"One day I'm gonna whistle?"
January 5, 2011 4:49 PM   Subscribe

 
heart melted
posted by found missing at 4:54 PM on January 5, 2011


Best!
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 4:56 PM on January 5, 2011


Oh, to be able to whistle that melodically.
posted by phunniemee at 4:57 PM on January 5, 2011 [2 favorites]


Awwwwwww! That was so adorable. Also holy shit, is that how you're supposed to whistle?
posted by two or three cars parked under the stars at 5:05 PM on January 5, 2011


As Grand Judge of All Things Cute, I officially give this a thumbs up.
posted by QuarterlyProphet at 5:18 PM on January 5, 2011


My cold cynical heart just warmed up and fluttered a bit. Lucky dad, lucky kiddo.
posted by tula at 5:18 PM on January 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


her face while she sings is adorable.
posted by nathancaswell at 5:24 PM on January 5, 2011




omg she yawns right at the end in the middle of a "home"
posted by nathancaswell at 5:25 PM on January 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


How else are you supposed to whistle?
posted by maryr at 5:28 PM on January 5, 2011


Metafilter, meet snark-proof video
posted by found missing at 5:32 PM on January 5, 2011 [11 favorites]


This, right here, just pushed me a tiny bit further toward "you know, maybe having kids wouldn't be such a bad thing after all."
posted by Tomorrowful at 5:34 PM on January 5, 2011 [2 favorites]


That song irks me to no end, but I love this video. Quite adorable!
posted by chara at 5:34 PM on January 5, 2011


I love this song. In fact I love this band. For some reason they remind me of the Hothouse Flowers More happiness please!
posted by arcticseal at 5:42 PM on January 5, 2011


Snark proof? I think not. This is Michael Bluthe and Maebe singing Afternoon Delight. amirite?!?

Okay, yeah, can't deny she's cute.
posted by nickgb at 5:44 PM on January 5, 2011


Warning: watching filthy light thief's Letterman video for more than 90 seconds may lead to an overdose of lovey-dovey hippie adorableness, and attendant rage.

The FPP video is great.
posted by eugenen at 5:59 PM on January 5, 2011 [2 favorites]


truly, truly wonderful
posted by facetious at 6:03 PM on January 5, 2011


lovey-dovey hippie adorableness

Then comfort yourself with the fact that it's all some weird art project and it's actually the guy from Ima Robot.
posted by drjimmy11 at 6:03 PM on January 5, 2011


Okay.

I'm going to snark.

This was cute, and that's fine.

But this kid can't sing for shit, and that's a problem for me.

Why?


Let me tell you why.

Here's why.

Because when I was her age, I was a fucking choirboy, and I knew how to hit a fucking note and move to the next note BANG, like that, OW, in your ass, like solid gold beauty. I could sing. I could sing the solo from Faure's Requiem, you know? The Pie Jesu? I could nail that motherfucker. All you easily-pleased nice people fawning over this dreary, average, untalented little brat? I'd have FLOORED you. This kid is not even average. She's just squawking like a kid.

It's nice to see this cute little kiddy singing with her dad, Don't get me wrong. It's lovely. But please... it's nothing special. It's family album shit, just like we all have in some saggy cardboard box atop the wardrobe. This video here is very, very ordinary. If we are getting excited about shit like this then the world had deteriorated. Honestly. When I was a kid everyone I knew sang like this, only better. We need to ask ourselves why it is seen as something worthy of remark, now. Why do we settle for so much less? Kids need to be challenged too.
posted by Decani at 6:05 PM on January 5, 2011 [13 favorites]


It's true, the kid sounded like she was gargling gravel. Very disappointing.
posted by Flashman at 6:11 PM on January 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


you're ruining everything.
posted by gman at 6:12 PM on January 5, 2011 [6 favorites]


Oh my, Decani.
posted by meadowlark lime at 6:13 PM on January 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


What have we learned about saying something is "snark-proof"?

