'm British
Every Day I'm Stepping on The Beach
posted by solarion at 10:47 PM on January 27, 2012 [2 favorites]

Three quarters of my assigned bugs and feature request involve vevo. I have spent spent the last six months watching vevo videos at least three hours a day.

I might as well be working at seti trying to make sense of alien transmissions. And I am barely over 30 years old.
posted by Ayn Rand and God at 11:12 PM on January 27, 2012 [5 favorites]

This is seriously the first time I have heard or seen this song. The original video made me laugh. The MS Paint video killed me.

Hugs, Slap*Happy.
posted by cortex at 11:22 PM on January 27, 2012 [3 favorites]

Have you heard of Lady Gaga, I heard she's really something. And that Adele chick has quite the pipes.
posted by empath at 11:36 PM on January 27, 2012 [1 favorite]

omg that ms paint video, thank you so much. I will never hear that song again without thinking of that clock.
posted by en forme de poire at 11:49 PM on January 27, 2012

I just realized, it reminds me of a low-rent version of this Junior Senior video.
posted by en forme de poire at 12:03 AM on January 28, 2012

Okay, I've heard the song, but only tangentially, on radios playing in passing cars or in the muzak in H & M. I listen to CBC, I no longer watch TV, and this sort of thing is never played in the bars, pubs and clubs I go to.

This makes me realize how out of touch I am with standard pop-culture. And how very old I am, too.

Highfives Slap*Happy.
posted by jrochest at 12:07 AM on January 28, 2012

My only sadness is that you only managed to hear them in January. Certainly had this gone up in December you would've won the FPP contest, hands down. I'd have voted for you 80 million times.
posted by Salmonberry at 12:14 AM on January 28, 2012

Is this something I'd need to not own a television to understand?
posted by lrobertjones at 12:21 AM on January 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

I never thought there could be anyone worse than the Black-Eyed Peas.
posted by mike3k at 12:29 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLSgqH2BOeg
posted by Flunkie at 12:32 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

I always wondered what it would look like when the people here began to tip over into dementia.

It's kind of more fun!
posted by furiousthought at 12:43 AM on January 28, 2012 [6 favorites]

I'm not really sure why this is here either, and I'm not a big fan, but everybody in the house tonight better get used to hearing this song for the next 25+ years. Like, "I like to move it move it" used to this song. My nieces and nephew, who are all 8 years old or under, go absolutely apeshit every time they hear this song. They actually seek it out specifically so they can go bananas. Also? The "Running Man" seems to be the primal, instinctual dance to white people from an early age. They weren't around for the 80s, I have no idea where they learned it.

Kids these days.
posted by Hoopo at 1:13 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Yes Hoopo. My 5 year old asks for rock n roll so I put on a pop station. A minute later I look in the rear view mirror to see my 18 month old daughter putting her "hands up to the sound" every time she is implored to.

Luckily, I dig the tune.
posted by nonmyopicdave at 1:54 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

I have no clue about the FPP, nor any of the comments. I have never heard this song or heard of LMFAO. Was it all supposed to be ironic or something? Is it just ubiquitous in the States?

*confused*
posted by salmacis at 2:07 AM on January 28, 2012

So I haven't listened to music proactively for something over a decade, since I left high school. This was around the time the national youth radio station seemed to start playing more dance music, and started their "Net 50" online voting thing which again seemed to bring even more commercial station-type music on. And I never liked live music much anyway, so I stopped going to the annual "lets all pay too much money to stand in the sun on a ridiculously hot day" festivals. I listened to some Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison because my Dad had a lot of that, and it was good.

Occasionally I get guilty about my ignorance of music, and the last time this happened I posted as such on Twitter. A friend of mine from the UK who works in radio suggested I listen to a PJ Harvey album which I did and enjoyed, finding a few songs that genuinely got stuck in my head, which weren't even the Thom Yorke duet that was played to death a decade ago.

