# Chocolate Rain -- I don't get it. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 27, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158 "2007-08-27T21:59:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/1 "2007-08-27T21:59:53Z")
Can anyone tell me why this Chocolate Rain [video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=EwTZ2xpQwpA) 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? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/2 "2007-08-27T22:01:44Z")
I am similarly perplexed. I can see why some people might be amused by it, but 7.5million views?! ---
**Author:** ![YellowTail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5ac83/32.png) [@YellowTail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YellowTail)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/3 "2007-08-27T22:03:43Z")
[QUOTE=malkavia] Can anyone tell me why this Chocolate Rain [video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=EwTZ2xpQwpA) 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? 😕 [/QUOTE] Reminds me of Chubby Rain, the movie they’re making in Bowfinger. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/4 "2007-08-27T22:06:05Z")
“It’s funny because he sucks.” ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/5 "2007-08-27T22:07:17Z")
Previous discussion on the video: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=430356&highlight=chocolate+rain](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=430356&highlight=chocolate+rain) ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/6 "2007-08-27T22:08:34Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/7 "2007-08-27T22:32:34Z")
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 . . . ---
**Author:** ![Dunawake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dunawake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunawake)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/8 "2007-08-27T23:16:40Z")
Blame 4chan. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/9 "2007-08-27T23:33:50Z")
You got me. I got 30 seconds into before I killed it. ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/10 "2007-08-27T23:48:47Z")
[QUOTE=Dunawake] Blame 4chan. [/QUOTE] ..I always do. ---
**Author:** ![Vision\_of\_Love](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Vision\_of\_Love](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vision_of_Love)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/11 "2007-08-27T23:54:15Z")
There’s this video called [Vanilla Snow](http://youtube.com/watch?v=nTQOpibv_OA) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/12 "2007-08-28T05:30:24Z")
[QUOTE=Dunawake] Blame 4chan. [/QUOTE] That’s pretty much a general rule for any situation, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/13 "2007-08-28T06:40:10Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/14 "2007-08-28T07:22:00Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] 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. [/QUOTE] Tay, is that you?! ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/15 "2007-08-28T07:56:00Z")
You think “it’s got a Lou Rawls timbre, but with the soul drained out” is a compliment? ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/16 "2007-08-28T11:33:24Z")
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\*!\*\*\* ---
**Author:** ![malkavia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malkavia/32/5621_2.png) [@malkavia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malkavia)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/17 "2007-08-29T04:08:01Z")
I totally appreciate that he moves away from the mic to breathe. I wish Chino from Deftones would adopt this habit. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/18 "2007-08-29T05:11:45Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] 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\*!\*\*\* [/QUOTE] 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. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/19 "2007-08-29T06:29:00Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] You think “it’s got a Lou Rawls timbre, but with the soul drained out” is a compliment? [/QUOTE] Compared to how I’d describe him? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2007, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158/20 "2007-08-29T06:45:01Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] You think “it’s got a Lou Rawls timbre, but with the soul drained out” is a compliment? [/QUOTE] It sure as hell ain’t a compliment to Lou Rawls! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chocolate-rain-i-dont-get-it/417158.md?page=2)