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If You’ve Been Hearing About the ‘Harlem Shake’ Video Craze, Here’s How It May Have All Started

Feb. 14, 2013 7:00pm

You might remember being utterly confused when the “Gangnam Style” craze began — and we helped explain what was up with the viral video by the Korean rapper Psy. Now, there’s a new viral dance taking over YouTube.

It’s called the “Harlem Shake.” According to a YouTube Trends report, there were very few records of Harlem Shake dances before February and just two weeks into the month there are more than 12,000 videos that have collectively been viewed more than 44 million times. These numbers were as of Feb. 11 and, as YouTube’s Kevin Allocca pointed out, more videos are added each day. In fact, Allocca charted it and more than 4,000 Harlem Shake videos are uploaded each day.

Harlem Shake Dance Goes Viral on YouTube in Less Than a Month

(Image: YouTube Trends)

If you don’t know what the Harlem Shake is yet, let us try to first describe the current version it in words. It starts off looking like a coordinated undulating movement from front to back that quickly turns into a fast, seemingly free-flowing arm shaking and hip pumping jive as techno music in the song heats up. It only lasts for about 30 seconds.

Harlem Shake Dance Goes Viral on YouTube in Less Than a Month

Harlem Shake at work (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Harlem Shake Dance Goes Viral on YouTube in Less Than a Month

Harlem Shake under water. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Harlem Shake Dance Goes Viral on YouTube in Less Than a Month

Military version of Harlem Shake. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

Well, how about you just watch an example for yourself:

The video above, which appears to have been filmed in a college dorm room, claims to be the original. It was posted on YouTube Feb. 2 and has more than 4.7 million hits.

Even if it is the original, it is certainly not the most viewed.

This “office edition” has more than 9.2 million views:

There’s an “Army edition” with 4.3 million hits posted just four days ago:

And firefighters:

Only posted on Monday, this one of the University of Georgia Athens men’s swim team doing the Harlem Shake under water has more than 4.2 million views and could arguably win for most original location:

If you haven’t caught on yet, the basics seem to be that one person (generally covering their face) begins dancing to the song by the artist Baauer. Everyone else in the scene at this point is just going about their own business. Then at the words “and do the Harlem Shake,” costumes are donned and mass dancing occurs.

As for the lyrics, the only words seem to be “con los terroristas,” which is Spanish for “with the terrorists,” and “and do the Harlem shake.” There is also a lion’s roar. Here’s the full song, which is a little more than three minutes long:

The style of the current Harlem Shake trend, which is a little bit modified from the purported original video, is attributed to this one from The Sunny Coast Skate:

But as Allocca and Deadspin pointed out, no one in any of these videos is truly doing the original “Harlem Shake” dance move.

“The actual Harlem Shake is a dance that has been danced since the ’80s, when, as the legend goes, a man who goes by the handle ‘Al B’ introduced it to the world,” Deadspin’s Emma Carmichael wrote. “The dance, which is really not much more then a little side-to-side shoulder shimmy with a shake in the forearm, spread further when rappers like Jadakiss and Cam’ron included it in early-aughts music videos. And here’s some great news: the actual Harlem Shake is fairly easy to do.”

Here’s how it’s done:

But there are far more YouTube videos of the current version of the shake.

Here’s one set in the middle of Manhattan at 31st St and Park Ave “during the pre-Nemo mayhem”:

Live TV news is getting in on the Harlem Shake action too (skip to 0:30):

People have even taken this footage showing speedboat passengers being tossed about violently by a wave, which TheBlaze reported about in Sept. 2012, and set it to the Harlem Shake:

Let us know what you think of the Harlem Shake’s potential compared to Gangnam Style by taking our poll.

(H/T: Mashable)

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Comments (45)

1 2
  • sligresda
    Posted on February 16, 2013 at 9:00pm

    TOTAL rip off of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, Dance the way I feel

    Report this comment

    sligresda  
  • youngvet
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 6:33pm

    Why is everyone on here so angry and upset all the time? I’m young, I’ve been to Iraq, I’m a strict Libertarian/Constitutionalist, and I find this to be somewhat amusing. Its just a joke and something to have fun with, everyone on here needs to loosen up. If it doesn’t pertain to the end of the world or America then everyone gets their panties in a bunch and acts like it is the end of the world. Chill out and have fun. In today’s trying times we need something to take our minds off what King Maobama is doing to us, theres already enough doom and gloom.