Then I see this, and there's not a thing about it that doesn't scream at me "Hello. There's a cultural gap between you and this artifact that involves several layers of branching, and possibly some folding back upon itself and then branching some more. To understand what is going on here would require at least a few years immersion in what let's face it is an entirely foreign culture. Perhaps it's best you leave the door closed on your way out."

I felt less lost when I found myself planted in Los Angeles for a couple of days.

My apologies for taking this long to express a simple "I don't get it", but I placed my head on the computer and all this stuff just oozed out.
posted by dumbland at 2:18 AM on January 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

To me, this sort of falls in the same category as Die Antwoord, M.I.A., etc., of which I'm never really sure if it's awful or brilliant, but keep coming back to.
posted by Harry at 2:43 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Not the same category as M.I.A. in my mind. That's firmly in the "briliant" category. That song you linked samples Suicide and actually does a not-bad job of it, and is not as insipid as LMFAO.
posted by Hoopo at 3:18 AM on January 28, 2012

Insipid is fun! I think it is hilarious that all the musical knowledge and influences from Motown and Berry Gordy ended up in LMFAO. Who even Elmo likes.
posted by saucysault at 3:30 AM on January 28, 2012

No lie: right before I sat down at the computer just now, I turned to my wife and said, "every day I'm shufflin'." She rolled her eyes and asked if I was going to listen to that song on repeat at the gym this morning. I wasn't planning on it, but now I think I have to. ("Sexy and I Know It" is very likely my favorite song of the last year, actually.)

Also, when we're lying on the couch together, sometimes our cats will say, "every day I'm cuddlin'." They're big into wordplay.
posted by uncleozzy at 3:40 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Is it just ubiquitous in the States?

It was #1 in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and 11 European countries including France, Germany and the UK. It was top 10 in 9 more European countries, #3 in Brazil, #5 in Russia, #9 in Japan and South Africa, and the 3rd most downloaded song globally last year.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 4:08 AM on January 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

But other than that, it was pretty obscure.
posted by Wolfdog at 4:31 AM on January 28, 2012 [13 favorites]

I wanted to dislike this video because I'm too much of a pretentiousness and high-brow music listener, but then I couldn't. I tried but then I was surrounded by dancers and I got in to it. WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME?!
posted by fuq at 5:49 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

I like the other one better. Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle, yeah.
posted by Diablevert at 6:14 AM on January 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

Wow, I even know this song and I never know anything about pop music. Trivia: LMFAO leaders Redfoo and SkyBlu are son and grandson of Berry Gordy.
posted by octothorpe at 6:17 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

I feel for you, Slap*happy. Every time I'm standing in the checkout line I glance at the tabloids and celeb magazines. I can't identify 90% of the people on the covers.
posted by desjardins at 6:46 AM on January 28, 2012

71 comments and no-one has mentioned Ron Jeremy? What the hell is wrong with you people? This makes me feel even more disconnected than the music itself, which is singularly awful.
posted by The Discredited Ape at 6:58 AM on January 28, 2012

Is it just ubiquitous in the States?

It was #1 in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and 11 European countries including France, Germany and the UK.

I think that's interesting. I also haven't heard these songs before, despite them being high on the charts. There was a time not too long ago when that couldn't have happened. Everybody encountered top of the charts music. Now, not so much. I'd bet it could also be possible that many more people are familiar with chart toppers from well before they were born (say, the 60s for people born in the 80s) than with current billboard hits.
posted by msbrauer at 6:58 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

I like how VEVO ads online have an image of a QR code. That way I can get out my phone and take a picture of my computer screen to gain access to the advertised content, instead of just clicking on it like every other lame ad.
posted by rlk at 7:07 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

You know what, my first reaction to hearing LMFAO was, "Wow, this is what Lonely Island would sound like if they were actually clever, and understood the source material."
posted by uncleozzy at 7:14 AM on January 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

I like the other one better. Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle, yeah.

previously on MeFi
posted by flex at 7:16 AM on January 28, 2012

First saw the Sexy and I Know It video last week, and I've not heard this one before. Never heard anything by Adele either. As far as I'm concerned this is a good thing.
posted by jontyjago at 7:28 AM on January 28, 2012

