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Red's Best of 2013: The YECA (Singles: 70-61/Hints #4 up!)
ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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The YECA: Top 10 YouTube Videos
Okay, the truth is that I started working on the YouTube list almost as soon as I said it probably wouldn't be up tonight...and, as it turns out, I'm ready to do this now! Before we get into the top ten...here's a couple of videos that I really enjoyed that did NOT make the top ten:
And now...LET'S DO THIS.
 
| Mirror's Edge Parkour
I was not the biggest fan of the first Mirror's Edge, but I could appreciate what it was trying to accomplish. The technology was not there to truly make the game soar, but on the hardware that it was on, it was impressive. Years later, a fan decided to pay tribute to the game (and to celebrate the announcement of a forthcoming sequel) with one of the most stunning visuals of the entire year: A real-life Mirror's Edge. The imagination and the insanity that stunts like these take is mind-boggling, and I am constantly blown away that someone is doing video game moves in real life. |
 
| Rebecca Black Watches "Friday"
Truthfully, I never got the hate that surrounded Rebecca Black when "Friday" invaded the minds of every person on the internet two years ago. Was it a bad song? Yeah, sure. Did she deserve the unfathomable backlash she received for it? Absolutely not. She was thirteen years old! But I digress. Two years later, Rebecca Black decided to look back at her experience making "Friday" and retrospectively look back at the song and video that made her famous. The most refreshing thing about this video? Rebecca Black is a normal teenager, despite becoming quite famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it). Oh, and she finally addresses one of the elephants in the room: The pimple. |
 
| The Evolution of "Get Lucky"
It's no secret that I love "Get Lucky". It was so refreshing to hear a disco funk single in 2013, and the fact that Daft Punk was involved made it even sweeter. But I'll discuss that later. This is not about Daft Punk so much as it's about PV Nova, a French musician who created one of the best videos involving music in 2013. How? By making decade-specific versions of "Get Lucky", all distinct sounding, all interesting takes on one of the biggest hits of the year. And really, what's most striking about this clip is how it sounds more like a love letter for the past than anything else. It's like reliving my childhood when the 90's part begins. My personal favorite is the 80's version, though, because I have no doubt that this is what the song would sound like if it was made in the 80's. |
 
| Tool's "46 & 2", As Performed By Kids
Tool...Tool is not an easy band to cover. Tool is one of the most complex bands to ever exist, a band whose technical proficiency is nearly unparalleled. Okay, now let that statement sink in for a second...and then realize that a group of music students came together and created perhaps the best cover of "46 and 2" that anyone has ever heard. And I'm not talking about college students. No, I'm talking about kids. Children. Young adults. It's one of the most impossible things to fathom, but when you watch this video, you will realize that the future of music is in good hands. And my god, that drummer. That is a future legend. |
 
| The Most Epic Speech Ever
The first appearance of someone who appeared in YouTube's Rewind video (and perhaps the most pleasant surprise of all). When Nicholas Selby stepped up to the podium to deliver a convocation speech at the 2013 Georgia Tech Sophomore Welcome, I'm not sure that anyone expected what was about to come. The video starts innocently enough, basically your standard convocation speech. And then, suddenly..."Also Sprach Zarathustra" plays. And the speech takes a sudden turn for the epic. What follows is, simply put, the most epic speech of the entire year, and maybe ever. He even points out that he has theme music. Flawless victory, Nick Selby. |
 
| Dr. Bees
As some of you may be aware, I'm kind of a fan of bizarre and offbeat humor. Johnald (or, as many of you know him, JDM) and I used to revel in coming up with the most odd and hilarious videos on YouTube to make each other laugh. Well, even though we've both had our own lives in 2013, for the most part, I just had to bring this video up to him when I saw it. Of course, he loved it. Imagine the worst superhero you can think of. Are we done? Okay, meet the real worst superhero, Dr. Bees! His solutions to dealing with problems are just about the worst solutions anyone has ever come up with, but my god, are they hilarious. This video is so quotable that I still use a couple of lines from the video every day. "What's this? An overabundance of bees in the workplace? My briefcase full of bees ought to put a stop to that!" And of course, it all ends on a downer. Just how I like it. |
 
| We Ain't Havin' Any of This Fighting ****
Ultimately, there's not much I need to do to describe this video. It involves two angry cats, a couple of dogs, and an owner watching behind her camera in amazement. When cats fight, it's usually because they're fighting to "own" that territory. Unlike many situations when this occurs, though, there was a force so strong that not even the cats could overcome it. You see, in this video, you're about to meet the best dogs on planet Earth. When these cats engage in a brutal fight, the dogs are quick (and I mean LIGHTNING FAST) to break up the fight. It was one of the most heartening sights of the entire year for me. Good doggies. |
 
| FENTON! FENTON!
And this one PROBABLY doesn't need much explanation. It's a dog chasing deer, after all. It's not rocket science. I might need to explain what makes me laugh every time I see it, though. It's not the dog chasing the deer. That's not exactly an uncommon occurrence for a dog to chase an animal. No, what's hilarious is the reactions of the owner. He has one of the most awesomely English voices you'll ever hear, and his cries to stop Fenton the dog are absolutely hilarious because of that voice. "FENTON! FENTON! OH, JESUS CHRIST!" I also love how it seemingly builds at the start: "fenton...Fenton...FENTON...FENTON!" I'm probably the only person who will find this video funny, but it's my list, and I freaking love this video. |
 
