"safety dance" is the greatest song EVER

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we can act like we come from out of this world, leave the real one far behind

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 05:44 (twenty-two years ago)

An unapologetic novelty, "The Safety Dance" mixes a melody that wouldn't sound out of place on an album by Ashley Hutchings' UK folk-rock supergroup the Albion Band (the video even features Morris dancers!) to a crisply electronic arrangement, with Ivan Doroschuk's cheerfully over-dramatic vocals belting out lyrics that the band claimed were a commentary on nuclear proliferation, though it's hard to see the connection from simply listening to the song. The overall effect is?well, a little silly. Okay, very silly. But there's something primal in the appeal of "The Safety Dance." The song is slow enough and with a prominent enough beat that literally anyone with the use of both feet can dance to it, and Doroschuk's limited range ? he sings maybe a total of three notes in the entire song ? means that the vocal is equally attainable to just about anyone. Generations of drunken college parties have erupted into spontaneous mass singalongs of "The Safety Dance" as a result. — Stewart Mason

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 05:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Dun dun DUH DUH dun dun dun DUH DUN!

http://www.memorygongs.com/safteydance.jpg

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 06:33 (twenty-two years ago)

it sure beats pseudo-echo, that's fer sure.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 06:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Oi! ;P

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 06:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate you, Tad.

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 31 December 2003 06:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Sad to say, I have it on vinyl.

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 31 December 2003 15:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Sad because it's definitely not.

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 31 December 2003 15:08 (twenty-two years ago)

You can dance if you want to, you can leave your friends behind because your friends don't dance and if you don't dance, well, you're no friend of mine.

I once posted that as a joke on some thread about dancing in clubs and started a goddamned flame war round here over whether or not that was fair to, I dunno, spastics or something. Ah, old-ilx.

― Allyzay, Wednesday, 31 December 2003 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)

that song should be banned¡

― dyson (dyson), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 15:16 (twenty-two years ago)

'pop goes the world' is way way better

― maura (maura), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 15:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I have in vinyl, too: the album and the 7"!

― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:01 (twenty-two years ago)

but does the video for "pop goes the world" have morris dancers? no?!? then it can't possibly be better than "safety dance"!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm pretty sure that Tad is my long lost brother that my mom always claimed existed but was thrown in the trashcan at birth because she has a thing against boy children.

― Allyzay, Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't know about The Safety Dance, Eisbaer, but Eisbaer by Grauzone is one fuck of a great record.

― Daniel (dancity), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

we both have our roots in philadelphia, so it could be!

though i'm sure that alex in nyc is my long-lost brother. you think you can handle TWO psychos in the family?!?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:48 (twenty-two years ago)

yer dad from north philly or south philly, btw?

and daniel ABSOLUTELY OTFM OMG!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Llama's fur must be nice, too!

― Daniel (dancity), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Tad, one day I'll start a thread, similiar to the Millennium one and/or Matos's stepfather one, about my family. You will regret implying either you or Alex would be "psycho" compared to these people.

― Allyzay, Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:51 (twenty-two years ago)

'pop goes the world' is way way better

Both have their unimpeachable virtues.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I think South, but I'd have to double check.

― Allyzay, Wednesday, 31 December 2003 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't believe MWH released a new album only a month ago. Anyone heard it?

― Daniel (dancity), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 17:04 (twenty-two years ago)

fwiw, my dad's family is from north philly. though all you'd have to do to get from there to south philly is hop the subway.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 22:19 (twenty-two years ago)

and, needless to say, every video should have morris dancers and dwarves. as well as having every song end on "cha-cha-cha." the foregoing would do wonders to any song.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Pop Goes The World By Men Without Hats...

I can't believe MWH released a new album only a month ago. Anyone heard it?

I know Ivan was looking for backup for live shows but I had not heard of an album. Whats really disturbing is how Ivan seems to be the godfather of absolutely anything musical in Montreal. If it happened after the 80s he is somehow involved. Godfather might not be the correct term, maybe The Kevin Bacon of Montreal Music.