2009 NYT: Music Industry Companies Opening Video Site. Of the big four labels, Universal, Sony, and EMI eventually put their music video content out through VEVO, which initially chose YouTube as their partner. However, just a few weeks ago, Facebook was reported as being in talks to replace YouTube.
posted by ZeusHumms at 7:54 AM on January 28, 2012

I really hate everything about this band, so I was shocked to learn that one of their songs had provided the raw material for this, which is mostly garbage too except when it suddenly becomes transcendent and great for about 45 seconds. I was briefly convinced I actually like secretly thought LMFAO was a great band, but then the song turned back into bullshit and assclownery and order restored itself to the universe. But damn! That sliver of remix is great.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 7:55 AM on January 28, 2012 [3 favorites]

I don't get any of this. I tried to watch the video but the music was irritating so I shut it off.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 8:06 AM on January 28, 2012

Please fix the Party Rock Anthem
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 8:11 AM on January 28, 2012 [4 favorites]

elizardbits: "i think the best part of this post was where someone sincerely alleged that mtv actually plays music."

No, they sincerely alleged that MTV actually plays LMFAO.
posted by koeselitz at 8:26 AM on January 28, 2012

There haven't been enough electronica genres clumsily co-opted by pop!

I really don't understand this comment as these sort of super super cheesy songs ONLY seem to exist within the confines of Pop dance. ie Black Eyed Peas etc..

Can someone explain what genre of 'underground' Dance musc is being co-opted here? Bad Trance? Happy Hard-core? handbag house ? it doesn't really fit into any of those genres to me.
posted by mary8nne at 8:35 AM on January 28, 2012

I just want to know how that green guy jumps up in the air, lands on his back on the concrete, and doesn't end up quadriplegic or with a sever concussion.
posted by dirigibleman at 8:38 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Co-opted by pop!
posted by Artw at 8:40 AM on January 28, 2012

Can someone explain what genre of 'underground' Dance musc is being co-opted here?

Dutch house.

More

They hired DJ Chuckie and other Dutch house producers to ghost write for them.
posted by empath at 8:43 AM on January 28, 2012 [4 favorites]

Black Eyed Peas etc..

Black Eyed Peas copies underground dance music all the time, too:

Adam Freeland - Man Cry

Black Eyed Peas - Party All The Time.

Every DJ Icey Song ever made.

Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow
posted by empath at 8:49 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

Nope, I am right there, too. I didn't even know this "band" existed until three months ago. There is a lot of contemporary music right now that's popular and I've never heard of it. It's not willful ignorance on my part; it's more I don't listen to music channels on the radio, I don't read music magazines, and honestly, anything new I've dug, I usually find via MeFi or friends.

If that makes me cranky and old, so be it, I guess.

(Also, I got through about one minute of an LMFAO video but shutting off in horror.)
posted by Kitteh at 9:04 AM on January 28, 2012

penduluum: One of those dudes is the other dude's UNCLE. And he is thirty-goddamn-six years old"

Count me among those who were unaware of this whole phenom, and I went straight to wikipedia. How awful is that?

But! They are direct descendents of Barry Gordy! They are related to Jimmy Carter! One of them was attacked by Mitt Romney!
posted by hydrophonic at 9:10 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

These guys popped up on my radar late last year with their "I'm in Miami Bitch" song, though it took until last month for me to realize that they were the same guys who made "Party Rockers" and "Sexy and I Know It". Part of me enjoys contemplating their lyrics and existence in modern day music popularity, as they seem way so outlandish and cliche, almost a surreal critical commentary about what "partying" is... but the other half of me is usually too busy dancing around to their ridiculous catchy grooves. Indeed these guys are one of our generation's Macarena. I've already been to one wedding with "Sexy and I Know It" as a much-appreciated silly dance interlude, and I doubt it'll be the last!
posted by Meagan at 9:17 AM on January 28, 2012

Wait - - this post about LMFAO has been up on MetaFilter for twelve whole hours and nobody has yet made the obligatory LMFAO/xkcd link ??
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 9:24 AM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

This is my favorite variant of the shufflin' meme.
posted by spitefulcrow at 9:45 AM on January 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

Since I live in a hole, I had never seen the first part before, I was just familiar with the shufflin' internet memes - like this one....and this one. So I thought that this was a parody, and they were implementing some departure from the shufflin' thing.