Personally, I think this was @foundmissing's plan all along.
posted by nickgb at 6:15 PM on January 5, 2011


Sometimes enthusiasm simply defeats some other measure of value.
To me, this is one of those cases.
posted by PHINC at 6:15 PM on January 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

oh my sweet jesus this is like a personal revelation or something, an epiphany.

if this video can be criticized, than *anything* can be criticized.

if this child's voice isn't good enough, then *nothing* is good enough.

if obtuse mefi posters can miss the point of all of this, then *any* point can be missed.

i don't think i'll ever fear criticism again.

thanks mefi!!!
posted by facetious at 6:16 PM on January 5, 2011 [10 favorites]


All you easily-pleased nice people fawning over this dreary, average, untalented little brat? I'd have FLOORED you.

Whatever you needed that you didn't get, I hope you find it. I'm entirely serious.
posted by Linda_Holmes at 6:18 PM on January 5, 2011 [5 favorites]


I do believe Decani, is, how you say... joking. I thought it was funny anyway.
posted by Kloryne at 6:21 PM on January 5, 2011


thanks mefi!!!
posted by facetious
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 6:21 PM on January 5, 2011


Also, do you think the dad told her to say, "One day I'm gonna whistle?" I really did like this video but that seemed scripted to me. TAKE SOME ACTING LESSONS, KID.
posted by Kloryne at 6:25 PM on January 5, 2011


Whatever you needed that you didn't get, I hope you find it. I'm entirely serious.
posted by Linda_Holmes at 2:18 AM on January 6


Oh my dear... thank you. Thank you. I do sincerely hope to find it one day. And if... no, dammit, WHEN I do, you can be assured that I will let you know first. Oh my Lord, I am so moved I fear I may have to listen to the seventh symphony. Yes, that moved, you peasants!
posted by Decani at 6:27 PM on January 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


Kids need to be challenged too.

Kids need to grow up with memories of doing things like singing with mom or dad. I was never the best singer on earth, though I did sing alto in choirs and such from 7th grade through college. But I don't think back fondly on all concerts I sang in. I mean, they were great and all, but none of them can touch the feeling and memories I have of singing with my mom when I was little. I love that there's a record of something like this.
posted by rtha at 6:28 PM on January 5, 2011 [4 favorites]


Oh my dear... thank you.

Oh, burn on me. You completely convinced me you were a joyless, attention-seeking dolt. I humbly accept that the joke is on me. Bask in your victory!
posted by Linda_Holmes at 6:30 PM on January 5, 2011


At about her age I sang "Turn on Your Heartlight" (with an E.T. puppet) in front of a live audience at a school assembly and I CAN ASSURE YOU I totallyamgladYouTubewasn'taround.
posted by Kloryne at 6:32 PM on January 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


1. If the girl was duetting with a kitten, it might have been snark-proof. Otherwise, you underestimate the intarnetz.

2. Before I clicked it on the link, I thought it was gonna be a video from these guys.
posted by Anoplura at 6:41 PM on January 5, 2011


But this kid can't sing for shit, and that's a problem for me.

For whatever it's worth, it's faithful to the original. If anything, she might be a bit better than the female singer from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero's. (I adore this song, but the rest of their catalogue is pretty bleak, and I almost walked out of one of their live shows.)
posted by schmod at 7:10 PM on January 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


I love the good, not the perfect.
posted by wallstreet1929 at 7:21 PM on January 5, 2011 [1 favorite]


You know what sucked? Her fucking jammies. Light blue on purple? Jesus kid go by a Vogue. When I was a kid I wore a velvet smoking jacket to bed and everyone loved it! Just cause you're a kid doesn't mean your jammies should look like ass. I hope she knows how to read and reads this before school tomorrow and cries! Cry in your terrible snowman jammies little girl!
posted by ND¢ at 7:40 PM on January 5, 2011 [29 favorites]


After a full day of arranged psychodrama with 9th graders at my school, this was just what I needed before going to sleep. Thanks.
posted by kozad at 7:59 PM on January 5, 2011


Decani, that's pretty great you could do that as a kid -- I mean that sincerely, I think the sound that good British choral singers and perhaps choirboys in particular is a kind of peak musical experience that's under-appreciated, and I've been in love with it for a long time.