Safety Dance is such a wonderful song, but does not reach the glorious hieght of Pop Goes The World.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 22:47 (twenty-two years ago)

We can dance if we want to if we don't nobody will we can act real rude and be forcefully removed and you can act like an imbecile....

Or something like that?

― Fred Nerk (Fred Nerk), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 23:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I can dance, you can dance, everyone look at your hands!

"Antarctica" = total klassic too.

― sucka (sucka), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 23:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Aw. AMG only gives their new album 1.5 stars. But it says the tinker-toy synths are back, which is awesome & makes me very hopeful that critic just doesn't get it. I was so disappointed when they lost those synths for "sideways" and "men & women-" anyone have anything positive to say about those albums?

― sucka (sucka), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 23:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I just saw the video for this song. It is scary.

― sym (shmuel), Thursday, 1 January 2004 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

The video sort've reminds me of "The Wicker Man".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 January 2004 16:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Antarctica > I Got the Message > Safety Dance, I usually think.

― nabiscothingy, Thursday, 1 January 2004 17:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Wait: picture of Jenny on Pop Goes the World > Antarctica > I Got the Message > Safety Dance. That's it.

― nabiscothingy, Thursday, 1 January 2004 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

i changed my mind ... "cotton eye joe" is actually the greatest song EVER.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 1 January 2004 17:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Indeed!

― Zzz (-_-) zzZ (Wintermute), Thursday, 1 January 2004 17:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I disown you as my fake brother now, Tad.

― Allyzay, Thursday, 1 January 2004 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Alex OTM. But the whole video is kind of ironic, since the singer's dancing is so scary, you can see why noone wants to dance with him.
And then he has to disown all his friends. It's kind of sad, when you think about it like that.

― sym (shmuel), Thursday, 1 January 2004 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I assumed the midget was in the band at the time. Turns out, I was wrong. A shame, that.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 January 2004 23:12 (twenty-two years ago)

maybe he is in mini-KISS¡

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 2 January 2004 00:18 (twenty-two years ago)

and i changed my mind again ... "safety dance" is better than "cotton eye joe." am i back in the family now?

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Friday, 2 January 2004 00:20 (twenty-two years ago)

You're falling away from the truth, bjørn. The truth is this : The best song ever is I Like to Move It by Reel 2 Real.

― Zzz (-_-) zzZ (Wintermute), Friday, 2 January 2004 00:31 (twenty-two years ago)

"Things In My Life" > "Living In China" > "The Great Ones Remember" > "I Got The Message" > "Moonbeam" > "The Safety Dance" > "Lose My Way" > "Antarctica" > "I Like" > "Pop Goes The World"

(How obvious is it that I've only heard two MWH albums?)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 2 January 2004 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)

That's two more than I've heard, Dan.

― Allyzay, Friday, 2 January 2004 17:04 (twenty-two years ago)

not complete without "Utter Space" & "Security" from Folk of the 80's!

― sucka (sucka), Friday, 2 January 2004 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

What about Weird Al's parody on In 3D?

It was called "The Brady Bunch" and inserted the lyrics to the Brady theme song into The Safety Dance's melody. Amazing at how well it worked ...

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Friday, 2 January 2004 19:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I once had a friend who had cranked up Safety Dance SO LOUD on the radio in the car that she couldn't hear us yelling at her to shut the passenger side door (she was trying to park the car). The door ended up being pulled off the car and doing extensive damage to the lincoln continental parked next to it.
Empirical evidence that the Safety Dance was not safe at all.

-- Nicole (nicolew1...), June 12th, 2001.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 4 January 2004 21:09 (twenty-two years ago)

That's fantastic. Proof that The Safety Dance is ultimate rock 'n' roll.
-- Ally (garance8...), June 12th, 2001.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's face it, any video with a dancing dwarf is bound to be very rock and roll. Unless Puff Daddy officially counts as a dwarf.
-- Nicole (nicolew1...), June 12th, 2001.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Only mentally, Nicole.
But yeah - dancing dwarfs, Rennaissance clothing, ridiculous dancing, that guy singing the song SO SERIOUSLY - it's totally the best video that ever was.

-- Ally (garance8...), June 12th, 2001.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Sunday, 4 January 2004 21:10 (twenty-two years ago)

it was a good video. And there was something primal about the song. But I worry about Men without Hats.