Then EVERY DAY I'M SHUFFLIN and I thought ...wait...what...

Hilarious, actually.
posted by Xoebe at 9:45 AM on January 28, 2012

Well, there was a party there, but I missed the rock bit. Does not do what it says on the tin.

I am oldish.
posted by smirkette at 9:49 AM on January 28, 2012

I find "Sexy And I Know It" (the video) to be quite subversive, actually. This is pretty much considered "bro" music and yet it's a song about primping, wiggling your junk, and tanning your butt cheeks? They have a wiggle competition with other men on top of a bar? And this song is getting massive play? These guys are totally in on the joke. I kinda <3 it.
posted by flex at 10:03 AM on January 28, 2012 [5 favorites]

There haven't been enough electronica genres clumsily co-opted by pop!

It's inherent in the form. You can co-opt something like early rock (once you send Elvis to Germany) by hiring some smoldering teen-age half-wit to grace magazine covers, hire a bunch of session men, tune up the vocals with some tape-recorder slitherin, and send him out to lip-sync in 80 cities.

Electronica's different. The kid would have to be able to turn on a computer, hook it to a mixer, start up Live, plug in the MPC 2000 sampler and actually play. Or put records on the turntables and actually spin and scratch.

Believe me, technology has made it a lot harder to manufacture stars. Which is why they went with Divas. Cuz tits are a lot easier.
posted by Twang at 11:03 AM on January 28, 2012

Does anyone read the posts down here?
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:40 AM on January 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

I find "Sexy And I Know It" (the video) to be quite subversive, actually.

Yeah, that's exactly what I love about it. When I first heard the track I thought it was mind-crushingly stupid, but after seeing the video and realizing just what a sneaky trick they'd pulled I came to love it. When have men ever been the sex objects in a mainstream music video before? It' so full-on enthusiastically goofy that you just have to love it.

I dressed up as the robot sidekick for Halloween - it was great, people quoted the song at me all night and had me pose for photos with them.
posted by Mars Saxman at 1:31 PM on January 28, 2012 [4 favorites]

Count me as another pro-LMFAO voter.

Yeah, this video was my first introduction to LMFAO, I first saw it browsing the Reddit video app in Boxee several months ago. I was transfixed. It was just so unabashedly fun and catchy, both the music and video itself. And the obvious 80s imagery were great.

I find "Sexy And I Know It" (the video) to be quite subversive, actually. This is pretty much considered "bro" music and yet it's a song about primping, wiggling your junk, and tanning your butt cheeks? They have a wiggle competition with other men on top of a bar? And this song is getting massive play? These guys are totally in on the joke. I kinda <3 it.

Yeah, I think they have an awareness about the subversive content of their message.

I mean, zombies have a long history in popular culture as symbols and avatars of the red scare/losing our individuality to collective think and our consumerist society. Going back to Night Of The Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead.

Looking around at Zombie sites, I actually came across the wikipedia page on Dancing Mania and the Dancing Plague of 1518.

I haven't watched the video all the way through recently, so now I'm wondering if they are actually critiquing party culture now. I always thought it was a fun meme that's following along with work by Ke$ha, M.I.A. and the like promoting partying as an ethos.

As an aside, the link to Portlandia is kind of relevant to a thought I had when first seeing the video. To be honest, I've always been partially intimidated by hipster fashion. It's easy to make fun of them, but part of it was an awareness I'm a bit too vanilla in my day-to-day outfit jeans and t-shirt.

