If you can hear the Super Mario theme and feel like you’re home, then two things are true: you’re old and you’re a geek. Yesterday, while watching Attack of the Show, I saw a video of a radio controlled car playing the Super Mario Brothers Theme and thought it was awesome enough to add to my list of 44 Ways to Enjoy the Super Mario Theme.
After watching it a few times, I’m not so sure that I should’ve included it. The tones of the bottles during the test runs at the beginning of the video really don’t match with the tones when the theme is playing, making it seem like it might be a hoax.
While I can’t prove the kid is from Boston, it looks like his band plays all over the Boston Area, so I’m claiming him as our own. The video is compilation of the Tyler drumming from age 2 until age 11. It’s pretty incredible.
Dunkin Donuts Commercial Starring Ace Frehley
There is nothing more Boston than Dunkin Donuts. I laugh every time I see this ad, although I wish that Ace had said, “I’ll give you the P&L Statement, baby!” It almost sounds like he wanted to say it, but didn’t.
Ernie Boch Jr. on Rescue Me
#1GF! and I were watching an episode of Rescue Me in which a police chief stepped up to the mic in the background of a scene. You only saw him for four seconds, but you could hear him for most of the scene.
I went into a mini fit.
Me: That’s… thats… #1GF!: What?? What?? Me: [hits pause and starts waving wildly] #1GF!: WHAT? Me: gaaaaaaherniebockjunior. It’s Ernie Boch Jr. The chief. It is. I know it is. #1GF!: That would be funny if you’re right.
Well, I was. The uncredited police chief was none other than Boston’s car dealership mogul, Ernie Boch Jr.
Have other funny or interesting Boston videos? Drop them in the comments…
I don’t know about you, but every time I hear the Super Mario theme, I feel like a big nerd. It’s a theme that any gamer over a certain age can hum off the top of their heads, and when people put their efforts into playing it, I end up grinning like a dope.
And I’m not alone. Below are the results of sifting through hundreds of videos to try to find the theme played on as many instruments as possible. I ended up with 43 decent renditions, covering brass, woodwinds, string and percussion instruments. The top ten is below, and the full 44 is listed at the bottom.
Before you proceed, be warned that I claim no responsibility if the Super Mario Theme is still stuck in your head next Tuesday.
Update 4/16/08: The RC car video was added at #2, pushing “Flute (with beatboxing) out of the top 10. Technically, the list is now 45 ways.
The Top 10 Super Mario Renditions
10. High school band
The odds are extremely high that the only person in this video that was alive to play Super Mario Brothers when it came out was the teacher. And a high school band is obligatory in this type of list, anyway, isn’t it? You know it is.
9. Contrabassoon
There’s something about the sound of the contrabassoon that cracks me up. And Richard plays it for us fabulously, even though he can’t get the camera situated the way he’d like.
8. Two Electric Guitars
Two guitars. One kid. I haven’t seen anything like this since Satan unleashed his metal fury in Rock n Roll Nightmare.
7. 11 String Bass
When I form my world-conquering metal band, The Mighty Fist of Thor, this guy is getting an invite to audition. He will invariably deem the music to be below his abilities, get a PhD in Music History, and die never knowing the gratification that comes with doing twelve chicks from eleven countries at the same time in a tour bus hot tub. At least he made it to evil number six on the list though, right?
6. Balalaika (Russian folk guitar)
While this version isn’t played the most accurately, I have never seen anyone play a folk instrument with such a rock star attitude. And considering he’s playing the Super Mario Theme, I’m guessing the reason is either insanity or nuts the size of Titan. In either case, this guy is also getting an invite to the Mighty Fist of Thor auditions, assuming my agent can find his tiny village in Russia.
5. Alto sax
Notice that this kid is not only in the standard rock star stance, but he plays the song in the style of Lisa Simpson.
4. Ballpoint Pen
While not yet accepted as a standard orchestral instrument, the ballpoint pen takes slot number 3. I think my favorite part of this is the “This is just an ordinary pen” move at the beginning, as if he’s about to do some sort of remarkable magic trick with it.
3. Beer Bottles
“Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son.” Oh no? Well, it gets you famous on YouTube, now doesn’t it? Yes, and it gets you the number two slot on this list.
2. RC Car and Bottles
Take a lot of bottles, a radio controlled car, an underground garage, and the Japanese and throw them in a blender and you know that something awesome is going to be unleashed. This was a late addition that knocked “flute (with beatboxing)” off the top ten list, debuting at #2.
1. Tesla Coil
These guys jack it up to 88 miles an hour and play the Super Mario Theme with 1.21 gigawatts of power. Seriously. How can you beat that? 1.21 gigawatts!? 1.21 gigawatts!? Great Scott! the only power source capable of generating 1.21 gigawatts of electricity is… Mario.
If you haven’t gotten enough, yet, continue on. I take no responsibility for any further damage you do to your nerdy little synapses…
Sure, I like growing a beard and I might have the fashion sense of a lumberjack, but I have to admit that every year I watch So You Think You Can Dance. This year I have not only started critiquing the dancers after their performances like I know what I’m talking about, but I’ve now gone so far as to put some clips from the show on this site. I really don’t think it will be long before I get my period. I can just feel it.
Anyway, the three videos below are just a few of the routines that I’ve been impressed with this season. I really don’t think that the small format does them justice because you miss a lot of the nuances. Holy crap. I just said nuance. And I’m all out of tampons.
If you need me, I’ll be clutching my wiener so it doesn’t dry up and fall off.
I have no idea what is going on with this site, but we might as well ride this Viking Metal trend all the way to Valhalla!
Amon amarth: “The Pursuit of Vikings”
You know you want to know what it sounds like. Go ahead. Click and join.
Shannon the Talentless Viking Whore
Proof that if you don’t have talent, you can get by by whoring it up. Yes, that’s Sulu in there.
Norse Mythology & Black Metal
This was taken from the awesome documentary, Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey. It’s like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none. None more black.
Viking Kittens
It’s old as Ymir, but if Odin had sent these bad boys, I may have gotten my BestBuy card.
Bonus Video!: Metalocalypse Episode 1
If you like the metals and are not seeing yet of the Dethklok show, then you should be to seeing it. It’s for the metals.
Double Bonus Video!: Metalocalypse Episode 2
Dethklok records their latest album not in the ocean, but inside the ocean in the heaviest, deepest, most brutal part: The Mariana Treeeeeennnncccchhhh.
Seriously. I’ve never understood the draw of D&D, but someone asked me to find some of the D&D related clips that I had found in the past. I found the old ones, and tacked on a couple of new selections to get you through today. You’re not paying attention, anyway. You don’t want to start anything new, and you’re short-timing because of the holiday. Give in and let the sloth wash over you.
Dungeons and Dragons Nerds
I originally mentioned this way back in 2002, but the original link points to a deserted island in this tumultuous sea that we call the internets. Because it’s a slow fucking week, I dug up a fresh youtube link, and re-posted for those people that I know that aren’t in on the joke, yet.
Family Guy Role Playing
We had also been talking about a recently aired repeat of the family guy that contains Dungeon and Dragon references. This clip was previously posted in June.
Exclusive Connections: Geek Phone Sex
SNL’s spoof. Pretty much safe for work, and unlike the next two clips, it’s worth a watch. “What’s that, baby? You’re a level 5, evil, chaotic half-orc? Ohhh, that makes me so hot.”
[Video removed from youtube]
Stephen Lynch D&D Song
This is a golden oldie in internet time, reworked with Machinima. Is it worth your time? Meh.
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