    Report this comment

    youngvet  
    • sligresda
      Posted on February 16, 2013 at 9:03pm

      they are a bunch of grumpy old men (and women). i always tell em to go watch hannity if they want all politics, all the time.

      Report this comment

      sligresda  
  • cpigsfly
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 5:44pm

    I still don’t get it… I didn’t get gangam style either….. Back to my wild turkey American honey and classic country. See ya’ll tomorrow /sigh

    Report this comment

    cpigsfly  
  • SaturdaysWarrior76
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:48pm

    Here’s a classic for ya: “The Harlem Shuffle” Shake the tailfeather baby! :)

    http://youtu.be/kHSURA2RCAQ

    Report this comment

    SaturdaysWarrior76  
  • Comcast3
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:44pm

    The song is terrible! Terrible!!! The message…beyond pointless. But, I could not stop watching these:( The last part of the pool group (with the table) was awesome. Save the hate mail.My Conservative/Libertarian membership card is not going anywhere.! Wish I had a little more spare time…but, I actually work for a living.

    Report this comment

    Comcast3  
  • Mannamomof4
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:13pm

    One on the most foolish things I have ever seen. :-( Ugh! I seriously want to just find a quiet spot way out in the country where I can live in blissful ignorance until our dear Communist leader sends in the troops to wipe us out. Ok, not really, but seeing this rapid decline is wearing me down.

    Report this comment

    Mannamomof4  
  • MisterSarcastic
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 8:31am

    God, how I long for the days when the Twist was king.

    Report this comment

    MisterSarcastic  
    • carhouse
      Posted on February 15, 2013 at 8:54am

      N have not herd of it,.. but thanks for the warning, I’ll be sure to avoid such crap
      this is what is important to these freaking morons
      wonder why we are spiraling out of control, watch TV

      Report this comment

      carhouse  
    • Metalstr8jckt
      Posted on February 15, 2013 at 10:49am

      I thought the country was doing the Watusi…Because you are supposed to follow the motions of the tribal leader. Dancing yourselves into dependency y’all are.

      Like Nero without the mythical violin, our despot uses a pen instead.

      Go ahead have “fun.” Dance.

      Report this comment

      Metalstr8jckt  
    • SaturdaysWarrior76
      Posted on February 15, 2013 at 1:55pm

      Here ya go MisterSarcastic: “The Peppermint Twist” This is FUN! hahaaa! enjoy :)

      http://youtu.be/7WIvZu4dPQQ

      Report this comment

      SaturdaysWarrior76  
  • NoMoMrNiceGuy
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 7:43am

    Please tell me I did not just waste precious life energy looking at this…….Ugggggg

    Report this comment

    NoMoMrNiceGuy  
  • yankeeatheart
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 6:10am

    How creative…Our future leaders…

    Report this comment

    yankeeatheart  
  • betterpart
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 4:52am

    I thought ‘Harlem Shake’ was referring to the time that Bill Clinton got kicked out of Harlem by the citizenry for opening up an office there and trying to gentrify the area.

    Report this comment

    betterpart  
  • banjarmon
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:57am

    I think I got a lot sick in my mouth… Throw UP

    Report this comment

    banjarmon  
  • Schteveo
    Posted on February 15, 2013 at 12:45am

    Is it ME, or has this place become like the Tabloid Rack of Nothing News?

    Mr. or Ms. or Mrs. Editor,
    as we speak, the world is going to hades in a hand basket. There are thousands of burning issues happening around us, that it would be nice to see reported here. But we get this parc! Anyone who is ‘interested’ in what’s ‘trending’, well, they can go look AT YouTube, they don’t need The Blaze for their daily update of inanity.

    Please, I am BEGGING here, please hire some adults to scout the internet, AP, UPI, Al Jazeera, or wherever, for real news. Let the kids who think this is important, go back to work at Burger King, or Falafel King at the mall. And let those who ARE interested in this kind of …uh…mmmm, let’s call it stuff, let them go look for it themselves!

