Every now and again, the interweb produces an indisputable classic. See illustration 1: The Numa Numa kid. He even has an entire viral video chart dedicated to his own magical, lyrical world - and he wants to share it with you...
The Numa Numa song that started the whole fad is the kind of thing Eurotrash would regard as manna from heaven: a Moldovan Europop track called Dragostea din tei, by O-Zone.
It might be two-and-a-half years old and have notched up millions - literally, millions - of views, but the world's bloggers don't seem to be losing their appetite for the original Numa Numa dude, Gary Brolsma.
If you have been living in a hole for the past couple of years, that Numa Numa kid is miming to that Numa Numa song on this piece of video. And even if you've already seen it forty times, I challenge you not to at least crack a smile if you endure it again. Although on rewatching, I do think his Moldovan slips a little towards the end.
Brolsma's return to the Numa stage is slightly less spontaneous than the first, and rather lacklustre in comparison. Choreography is rarely funny: the exception to that rule was when Five performed at Smash Hits years ago dressed in striped robber fat-suits. I cried real tears.
The lack of lustre is not through any fault of Gary's - he's really busting a move on this video. But the track just isn't as absurd.
For a little insight into how Numa Numa might have been received, someone has kindly mashed together footage of a tartrazine-infused German boy screaming at his computer while supposedly watching the clip.
We also have the alternative Numa lyrics at number four - square-eyed viewers might spot Paris Hilton's cameo. Abandon it after that.
The Godzilla Numa Numa interpretation is a bit of a stretch but did make me chuckle when he starts running. I suspect that in the hands of a competent editor this could really be quite entertaining.
And my favourite, beyond the original?
It would be easy to be nasty about a bunch of middle-aged US Navy guys doing their own Numa Numa thing, so I won't. And anyway, some of them are really busting a move, or four. There's even a bit of "running man" in there and that's never a bad thing.
But I'm not sure what's going on with the Captain Picard - or the rather sinister balaclava'd man giving us the finger. Any ideas?
Having watched, and listened, to this infernal nonsense for two hours, my professional opinion is that the Numa kid's success is based almost entirely on that strange thing he does with his mouth that makes it look like an inverted melon wedge.
But it you make it to the end, well done. I really think life is too short to listen to Numa Numa twenty times. Although... wait a minute. I think I'm actually starting to like it.
I do like it! All praise the Numa Numa!
All together now: My-ya-hee! My-ya-hoo! My-ya-ha-ha!
Now where's that webcam?
Guardian Viral Video news chart for news: compiled by viralvideochart.com.
1 O-zone: Dragosta Din Tei (AKA Numa Numa)
The original Numa Numa guy in all his one-man-rave rave glory.
2 New Numa: the return of Gary Brolsma!
Numa's return is just a bit too slick.
3 Angry German kid VS Numa Numa guy
Featuring a cameo from the Star Wars Kid.
4 Misheard Numa Numa lyrics
For all I know, they are the lyrics.
5 Godzilla Numa Numa
Raaaaaa!
6 Numa Numa
One of a thousand personal tributes, but they never quite hit the same spot of the original.
7 My PC is on fire -Dell laptop tribute video (Numa Numa song)
Elaborate Dell-bashing cover.
8 Firetree Numa Numa dance
Gamers do the Numa. And some of them can really dance!
9 Numa Numa Navy style
Comprehensive showcase of Dad dancing. [Wince]
10 Gary Brolsma on American idol
Gazza in animated form on American "Idle".
Crazy Numa mash-up remix madness. At least that's what it would say on the sleevenotes.
Yep - this guy's parrot sings Numa Numa. Made me feel a bit sad.
Some people just have too much time on their hands.
14 Numa Numa World of Warcraft
What does it say about the world when characters in virtual worlds dance better than real people?
15 Numa Numa
Another personal homage.
16 UBC Numa Numa
Village People they are not.
17 Chicken Little Numa Numa Dance
Chicken does brief Numa, courtesy of Disney.
18 Numa Numa
Nice try, but neither of you have that melon-wedge mouth. Sorry.
19 Numa Numa is everywhere
On a screen near you. No really, he is.
20 Napoleon Dynamite and the Numa Numa
He could be a lost member of OK Go!
Source: Viral Video Chart.
Compiled from data gathered from 16.00 on Thursday 31 May 2007. The Weekly Viral Video Chart is currently based on a count of the embedded videos and links on approximately two million blogs.
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