| The Fox
Surprise! Probably didn't expect this after the end of my Video Games post, right? This is, easily, going to be the most controversial choice on this list. Why? Well, technically, it IS a music video. And usually, that would mean it would qualify for a (figurative) music video list. I have one issue with that, though: Is this REALLY a "traditional" music video? "Gangnam Style" was a music video from a real music artist, regardless of what your opinions are of PSY. "The Fox" is a video from two Norwegian comedians. Ylvis will be the first people to admit this. They're not musicians. What this means is that I see this more as a YouTube video than I do a traditional music video. And with that in mind, I mean...it's The Fox! It's one of the most iconic videos, if not the most iconic video of the entire year. I've seen it over fifty times, and it's just as fun on the fiftieth view as it was on the first. There was just nothing like it in 2013. |
 
| Space Oddity
But as iconic as The Fox was, nothing was topping this. The first time I watched this, I actually got emotional. As far as I can recall, this has NEVER happened with me on an internet video. The story is simple: Chris Hadfield is an astronaut that was aboard the International Space Station when this video was recorded. Chris Hadfield is also a decent musician, complete with a beautiful singing voice. Throw in David Bowie's "Space Oddity", and you have a recipe for something truly special. And I know that some people might say that "it's just a guy singing in space"...but isn't that the appeal? It's a guy...singing "Space Oddity"...in space. And the best part is that the cover is GREAT. Is it as great as Bowie's? Probably not, but Bowie's is one of my favorite songs ever. The fact that it even comes close is an accomplishment. It's the most beautiful video of the entire year, bar none, and perhaps the coolest, too. And then, there's this: In all of my years counting down YouTube videos, this may be my favorite video of the entire bunch. This was the YouTube video of the years for yours truly...and perhaps of any year. |
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Okay, list two is officially out of the way! Next up is one of the big ones, my look at the top 10 albums of 2013! I'll probably be doing two or three posts for this list, as I have a lot to say about a couple of albums in particular, and I will (almost assuredly) have an honorable mention per post, so there's that. I'm not sure when this list will start...I'm hoping tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then certainly Tuesday. Regardless, I'll see you all then!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 7/23/2007
Posts: 35,994
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Member Since: 8/17/2013
Posts: 17,307
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 Rebecca
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Member Since: 10/5/2009
Posts: 137,162
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noT The Fox. 
Rebecca reacts to Friday  I loved that one too, it's golden.
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Member Since: 4/7/2009
Posts: 34,961
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Loved that CatFight video. 
Caught it from Ridiculousness.
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Member Since: 2/18/2012
Posts: 25,853
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The Last of Us is one of my favourite games ever, so incredible.  I haven't even got round to playing GTA V yet. 
I genuinely haven't seen The Fox the whole way through.  But I love that Space Oddity video, it's amazing!
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Member Since: 6/24/2008
Posts: 21,950
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the evolution of get lucky  the 80's version is good too
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Member Since: 10/3/2009
Posts: 35,844
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I have seen so many fanmade videos and adaptations of Get Lucky this year I have lost count of them. I think the one you've posted is one of my favorites.
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Member Since: 12/21/2010
Posts: 51,088
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The Space Oddity video 
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Member Since: 7/22/2009
Posts: 13,429
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Member Since: 6/16/2006
Posts: 9,960
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The Fox and Rebecca Great choices here!
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Member Since: 12/11/2008
Posts: 9,543
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The slayage of the #1 position. Didn't know that Rebecca video, I need to watch it. 
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Member Since: 5/26/2012
Posts: 3,345
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The Fox!
Quote:
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Rebecca Black Watches "Friday"
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I just watched this for the first time!
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Member Since: 5/23/2007
Posts: 65,087
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Rebecca Black Watches "Friday"
omg
the Fox is epic  first time I saw that music video I was like  but 2 days later it was on my iPod 
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Member Since: 8/1/2008
Posts: 52,761
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Why did I expect some random Harlem Shake parody to be #1? 
The #1 is quite funny tho, I hadn't seen it before.
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Member Since: 2/22/2008
Posts: 46,108
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The rebecca one is hilarious! Oh God, man! I freakin hate "The Fox". It gets on my nerves so much.
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Member Since: 10/1/2011
Posts: 53,790
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Great to see GTAV on top. I have to get back into playing it. It's been a bit.
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Member Since: 6/25/2008
Posts: 15,884
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#10, #8 and #2 are my faves 
The Fox should be #'
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Member Since: 7/15/2012
Posts: 13,331
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Queen Rebecca making the list!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Really enjoyed your YouTube list! I wasn't familiar with some, so I watched a couple of them just now. First, that Daft Punk video is so cool! I agree with you that the ‘80s version is the best. Such a great idea for a video. Also watched Dr. Bees, which is a lot of fun. I’ll catch up with the others I haven’t seen very soon! As for the ones I have seen, you picked the perfect #1. Canadian hero Chris Hadfield!! Really great write-up on it and I co-sign it all. What an achievement.
Looking forward to the albums list!
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