― MarkH (MarkH), Sunday, 4 January 2004 22:48 (twenty-two years ago)

you worry perhaps they'll get a cold¿

― dyson (dyson), Monday, 5 January 2004 00:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Thats Men Without Mittens.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 5 January 2004 00:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I think Nicole should have a column.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 5 January 2004 02:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 19 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

...you know, that dance wasn't as safe as they said it was.

― Trayce, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:39 (eighteen years ago)

Trayce you broek letter countdown. :-(

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:43 (eighteen years ago)

<i>Only mentally, Nicole.
But yeah - dancing dwarfs, Rennaissance clothing, ridiculous dancing, that guy singing the song SO SERIOUSLY - it's totally the best video that ever was.

-- Ally (garance8...), June 12th, 2001. </i>

More evidence that 9/11 changed everything :(

― JTS, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:43 (eighteen years ago)

;_; I am full of fail lately.

― Trayce, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:44 (eighteen years ago)

No, I think Trayce counts for "T"

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:45 (eighteen years ago)

9/11 also changed HTML forever

― JTS, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:46 (eighteen years ago)

Undeniable:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:49 (eighteen years ago)

Yes T twas me and then my next post started with Y so YAY!

― Trayce, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:52 (eighteen years ago)

so that means ned was just saying you broke the countdown to pre-empt taking the blame for actually breaking the countdown himself.

― El Tomboto, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:53 (eighteen years ago)

that is so ned.

― El Tomboto, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:53 (eighteen years ago)

BAN NED

― Trayce, Thursday, 24 April 2008 00:58 (eighteen years ago)

you can dance
you can dance
everybody take off their pants

― chaki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:08 (eighteen years ago)

that is so ned.

Complaints.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:18 (eighteen years ago)

I always thought Men Without Hats were from some obscure eastern european country and then I found out they're Canadian.

― Trayce, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:33 (eighteen years ago)

i thought they were from a magical land far far away

― chaki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:34 (eighteen years ago)

What does the coy maiden in the video (and on the recording) say? it comes in on an offbeat.

― aimurchie, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:37 (eighteen years ago)

men without hats famously used to hang out in this bar right across the street and down the alley from me. IM FAMOUS.

― s1ocki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:41 (eighteen years ago)

some sweet pics from their page:

http://www.menwithouthats.com/gif/fan.jpg
http://www.menwithouthats.com/gif/zeus.gif
http://www.menwithouthats.com/gif/i.gif

― chaki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:44 (eighteen years ago)

the slocki dance

― latebloomer, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:45 (eighteen years ago)

very professional sales people work with them obv:

ONLY CANADIANS CAN SEND A CHECK TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS, BUT PROCESSING OF YOUR ORDER WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CHECK TO CLEAR.

CASH MAY BE SENT, BUT AT YOUR OWN RISK, SO WRAP IT UP IN A FEW SHEETS OF PAPER TO HIDE IT WELL. ROUND UP TO THE NEAREST DOLLAR AND SCOTCH TAPE ANY COINS TO THE PAPER (OR BETTER STILL, DON'T USE COINS).

― chaki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:48 (eighteen years ago)

that's kinda sad.

― s1ocki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:49 (eighteen years ago)

The dwarf in the music video "The Safety Dance" is actor Mike Edmonds (Return of the Jedi, Time Bandits, Flash Gordon).

― chaki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:50 (eighteen years ago)

men without cash:-/

― latebloomer, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:51 (eighteen years ago)

x-post

― latebloomer, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:51 (eighteen years ago)

we condense
we condense

― the sir weeze, Thursday, 24 April 2008 01:55 (eighteen years ago)

wow the video is even more sweetly dorky than i remember

― s1ocki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:01 (eighteen years ago)

stuff like this is another example of why the '80s was the best decade ever to be a little kid

― s1ocki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:02 (eighteen years ago)

Chippenham Town Morris Men
http://www.randomdestination.co.uk/ChippenhamMorris/savage1.jpg
In the 20 plus years we have been together, we have had some exciting and some bizarre bookings. Here are some:

* Clip from Savage Hearts Pop video for Men Without Hats hit single "The Safety Dance"
* BBC Top Gear, dancing in Castle Combe by a sports car
* The half time entertainment for the finals of the European Interceltic Wrestling Championships!
* Crinkly Bottom theme park - yes the Mister Blobby one

― chaki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:04 (eighteen years ago)

wait... the mister blobby one??

