My YouTube Party of Five is a new series in which we invite people to share their five favourite YouTube videos, the ones hold closest in their heart, the ones they’ll play at 2am while drunk at a party. This week: Spinoff staff writer Jihee Junn.
My kind of party is a YouTube party – just hours upon hours of watching jubilant, senseless fun. It’s comedy, it’s drama, it’s nostalgic viewing. It’s a Friday night in with a couple of friends eating takeaways sprawled on the living room floor; it’s a Saturday night drinking poorly mixed cocktails, playing card games in front of the Chromecast TV.
The following are a reflection of that ideal party personified as YouTube playlist. They each have a mood, a certain meaning, and are interesting enough on an audio-visual scale that they’re practically made for YouTube parties the world over. Naturally they’re all music choices, because what’s a party without music, right? So, without further ado, here are my picks:
Rasputin by Boney M.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBXRJgSd-aU
‘Rasputin’ is a song that starts modestly but quickly crescendos into full disco glory, which is perfect for easing people into a buoyant mood for the night. There’s the drumming, then the clapping, followed by the folksy Turkish-inspired twang. Then there’s the singing: the ladies’ smooth choral notes interspersed with Bobby Farrell’s low frequency rumble a la Aqua. Then comes the chorus when all those facets coalesce into one hell of a 70s tune: dancing, singing, ra-ra-ra-ing, way before ‘Bad Romance’ was even a glimmer in Gaga’s eye.
The beauty of this particular video is that it reflects the song’s natural crescendo. For an entire minute, Boney M are fixated in place – unmoving, but looking fabulous, and ready to take flight. Then they break formation and Farrell does his thing, twirling, bopping, and living his full cape fantasy with the expression of someone who’s either really nervous or really needs to take a shit. Phase three? More of the same, but in space! It’s silly, outrageous, and I love it to bits.
Alternatively, if you want some more dance inspo, please watch this incredible Just Dance routine of the song featuring some of the most physically challenging, aerodynamic moves you can think of. Following along as a group while drunk is highly recommended.
Dancing in the Street by David Bowie & Mick Jagger
If Boney M didn’t get everyone up and dancing, who better to get the rest of the crew hyped than two legends putting on the performance of their lives? From the fact that this was filmed overnight at an abandoned flour mill to the epic “SOUTH AMERICAAA” that gets yelled out at the beginning of the song, ‘Dancing in the Street’ is truly the hottest of hot messes. I love that Jagger spends a whole 30 seconds at the start of the video just jamming to his own beat. I love that the whole time Jagger was jamming, Bowie was just chilling at the back with his hands in his pockets wearing a motherfucking trench coat. I love the rotating camera work from 1:26 onwards and their weird little hallway dance at 1:40. And finally, I love that by the time the video finishes, it’s not dark anymore – they’ve been dancing in the street all night long.
Also, after you watch that, please watch this. You won’t be disappointed, I guarantee you.
Danger! High Voltage! by Electric Six
As if the music video for the song wasn’t weird enough already, Detroit-based band Electric Six come out with this mind-boggling live performance that will haunt you in your dreams.
The year is 2003 and the show is the legendary Later… with Jools Holland. It’s a pretty straightforward performance for the most part.
But then it happens: the stare.
It’s the sort of stare that makes you wish eye contact never existed; the sort of stare that reaches deep into your soul and shakes you to your inner core. Onlookers will be terrified but also fascinated, which is a great combo when you’re hosting a party and you want to get people’s attention. Plus, ‘Danger!’ is one hell of a song whose powers to hype up the crowd should not be underestimated.
Welcome to The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
The night is convivial and the mood is merry, and what better way to bring that to a critical mass than with ‘The Black Parade’ – the rousing, anthemic, ‘We Are The Champions’ of the emo generation?
As soon as that first piano note hits, every 20-something-year-old in the vicinity knows exactly what to do: drop everything, get on your knees, and sing at the top of your lungs that “WE’LL CARRY OOOOON!”
Hold On, We’re Going Home (Live Lounge) by Arctic Monkeys
The party’s over and everyone’s puffed from belting out songs all night long. In the words of Drake, it’s time to go home, and crooner Alex Turner (despite the whole wearing-sunglasses-in-dark-room-thing) apparently has his eyes on you.
Find more instalments of My YouTube Party of Five here.