And this video reminded me that hey, a lot hipsters dress that way because it's fun (or at least promotes an image that they're fun). Big sunglasses, day-glo clothing and awesome accessories? The more I think about it, the more I'd rather live in that colorful universe than a drab world of jeans and geek t-shirts.
posted by formless at 2:58 PM on January 28, 2012 [1 favorite]

M.I.A. and the like promoting partying as an ethos

I...

...am I thinking of a different MIA? Because the one I'm familiar with is kinda political.
posted by Hoopo at 4:16 PM on January 28, 2012 [2 favorites]

Everyday I'm Snufflin'
posted by Rodrigo Lamaitre at 5:07 PM on January 28, 2012

The more I think about it, the more I'd rather live in that colorful universe than a drab world of jeans and geek t-shirts.

False dichotomy alert!

There's hopefully some middle ground between LMFAOROFLerism and jeans/geek-shirt. Surely.
posted by The Discredited Ape at 5:11 PM on January 28, 2012

I'm just surprised Slap*Happy didn't notice that the video had roughly as many views as the population of the United States... plus FIFTY MILLION.

Then again, xkcd just got around to making an LMFAO comic, so maybe it's not so bad.
posted by Rhaomi at 5:30 PM on January 28, 2012

In case anyone was wondering about the zombie thing, it's a parody of the movie 28 Days Later. Except with party rocking zombies instead of the murdery kind.
posted by Bonky Moon at 6:22 PM on January 28, 2012

I have never before now noticed nor cared how may hits a video on teh OoohTubz gets. I don't plan on changing that.

Why I linked to it:

1) Utter mockery of the "whiteboy fro" with sideburns and pornstaches.

2) Zombie genre mockery.

3) Pitch-perfect skewering of '80s fashion, from the Vans with "Party" and "Rock" on them, to the multicultural Michael Jackson zombies, with forced, fake Disney smiles and zombie makeup and precision choreography.

4) The t-shirt with the elaborate calligraphy on it that would usually be the name of a haute couture brand but instead read "Hi, Mom!"

5) There was The Drop. It was there, and it was so defanged and twee it had me falling out of my chair. A Pop Drop. So fucking funny.

6) There was The Rise... House Music, where everything builds to a dramatic climax, and a pretty songstress takes over, and she does, and she's in a greyscale Union Jack bikini, and it's hilarious.

So, I don't give a fuck if the song was more popular than the Beetles. This is Weird Al shit going on, recognize.

Also, a music-loving and music-seeking adult completely missed this. That's some X-files level of weird, right there.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:40 PM on January 28, 2012 [6 favorites]

I completely missed it, too, and heard it for the first time about a month ago on my kid's Wii Just Dance 3. I would never have pegged it as a recent hit. It's less weird to me that I missed the song than it is I missed all the memes and parodies, though. Maybe I just haven't understood the internet for the past six months and didn't know it.

Also: this FPP + comments make me super happy.
posted by looli at 8:57 PM on January 28, 2012

Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking, M.I.A. is definitely political. My bad.
posted by formless at 12:26 PM on January 29, 2012

I'm definitely REALLY out of it at this point, re pop-culture, because I don't even understand the xkcd comic that someone linked to, and I am a geek who used to chuckle at the extremely narrow linux references. I had heard the main chorus bit of this song somewhere in an annoying public space, perhaps a clothing store, and thought it was just store-muzak-filler. My god.

I'd like to think that we have fully entered the age of post-mainstream, call it the multi-stream. The best produced music is not the stuff everyone has heard and there exist videos with 300 million views by artists you don't even know exist, yet I meet people both under 30 and nearing 40 who have never in their life even heard of Baraka.
posted by mochimochi at 1:49 AM on January 30, 2012 [1 favorite]

I don't think I've seen this posted yet:

swan shuffle
posted by AbsoluteDestiny at 6:30 AM on January 30, 2012

Ack, it had and yes, it's a goose. Long thread is long.
posted by AbsoluteDestiny at 6:33 AM on January 30, 2012