    I used to come here for news, and I go to YouTube for…well, truly I don’t do that, I’m old, and I still have an active mind, and mindless idiots, doing pointless gyrating, doesn’t interest me. I don’t want to muddle through YouTube stupidity, to find the real news.

    yours truly,
    Schteveo

    Report this comment

    Schteveo  
    • Fla.Patriot
      Posted on February 15, 2013 at 5:42pm

      Totally agree. I don’t know which p*sses me off more, the fact that they threw it up there, or the fact that I was stupid enough to watch it. I felt my I.Q. dropping like a stone

      Report this comment

      Fla.Patriot  
  • KickinBack
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 10:41pm

    Generation…Why???

    Report this comment

    KickinBack  
  • oeaoho
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 9:26pm

    Oh please, I have been doing that for years…right after a good sneeze!!

    Report this comment

    oeaoho  
  • GroundZero is Nuclear Demolition x3
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 9:25pm

    Are you sure they didn’t get the idea here?
    http://youtu.be/mSnRq6iyHKg

    NSFW (just to be clear, that means NOT SAFE FOR WORK)

    Report this comment

    GroundZero is Nuclear Demolition x3  
  • mccracken
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 9:16pm

    If it doesn’t have anything to do with God or guns, the cranky old men at the Blaze will hate it. It’s hard to Harlem shake with a stick in your azz.

    Actually, a “gun range” edition would be great.

    Michelle Malkin starts off dancing in an American flag bikini brandishing an Assault rifle while everyone goes about their business shooting at Obama targets.

    Suddenly, everyone bursts into dance, waving flags and firing their weapons into the air.

    Report this comment

    mccracken  
  • nomemymine
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 8:45pm

    Looks like Zombies.

    Report this comment

    nomemymine  
  • The Big Mick
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:39pm

    Andy Warhol was WRONG!
    It’s only 30 seconds of fame, but they WILL prostituted themselves to get it.
    The Thoughtful Student is invited to consider the impact on God Endowed, Unalienable, Individual Liberty of such a Pack/Herd/Hive/Collective mentality that places such a premium on Rhythmic Movements as a Group.
    Is our ENTIRE Society Stuck in 8th Grade?
    Perhaps we should be thankful that the “Harlem Shake” ISN’T “The Compton Walk” or whatever Williams did at Wimbleton. Or are we just unaware of all the Hidden Gang Recognition Gestures?

    Can hordes of Red Scarf School Children chanting “MmmmMmmmMmmm, we love you Chairman Barak” be far behind?

    Report this comment

    The Big Mick  
  • Topcat
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:36pm

    I am to old to pick trends , but I liked Gangnam Style , this cannot even compete on the same level . If you watch the hip hop dancer show how its done , there may be something to it , but nobody else is doing that . Gangnam Style went on for 20 minutes and never lost your attention , this I can only watch for 20 seconds and I am done. Just sayin

    Report this comment

    Topcat  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on February 14, 2013 at 8:17pm

      The hiphop dancer was showing an actual dance move that has been around for years….
      that move inspired the song…
      the song inspired these odd videos, which have no relation to the dance move, whatsoever.

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • momrules
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:32pm

    I much prefer the two step, the waltz and the Cotton Eyed Joe. Color me old and Southern, I don’t care.

    Report this comment

    momrules  
  • The-Real-Enrico
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:28pm

    Earth shaking news? Slow news day? I would prefer something that would feed my brain please not this brain mush.

    This does not pass as news and is embarrassing. Please stop this.

    Thank you.

    Report this comment

    The-Real-Enrico  
    • GoodStuff
      Posted on February 14, 2013 at 8:27pm

      The Blaze isn’t interested in real news. If you want that…head over to Breitbart. I’ll see you there.

      Report this comment

      GoodStuff  
    • hatchetjob
      Posted on February 14, 2013 at 10:29pm

      Hey GOODSTUFF, This is news, sort of; it’s secretly the “shuck and jive” dance that Obamo has been doing for the last several years.

      Report this comment

      hatchetjob  
  • fastgen1
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:28pm

    I remember doing the jitterbug back in the fifties……

    Report this comment

    fastgen1  
  • intercepter
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:20pm

    Wtf???

    Report this comment

    intercepter  
  • Eastinfection
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:19pm

    I like the speedboat one because it really had nothing to do with the trend.

    anyone else long for the good old days of “call me maybe”?

    Report this comment

    Eastinfection  
  • RoDogg
    Posted on February 14, 2013 at 7:08pm

    Can liberty trend for a while instead.

    And…. your really polling us on his?

    Report this comment

    RoDogg  
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