― s1ocki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:04 (eighteen years ago)

who were the morris men in that four tet video

― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:05 (eighteen years ago)

It's no "Pop Goes The World."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:10 (eighteen years ago)

and vice versa

― El Tomboto, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:16 (eighteen years ago)

men without hats famously used to hang out in this bar right across the street and down the alley from me. IM FAMOUS.

When I first read this I thought you wrote that they hung out in the alley, that would have been awesome. You know they would be doing something seedy.

― Nicole, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:24 (eighteen years ago)

I fear the encounters with A Flock of Seagulls cruising for back alley clowns.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:25 (eighteen years ago)

'pop goes the world' is way way better
-- maura (maura), Wednesday, 31 December 2003 15:28 (4 years ago) Link

It's no "Pop Goes The World."

-- Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:10 (23 minutes ago) Link

Exactly.

― ENBB, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:35 (eighteen years ago)

MEN WITHOUT HATS ARE LIVING ON THE ROOF OF THE APARTMENT ACROSS THE STREET!!!

― Trayce, Thursday, 24 April 2008 02:56 (eighteen years ago)

stuff like this is another example of why the '80s was the best decade ever to be a little kid

seriously! although i'm always suspicious of thoughts like this. there must be sweet, goofy equivalents of this kind of thing available in pop culture now?

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 24 April 2008 13:53 (eighteen years ago)

Have a kid and you'll find out. Very quickly.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 24 April 2008 13:58 (eighteen years ago)

that seems a little extreme, ned

― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 24 April 2008 13:59 (eighteen years ago)

Weren't you the one talking about having a kid the other week!

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 24 April 2008 14:02 (eighteen years ago)

it just seemed like all pop culture was so childish then, or oriented towards kids some how. but i guess everything feels that way when you uh, are a kid.

― s1ocki, Thursday, 24 April 2008 15:25 (eighteen years ago)

Yep. My kids think so.

― Mark G, Thursday, 24 April 2008 15:28 (eighteen years ago)

one month passes...

this thread was revived, and no-one told me

;_;

― Eisbaer, Saturday, 21 June 2008 15:54 (eighteen years ago)

four months pass...

I know I was all about Pop Goes the World the last time this thread was revived and I still am but damn if this song didn't make me insanely happy when I heard it while driving through Western MA today.

― Lil Nunu (ENBB), Friday, 31 October 2008 03:14 (seventeen years ago)

The safety dance video wouldn’t make any sense if the girl wasn't a blonde and if the midget wasn’t a midget.

― ❤ⓛⓞⓥⓔ❤ (CaptainLorax), Friday, 31 October 2008 14:59 (seventeen years ago)

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9206/77896365jj6.jpg
I'd totally date her

― ❤ⓛⓞⓥⓔ❤ (CaptainLorax), Friday, 31 October 2008 15:13 (seventeen years ago)

This thread may well have been started in jest, but there are times when I almost agree.

― Totally gay for Obama (j-rock), Friday, 31 October 2008 23:53 (seventeen years ago)

eight months pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgugo4wS6sw

― some sick fuck with a bow and arrow killing roos and koalas (Eisbaer), Friday, 10 July 2009 05:16 (sixteen years ago)

I forgot how much Jon Stewart's Bush impression sounded like Beavis.

― master of karate and friendship for everyone (musically), Friday, 10 July 2009 05:28 (sixteen years ago)

we can act like we come from out of this world, leave the real one far behind

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, December 31, 2003 12:44 AM (5 years ago) Bookmark

This line could be the motto of the exact kind of dorks who think this is the greatest song ever.

It is a good song though.

― the kid is crying because did sharks died? (Hurting 2), Friday, 10 July 2009 06:59 (sixteen years ago)

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