Tay it ain't so

July 27, 2007 2:43 PM

Chocolate Rain.From Bach to Tupac, you can always expect the unexpected from Tay Zonday. Mr. Zonday has experienced some fame as of late, thanks to shock jocks Opie & Anthony. Tay is quite the original artist and is, shockingly, unsigned. So, if you know any A&R guys that are looking for new talent, please let them know! My personal favorite is his karaoke cover of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up". Although, the Darth Vader remix of Chocolate Rain is pretty friggin' sweet, too.
posted by digiFramph (58 comments total)

don't forget the mcgruff the crime dog rendition.
posted by gnutron at 2:50 PM on July 27, 2007

He sounds like a combination of Ray Romano and a Speak & Spell.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 2:54 PM on July 27, 2007

He also enunciates a bit like a socialite from a Marx Bros. movie. I can imagine him conversing with Mrs. Teasdale at the punch bowl.
posted by fleetmouse at 2:56 PM on July 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

I liked the moves in the DDR remix. Marvelous!
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 2:56 PM on July 27, 2007

8 bit remix
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:57 PM on July 27, 2007

I was waiting for this to show up. Apparently it took over YouTube's front page earlier today.

Also, here's his space, where he blogs about being suddenly iFamous.

Oh and a snark-tastic ED link about the phenom.
posted by revmitcz at 2:57 PM on July 27, 2007

It was deleted yesterday.
posted by dobbs at 2:59 PM on July 27, 2007

I could have sworn Tay Zonday came up previously, I think in connection with his Astley cover being 'the new Rickroll', but I'm not finding it on search. Anyway thanks a LOT digiFramph, I had just about succeeded in scraping that song out of my head, and now I have to start all over again.
posted by herichon at 3:01 PM on July 27, 2007

This post was deleted for the following reason: Hey, buddy, how would you like it if I came to where you work and rickrolled your office newsletter, huh? Huh? -- cortex
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:03 PM on July 27, 2007

Man, this internet is something else! Livin' your life with a clickety click!

herichon, maybe you read the metachat thread?
posted by iconomy at 3:06 PM on July 27, 2007

I posted on that deleted thread. I thought Tay deserved his say so I expanded it to the point I thought it was a worthy blue FPP. C'mon, the guy is hilarious!
posted by digiFramph at 3:07 PM on July 27, 2007

his voice and his body do not seem to match - quite odd
posted by Flood at 3:08 PM on July 27, 2007

The guy is painful to watch and listen to.
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 3:08 PM on July 27, 2007

Excuse me, but, is this zombocom?
posted by zerobyproxy at 3:12 PM on July 27, 2007 [2 favorites]

The problem with the other Tay post was not Tay or memewatching; it was the sheer bloody-minded stuntery of it. The grinning irony of which was not lost on me, mind you, but yech.

As you were.
posted by cortex at 3:13 PM on July 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

duly chastised...
posted by digiFramph at 3:15 PM on July 27, 2007

So, if you know any A&R guys indie labels that are looking for new talent, please let them know!

Fixed that for ya.
posted by Smart Dalek at 3:22 PM on July 27, 2007

Is metafilter becoming a place that aging memes come to die?
posted by KingoftheWhales at 3:23 PM on July 27, 2007

Ah, shoot. Tayrolled.
posted by Colloquial Collision at 3:45 PM on July 27, 2007

Unsigned because he sucks fucking ass.
posted by chillmost at 3:58 PM on July 27, 2007 [2 favorites]

b3ta spoofed this a few weeks ago Choclate rain spoof
posted by TheCassiniDivision at 4:07 PM on July 27, 2007

that's one of the most boring things i've seen/heard in a long, long time.
posted by msconduct at 4:08 PM on July 27, 2007

I think Greg Nog digiFramph...and he did so without wielding the might of an FPP!

So, "Shuwatch!"
posted by humannaire at 4:10 PM on July 27, 2007

POST FLAGGED AS A DOUBLE!
posted by chlorus at 4:22 PM on July 27, 2007

Chocolate rain
makes me lie awake in bed at night
Chocolate rain
it's in my head until the morning light
Chocolate rain
what the hell is it about this song
Chocolate rain
why is it so motherfucking long
Chocolate rain
Will it one day let me live in peace
Chocolate rain
No time soon thanks to this FPP
posted by ludwig_van at 4:29 PM on July 27, 2007 [3 favorites]

What's rickrolled mean??
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 4:56 PM on July 27, 2007

I could live with the nonsensical lyrics, but the five bars of piano music repeating endlessly in the background are what really get to me.

