Can anyone tell me why this Chocolate Rain video is the most viewed clip on YouTube?
A repetitive song, a youngish looking kid with a deepish sounding voice, poor video quality, what’s the appeal?
Is there something I’m just not getting? 
I am similarly perplexed. I can see why some people might be amused by it, but 7.5million views?!
Reminds me of Chubby Rain, the movie they’re making in Bowfinger.
“It’s funny because he sucks.”
Previous discussion on the video:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=430356&highlight=chocolate+rain
Like anything viral it gets picked up by one media outlet, in this case Opie & Anthony, and then spreads like wildfire to others like Jimmy Kimmel. The mix of the young face making that voice with the fact that the song is lousy, but hypnotic is what I’m sure started it all.
How do you explain the Tron guy or the My-Ya-He guy?
Yeah, he sucks, but the song is kind of mesmerizing, his voice isn’t terrible, and his facial expressions are like you’re playing the same flash animation over and over and over and . . .
Blame 4chan.
You got me. I got 30 seconds into before I killed it.
…I always do.
There’s this video called Vanilla Snow that parodies the things that make the original funny: low voice, facial expressions, weird lyrics, the keyboard shots and that hilariously random caption.
It’s a video that’s popular just because. That’s part of what’s so funny about it.
That’s pretty much a general rule for any situation, isn’t it?
His voice isn’t bad; it’s got a Lou Rawls timbre, but with the soul drained out. The lyrics are good: it’s a protest song with a real and timely message. The minimalist arrangement can be excused for it being a low budget, one-man production.
By the way, homemade music videos are Tay Zonday’s sideline; he’s a doctoral candidate in American Studies at the University of Minnesota.
Tay, is that you?!
You think “it’s got a Lou Rawls timbre, but with the soul drained out” is a compliment?
You gotta watch the Jimmy Kimmel clip.
First of all, he plays the keys at the same time as he’s singing. But, that is also totally his natural voice. He’s actually kind of charming, and pretty interesting looking.
And, he moves away from the mic to breath*!***
I totally appreciate that he moves away from the mic to breathe.
I wish Chino from Deftones would adopt this habit.
Still not convinced that’s his natural voice. Look carefully and you can see his adam’s apple going down when he talks, and back up when he stops talking, like he’s forcing it. Also, later in the interview it sounds like his voice gets a little higher.
Compared to how I’d describe him? Yes.
It sure as hell ain’t a compliment to Lou Rawls!