But are we really turning this into a contest between those who have stunning technical abilities and musicians who are a bit more, well, folksy, right? Yeah, there are some legitimate points that can be made about high vs low art, but the bottom line is that it's pretty much about the experience the listener has with it, and there's a lot of positive experiences to be had aren't all about high performance standards.
posted by weston at 8:10 PM on January 5, 2011


I think Decani's point (and I hope he rips me apart for inaccuracies) is that this is, at best, a home video, and we've gotten to the (in my mind, depressing) point where a cute home video becomes an FPP, and that's not what some of us want. Some of us do, obviously. So I ask the MeFi seniors (in all honesty), does this merit a MeTa thread? Is there already one? Have I gotten banned yet?
posted by nickgb at 9:59 PM on January 5, 2011


Metafilter, meet snark-proof video

To be honest, I prefer their earlier stuff, only available on VHS unfortunately. And anyway, Decani's right, the little kid can't sing in any particularly astute or unique or interesting way.

And this is way cuter.
posted by philip-random at 10:01 PM on January 5, 2011


This is my current favorite song. This video has done nothing to dissuade me from that fact.
posted by Felex at 10:30 PM on January 5, 2011


I am loving how we are so inured to snark hereabouts that ironic snark straight-up doesn't register.
posted by eugenen at 10:34 PM on January 5, 2011


This warmed my little heart-cockles. Really, how often do we get exposed to tender depictions of father-child relationships in mainstream media?
posted by threeants at 10:47 PM on January 5, 2011




Oh Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, whever I hear that song, it makes me think that if only the lead singers Jade and Alex didn't break up, they'd be known for being a saccharine/slightly-exhibitionist couple a-la Matt & Kim. Now whenever they sing Home live, it's super aaaaawkward.
posted by amuseDetachment at 11:00 PM on January 5, 2011


I was a fucking choirboy, and I knew how to hit a fucking note

not a choirboy -- unconcerned with high-notes.
posted by philip-random at 11:03 PM on January 5, 2011


... but he hits a few anyway.
posted by philip-random at 11:14 PM on January 5, 2011


As cute as this is (and I love the original song) I think I know why the little girl is dead tired and looks bored. From the description they'd already practiced 9 or 10 times! That's a long time to keep a kids attention focused on something.
posted by sbutler at 11:37 PM on January 5, 2011


Having been videotaped singing as a child myself, I can't help but cringe for the sake of the little girl's future fifteen-year-old self when her boyfriend finds this video.

This is absolutely adorable, though.
posted by majonesing at 11:50 PM on January 5, 2011


The father is really good. But yeah, his daughter, it's cute but maybe she hasn't inherited his chops.

Thanks for turning me on to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. I've heard of them before this and they are fantastic.
posted by cazoo at 11:53 PM on January 5, 2011


Ok, I'd like to try and summarise here...

1. the kid can't sing for shit
2. A choir boy would kick her motherfucking ass
3. she is wearing crappy PJs
4. The father has forced her to do this 10 times so he is a bad motherfucking parent
5. There is a comment in the video that looks "too scripted".
6. The original song sucked
7. the original singers sucked - so much that people walked out of the concert (if only there had been choir boys hitting high notes and kicking motherfucking ass people would have stayed)

All I can say is that back in the days when people hit high notes and everyone could sign, people were probably also much more polite and courteous. I reckon they would have appreciated the video for what it was... a father an daughter spending time together.
posted by greenhornet at 1:01 AM on January 6, 2011 [1 favorite]


You people are insane, her voice is awesome and suits the song perfectly.
posted by minifigs at 1:08 AM on January 6, 2011 [1 favorite]


All I can say is that back in the days when people hit high notes and everyone could sign, people were probably also much more polite and courteous.

YES PLUS ALSO LAWN IS OCCUPIED PLOX TO BE VACATING SMALL PEOPLE
posted by Sebmojo at 2:21 AM on January 6, 2011


As a father of two, now teenage, daughters, I feel the best part about this is simply seeing a father and daughter doing something together. You can tell they have true respect and love for each other. That's solid gold.
posted by rmmcclay at 3:10 AM on January 6, 2011 [4 favorites]


Oh my God, some of you people. You also realize that The Onion isn't a real newspaper, right?
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 4:03 AM on January 6, 2011


the original singers sucked - so much that people walked out of the concert

I didn't say that I walked out! I wanted to see them perform 'Home,' and stayed until they did so (it was the last song). The fact that the singers once dated, and later broke up does seem to explain their painfully-awkward stage presence. They should also probably consider smoking a bit less before walking out onto stage. There's a fine line between "laid-back performance" and "doesn't give a fuck," and they definitely crossed that line at the show I went to.