He does have an interesting voice, though.
posted by Kadin2048 at 4:56 PM on July 27, 2007

1 syllable:
aine, ayn, bain, baine, bane, bayne, blain, blaine, blane, blayne, brain, cain, caine, cane, cayne, chain, cheyne, crain, craine, crane, crayne, dain, dane, dayne, drain, draine, drane, duan, duane, dwayne, fain, fane, fayne, feign, fein, frain, fraine, frane, frayn, frayne, frein, freyne, gain, grain, grein, hahne, hain, hane, hayn, hayne, heyn, heyne, jain, jane, jayne, kain, kaine, kane, kayne, krain, krane, krein, lain, laine, lane, layne, ln, main, maine, mane, mayne, meyn, paign, paine, pane, payne, plain, plane, quain, rain, raine, rayne, reign, rein, reine, sain, saine, sane, shain, shaine, shane, shayne, slain, slaine, slane, spain, splain, splaine, sprain, stain, strain, swain, swaine, swayne, thain, thaine, thane, thayne, train, trane, twain, vain, vane, vein, veyne, vrain, wain, wane, wayne, zane

2 syllables:
abstain, again, ahlen, air lane, alain, alaine, alane, alayne, allain, arcane, arraign, attain, bahrain, beauchaine, biscayne, block plane, boat train, brain drain, branched chain, brattain, buntain, butane, calf's brain, campaign, car train, catain, champagne, champaign, champlain, charlayne, charmain, charmaine, chastain, chow mein, closed chain, cocaine, complain, constrain, contain, costain, courchaine, dahrain, decrane, defrain, delaine, demain, deschaine, despain, detain, devane, dewayne, disdain, domain, domaine, draw rein, duchaine, dufrane, dumaine, dumb cane, duquesne, dushane, duwayne, elaine, elane, elayne, explain, fast lane, feed grain, fontaine, food chain, food grain, fore plane, fort wayne, fountaine, free rein, freight train, galane, gas main, germain, germaine, germane, great dane, helane, horse grain, hossain, humane, hussain, hussein, iain, inane, insane, in vain, jack plane, jermaine, jet plane, jyishane, laraine, left brain, lehane, lennane, long plane, lorain, loraine, lorraine, maclaine, maclean, mail train, maintain, match plane, mcbain, mcbane, mccain, mccane, mcclain, mcclaine, mcclane, mcgrain, mcgrane, mcguane, mckain, mckane, mclain, mclane, mclean, mcquain, mcshane, mcswain, mcwain, morain, moraine, mud stain, mundane, mustain, obtain, oil stain, ordain, partain, pertain, profane, pull chain, refrain, regain, remain, restrain, retain, retrain, right brain, rogaine, romain, romaine, ruane, sartain, scrub plane, sea lane, seed grain, serbaine, slow lane, small cane, smooth plane, spokane, straight chain, sustain, switch cane, sword cane, sylvain, terrain, tirane, torain, tremaine, tulane, ukraine, uptain, urbain, urbane, watch chain, wave train, wind vane, wolf's bane, yeargain

3 syllables:
acid rain, ad campaign, anchor chain, aquitaine, ascertain, ball and chain, basal vein, bearing rein, candy cane, charles's wain, coastal plain, compass plane, cotton strain, coup de main, cystic vein, dado plane, daisy chain, discount chain, dovetail plane, entertain, express train, facet plane, facial vein, flower chain, gastric vein, giant cane, golden chain, golden rain, gravy train, inclined plane, inhumane, in the main, kahane, lafountain, lafountaine, lamontagne, lawyer cane, leading rein, liner train, london plane, lumbar vein, mark of cain, mary jane, mental strain, metric grain, mountain chain, nervous strain, noble cane, open chain, overtrain, picture plane, pontoon plane, portal vein, power train, preordain, quiche lorraine, railroad train, rattan cane, rectal vein, renal vein, retail chain, sales campaign, sewer main, smoothing plane, spinal vein, splenic vein, st germain, st germaine, subway train, sugar cane, take in vain, tangent plane, thyroid vein, traffic lane, vortex vein, wagon train, water main, weather vane, whooping crane

