The Nielsen Haydens filled my morning with horror, so I’m going to make you suffer, too. Behold, a Danish disco band pretending to be Apaches:
It goes on for an interminable 4½ minutes; seriously, you’ve done your penance if you watch 20 seconds, long enough to spot the sequins and the Groucho mustache on the keyboardist. I recommend you turn it off before the Apache maidens emerge from behind the teepee—that was just too much.
Say, that Making Light thread led me to another cheesy video by Army of Lovers, and since I was soliciting suggestions for a menacing makeover, it gave me an idea: eyeliner and frilly shirts. A busty henchperson with exposed cleavage might also help.
The Science Pundit says
I now think I know what it feels like to have a bad acid trip.
PZ Myers says
Those of us who lived through the 70s didn’t even need to drop acid to know that.
Zeno says
I can’t quite figure it out: Is the Danish group a “tribute band” to Yanni … or Tesh?
Is a puzzlement.
Thony C. says
“I now think I know what it feels like to have a bad acid trip.”
No bad acid trip was ever THAT bad!
Bill says
Awesome!! It’s the theme music they use for “Wild Chicago”! A public television program about out of the way corners and unusual people in the Chicago area hosted by local improv comics. (Though the new hosts aren’t nearly as funny as the ones from the 90’s.)
Bill says
Oops. Correction: I see this is the “disco version”. “Wild Chicago” uses the original version of Apache.
Magnum says
That was awesome :)
Dwight Schrute on drums?
John Pieret says
Skip the eyeliner and frilly shirts. Send out the busty henchperson and we’ll promise to think of you as scary.
Michael says
AAAH! My eyes! and my ears! AAAHH!
Aerik says
Hehehe. Oh, PZ, this is truly an oldie but a goldie.
Mike says
Indian maidens? I thought they were roaring 20’s flappers. The costumes look like leftovers from some cheezy 70s porn flick.
The best part is where the guy spends a good 40 seconds singing to the girls with his back to the camera ha ha haa!
Lago says
Now I ask you, what the freakin’ hell did I do to deserve that!!?
Geoff Wozniak says
I watched all 4.5 minutes and I still rate it as more enjoyable than going to church.
emkay says
PZ, I’m thinking that looks like you in your younger days on those bongos….is this a blast from your past? BTW, I made it thru the entire thing…pirate-like voiceover at the end and all! Too funny!
Dianne says
Thank you. I feel like I just looked at the Necronomicon. There are no words to describe the horror…of cheesy videos.
Davis says
I watched the whole thing, too. It’s mesmerizing, like “Plan 9 From Outer Space” (or a Pam Atlas vlog).
Mark says
My eyes! My ears! It burns! It burns!
False Prophet says
It should be a capital crime to use a Les Paul in the service of such an atrocity. And I didn’t get a good look at the bass, but it had better not be a Rickenbacker!
David Marjanović says
Quote from the news magazine profil:
So glad I was born no sooner than 1982. And didn’t watch the video.
David Marjanović says
Quote from the news magazine profil:
So glad I was born no sooner than 1982. And didn’t watch the video.
Saint Gasoline says
I sort of liked it. Is that so wrong? I’m…I’m not a creationist, though! That counts for something…right?
Gordon S says
This is possibly one of the greatest videos ever created.
Mrs Tilton says
I think you’re missing then point about the Army of Lovers video. It’s cheesy, of course; but sort of tongue-in-cheesy. And you’re definitely missing the point about the busty henchbabe. She’s sexy and good-looking, but much more importantly, she’s very, very funny.
Beersport says
This is why the islamists HATE the West. Not our porn filled entertainment, not “freedoms” and not our hate of their religion. This video is an affront to humanity. It is so bad Osama bin Laden said “All praise to Allah, this video makes David Hasselhoff’s “Hooked On A Feeling” look like the work of a genius. Death to the infidels.”
Moody834 says
Here, try this death metal version of the video. >;-D
Rich says
I believe Apache was a shadows tune origional (nice work Hank Marvin), but the funkiest version by far is Michael Viner’s Incredible Bongo Band’s.
http://o-dub.com/sounds/apache/bongoband.mp3
It’s been sampled to death.
S E E Quine says
` *Spoony has collapsed in a giggling heap*
Mike Haubrich says
Hey, I thought that rocked! It took me back to the days before techno, house, industrial and superstar scratcher dj’s took over the music on the dancefloor. And for more fun, check out Boney-M and their Russian gig. If you really want to look cool, PZ, get a dead ermine to drape over your shoulders:
Cathy in Seattle says
it was like a train wreck… I couldn’t take my eyes away…
Patrick Nielsen Hayden says
“I believe Apache was a Shadows tune originally”
Nope.
Ole says
That, ladies and gentlemen, is Danish pop king Tommy Seebach and band. Danes older than ~ 30 will be intimately familiar with him and his music. He composed a number of nationwide hits in the 80s and 90s, and represented Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979, 1981 and 1993. He is probably best known for Disco Tango.
Ole says
There’s also a video of Disco Tango on YouTube (sorry, lyrics are in Danish).
Mooser says
What’s wrong with the dancing apache girls? They look fine to me.
PZ Myers says
They look fine. They don’t look Apache.
Rich says
“”I believe Apache was a Shadows tune originally”
Nope.”
YUP:
“Apache” was a popular instrumental song written by Jerry Lordan and recorded by British group The Shadows in June 1960. It was released two months later. The song topped the UK singles chart for five weeks. It has since been covered many times. The record is considered influential, both in its time and in following years.
“Cover versions
Early British guitarist Bert Weedon also recorded “Apache” in 1960; it made it to number 24 on the charts. ”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_%28instrumental%29
Todd Adamson says
397.
397?
How many levels is that wrong on?
397.
Chris says
Softcorn. Very ’70s.
Max Udargo says
You people are nuts. The Danish Apache flappers were hot. I’m calling my buddies and we’re going to meet in the garage to start a band, just so we can call ourselves The Danish Apache Flappers.
JamesR says
That is like some overly cheesed spaghetti western theme song. Where’s Squint Eastrood?
arensb says
Fortunately, Youtube provided a link to the original, which is much better.