Generations of Afghanistan’s invaders have lacked what the current crop possesses – pulsating pop tunes, a camera and a computer. Our interest was piqued when a reader passed us the latest combat music video that is raking in the fans on YouTube. With little to do in this hurry-up-and-wait war zone, “artistic expression” seems a panacea for insanity.
“Telephone – the Afghanistan Remake” is, well, rough, but hilarious. In fact, if you watch the video by original artist Lady Gaga, (an explicit creation with Beyonce. Very explicit.), then watch our clowns in desert tan, we think you’ll choose their enthusiastic, boyish gyrations. The Boys’ Chorus is scantily clad in duct tape and card board and surpasses Ms. Gaga’s bevy. We don’t know who these pasty white and tattooed warfighters are, but our reader thought they might be parachute riggers. Their video has more than 4 million well-deserved hits.
A search through YouTube turned up quite a few war zone military music videos. The same guys that brought you the superb “Telephone Remake” fall short with “Melrose.” We don’t get the single guitarist, which may explain why there are only 70,000 hits.
Next we found the “Ding Dong Song” and wish we hadn’t. In a word, it is disturbing. We were shocked this frustrated sex fest has more than one million hits. Raunchy can be charming, but not in this case. Did we mention the strong homosexual overtones? Weird. Not art.
Another video with more than 4 million hits is “Dance Party in Iraq.” It starts slowly but picks up when “Electric Avenue” kicks in. A lot of fun.
The Navy has a few entries. One squadron puts its guitarist on the carrier’s fan tail in “Pump It.” Pilots break dance and goof around the ship. They seem to be having had a good time, and you may enjoy their creation. With more than 3 million hits, someone likes it.
“Hotel Camp Fallujah” turns out to be a heartbreaking chronicle of life inside the wire at Camp Fallujah. We say, “Wow.” It is sobering and better than any news report. Worth the watch.
Despite the more recent entries, we think one of the best remains that 2006 hit “Hadji Girl.” Sung by Marine Cpl. Joshua Belile, it is a parody about “love” with a local Iraqi girl and her thug family. It probably was not meant for release, but we are the better for it. As with most of these videos, humor and creativity are reassuring.
Maybe the war poetry will present itself later. For now we love pasty white boys in duct tape and card board.