4 syllables:
angular vein, apparel chain, bronchial vein, capital gain, cardinal vein, carpenter's plane, castle in spain, cerebral vein, cervical vein, chemical chain, circular plane, commuter train, cross of lorraine, digital vein, electric main, engineer's chain, femoral vein, financial gain, hepatic vein, hospital train, jugular vein, knowledge domain, left gastric vein, legerdemain, malacca cane, mineral vein, nautical chain, naval campaign, ophthalmic vein, orbital plane, palatine vein, passenger train, pectoral vein, propeller plane, public domain, radial vein, restaurant chain, right gastric vein, senate campaign, temporal vein, thoracic vein, tracheal vein, tympanic vein, uterine vein, vertebral vein, visceral brain, woodworking plane

5 syllables:
alpine golden chain, american plane, capillary vein, capital of maine, capital of spain, combination plane, common facial vein, deep cervical vein, deep temporal vein, eminent domain, emissary vein, frankfurt on the main, great cerebral vein, innominate vein, labyrinthine vein, laryngeal vein, mesenteric vein, metacarpal vein, middle thyroid vein, occipital vein, oriental plane, ovarian vein, pancreatic vein, petersburg campaign, poinsettia strain, pulmonary vein, testicular vein, umbilical vein, whispering campaign, wilderness campaign

6 syllables:
accompanying vein, advertising campaign, capital of bahrain, common cardinal vein, external nasal vein, hepatic portal vein, middle cerebral vein, middle temporal vein, military campaign, okinawa campaign, political campaign

7 syllables:
anterior facial vein, capital of the ukraine, deep middle cerebral vein, external jugular vein, inferior thyroid vein, internal cerebral vein, internal jugular vein, posterior facial vein, superior thyroid vein

8 syllables:
accessory vertebral vein, anterior cardinal vein, anterior cerebral vein, anterior jugular vein, anterior vertebral vein, inferior cerebral vein, inferior ophthalmic vein, internal auditory vein, posterior cardinal vein, superficial temporal vein, superior cerebral vein, superior ophthalmic vein

9 syllables:
inferior pulmonary vein, superior pulmonary vein

10 syllables:
superficial middle cerebral vein
posted by fleetmouse at 4:58 PM on July 27, 2007 [9 favorites]

duckroll -> rickroll -> tayroll
posted by Partial Law at 5:00 PM on July 27, 2007

What's rickrolled mean??

Here's one definition from UrbanDictionary.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 5:02 PM on July 27, 2007 [5 favorites]

Wow. That's fantastic.
posted by PostIronyIsNotaMyth at 5:04 PM on July 27, 2007

Rick Astley was a true talent, the harmony, the voice, the dance. He was the total package. It's such a shame he got shot and killed in that coke deal.
posted by Pastabagel at 5:16 PM on July 27, 2007 [3 favorites]

The best part of the rickroll phenomenon so far is Carson Daly's fantastically awkward attempt to be relevant.
posted by Partial Law at 5:28 PM on July 27, 2007

http://www.tayzonday.com/Tay_Zonday_Blue_On_The_Fourth_Of_July.mp3
http://www.tayzonday.com/Tay_Zonday_Chocolate_Rain.mp3
http://www.tayzonday.com/CanonInZ.mp3
posted by IronWolve at 5:37 PM on July 27, 2007

this was posted previously on metafilter
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 5:38 PM on July 27, 2007

love him or hate him tay zonday will be here for a little while at least, but his sudden rise to fame might not jive with his ability to follow chocolate rain up with anything significant or funny at all. i'm just happy something has distracted the internet from lolcats for a brief second. chocolate rain was unintentionally funny and everything he does after is going to be forced and contrived.


