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Obscure video makes web rounds
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by Charles Parsons
Friday, January 21, 2005
“Your face and the love from the linden trees, I remember your eyes.”
If you don’t recognize these lyrics, don’t be surprised. It’s unlikely that you’ve ever heard them performed in English. They’re the translation of a song by O-Zone, a superpop group from Romania. Or more precisely, part of a song currently making its rounds online.
“Alo. Salut, sunt eu, un haiduc.”
If you haven’t heard about it yet, you will. A small and amusing video has been circulating the Internet for a few weeks, featuring a rotund and happy web developer lip-syncing and pantomiming to O-Zone’s hit song, “Dragostea Din Tei.” Sung in Romanian, it has been taking on an almost cult-like status among netizens. The video, which is available in two different versions, includes random and amusing images popping onto the screen, featuring people (we can only assume associated with His Dancing Rotundness) in various stages of Photoshopped glory.
No doubt when the creator of this video, known only as Gman250, released this little gem, he had no idea how popular it would become. All around the country, on campuses and in offices, this little video has been making its rounds, much to the hilarity of all. Internet chat rooms have filled with comments and jokes about it. Students can be heard humming the catchy tune while walking to class. Bosses have been known to suddenly bust into one of the patented dance moves. And suddenly another Internet joke becomes part of the pop culture.
What does O-Zone have to say about their song being used in such a way? Absolutely nothing. CD sales of their album in the U.S. have dramatically increased since this video started circulating.
As the video begins to reach cult status, right up there next to “All Your Base Will Belong To Us” and the Paris Hilton video, you’ll find more humming and laughing its strains. Soon you’ll walk into the KK and hear the familiar string of “nu ma nu ma iei.” So come on, raise up, and join in the fun.
The song, “Dragostea Din Tei” by O-Zone, is available on the Discozone album. The video created by Gman250 is available at www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/206373. The song and its associated dance will be featured proudly at The Badger Herald Reg party.