Coincidentally, Matt & Kim also played at that same show. I can't say that they were musically excellent, but they had great stage presence, good chemistry, and put on a fun show.
posted by schmod at 6:48 AM on January 6, 2011


I can't tell who's kidding any more.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 8:05 AM on January 6, 2011 [1 favorite]


Great video! Made me cry for some reason. And by some reason I mean I'm having a terrible day and can't stop thinking about how fucked up childhood is. And then this. Thanks!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:38 AM on January 6, 2011 [1 favorite]


Not all things need criticism.

It doesn't matter if they are good or bad. Or even where they fall in that spectrum. Sometimes it's just nice that it exists if you happen to come upon it.

See also: sunsets, etc.
posted by nickjadlowe at 9:41 AM on January 6, 2011 [1 favorite]


worst sunset ever
posted by Flashman at 12:04 PM on January 6, 2011 [2 favorites]


thats actually a really cool sunset
posted by nathancaswell at 12:23 PM on January 6, 2011


I think Decani's point (and I hope he rips me apart for inaccuracies) is that this is, at best, a home video, and we've gotten to the (in my mind, depressing) point where a cute home video becomes an FPP, and that's not what some of us want.

A lot of people liked that shitty Jimmy Fallon and Bruce Springsteen Whip My Hair video. I'd prefer this. Is either a "great post"? No. Is either deletable? No. Is either worth a MeTa post? No.

Cry in your terrible snowman jammies little girl!

LOL. My daughter has those same jammies!

I feel the best part about this is simply seeing a father and daughter doing something together.

I think that's why some of us like these type videos and others can't fathom why. MeFi is a male-dominated place, and there are likely a lot of fathers of daughters on here.

Watching a video like this makes me remember singing with my little girl ... which takes my mind off the soul-crushing daily routine of my cubicle job.

Made me cry for some reason. And by some reason I mean I'm having a terrible day and can't stop thinking about how fucked up childhood is.

For all the joys of parenthood, there is a lot that is painfully depressing, if only that it dredges up your own childhood issues. Parenthood should come with a warning for depressive types.
posted by mrgrimm at 12:26 PM on January 6, 2011


Charming, heartwarming and likable. Thanks. :)
posted by nickyskye at 12:43 PM on January 6, 2011


Aled Jones? FAH! I'm just going to leave this here.
posted by Decani at 3:24 PM on January 7, 2011


I think Decani's point (and I hope he rips me apart for inaccuracies) is that this is, at best, a home video, and we've gotten to the (in my mind, depressing) point where a cute home video becomes an FPP, and that's not what some of us want. Some of us do, obviously. So I ask the MeFi seniors (in all honesty), does this merit a MeTa thread? Is there already one? Have I gotten banned yet?
posted by nickgb at 5:59 AM on January 6


I ain't gonna rip Jack shit here, because you have totally got it, my man.

This is the downside of the internet. Some dumb fucking home video gets shat all around the world and a bunch of droolers go AWWWW. And it really, really isn't good, isn't special and is - let's be honest - no better than what you and your kid can do. Put it on the internet by all means, if you're the kind of self-regarding assbrain that can't distinguish between the endorphin rush your cute kid gives you and the massive wave of indifference and yawning your kid engenders in everyone else in the universe, but please don't be surprised and offended when some of those people call it like it is. God. This is just an average brat squawking tunelessly while daddy strums his guitar. It is not special, or impressive in any way at all.
posted by Decani at 3:53 PM on January 7, 2011


This is what I was singing when I was ten years old. Fuck you all!

I'm sorry. I will take my drugs now.
posted by Decani at 4:11 PM on January 7, 2011 [1 favorite]


I was onto more of an Old Skull tip myself.
posted by philip-random at 6:53 PM on January 7, 2011


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