**i move away from the mic to breathe in
posted by knowles at 5:44 PM on July 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

After seeing the genius of the Vader and 8-bit treatments I was tempted to make a very similar post about Mr. Zonday. I keep hoping he'll post the separate tracks and samples from his mix online so I can remix it.
posted by inoculatedcities at 5:52 PM on July 27, 2007

to illustrate knowles' point
posted by chuckdarwin at 6:10 PM on July 27, 2007

You absolutely must view this parody. I think it's the funniest goddamn thing anyone's ever put on Youtube. Listen to the lyrics...
posted by autodidact at 6:12 PM on July 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

I'm also a fan of the wonderful McDonald's commercial Tay did back in the 80s.
posted by inoculatedcities at 6:15 PM on July 27, 2007 [2 favorites]

Though my "songs of the summer" post was skeptical, this year's s.o.s. is, indeed, officially, chocolate rain.
Greg Nog, I am officially in debt, and awe. you have brought the zonday into so many lives.
This is why metafilter rocks!!!
posted by whahappen?! at 6:19 PM on July 27, 2007

Somebody with the proper skills needs to remix this into something actually cool. It can be done. *Jedi wave*
posted by katillathehun at 6:36 PM on July 27, 2007

I must say, Tay is one sweaty dude.
posted by knowles at 7:02 PM on July 27, 2007

I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between 12-year-old boys and 30-something lesbians.
posted by dhammond at 8:13 PM on July 27, 2007 [4 favorites]

His singing reminds me of Oompa Loompas. From the original Willy Wonka. And the song being chocolate rain and all... well, that fits, too.
posted by deCadmus at 8:19 PM on July 27, 2007

this was posted previously on metafilter

This too was previously posted.
posted by humannaire at 8:57 PM on July 27, 2007

As bad as Chocolate Rain is as a total package, two things about it make it hard for me to make fun of the kid too much:

1: The piano loop is groovy, and works beautifully as a D&B loop.
2: The lyrics are actually a bit sad and thoughtful.
posted by empath at 8:57 PM on July 27, 2007 [2 favorites]

Well, it's better than my stuff that's for sure. I hope he's enjoying his 15 minutes.
posted by C.Batt at 9:46 PM on July 27, 2007

duckroll -> rickroll -> tayroll

Honestly, this whole thing (except the 8bit version) didn't really do much for me, but the description of duckroll and rickroll as you linked KILLED me.

Monday, I'm sending out links for testing web pages to my cohorts, but they'll just be redirects to Rick Astley.
posted by davejay at 10:28 PM on July 27, 2007

Note to self: before posting video of myself doing anything to the internet, have video vetted for stupidity
posted by davejay at 10:29 PM on July 27, 2007

the chocolate rain song was ok - but all his others were horendous! Voice and body incongruous mix. Perhaps when he actually learns to sing he might do well, but until then perhaps he should continue to sing for his mother!
posted by gnomesb at 11:14 PM on July 27, 2007

gnomesb, body and voice incongruity didn't stop Rick Astley from going to number one pretty much everywhere. Awww...little ginger Rick. He looked like the sort of skinny second year engineering student who always turns up in the refectory at 8:45 for a fried breakfast, in a desperate attempt to put some meat on his frame, but he had the voice of a titan.

Also, I don't think the problem in the other songs is actually with this guy's voice, but rather his lyrics and his phrasing. The cramming of misshapen words into inappropriate spaces leads to uncomfortable vocal gulfs and gulps. I approve of his actual voice, it's both quite funny and somehow strangely soothing....
posted by howfar at 4:53 AM on July 28, 2007

Maybe because someone linked Prince recently and I watched the video, ever since watching Chocolate Rain yesterday I can't get the song Purple Rain out of my head. Same thing with my wife. Anyone else get that?
posted by fleetmouse at 6:59 AM on July 28, 2007

I wish!
posted by howfar at 7:42 AM on July 28, 2007

I just want you all to know that I have been humming Chocolate Rain all morning and I blame each and every one of you.
posted by blacklite at 9:06 AM on July 28, 2007

As far as parodies go, this one takes the cake.
posted by desjardins at 11:53 AM on July 28, 2007 [1 favorite]

Oh my god, desjardins, you fucking killed me. I am posting this from beyond the grave.
posted by tristeza at 1:52 PM on July 28, 2007

Desjardins, that was fucking amazing.
posted by Sticherbeast at 2:13 PM on July 29, 2007