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The commercial above is the newest entry by that winning combination of McDonald's and Leo Burnett. It's gotten such a response that Jay Leno and Ellen Degeneres have asked about having Quincy Eaton, the pint-sized cross between Ozone and Radio Raheem who stars in the video, on their respective shows. Surely Eaton can teach Ellen how to pop and lock.
The commercial also extends the proverbial fifteen minutes of fame for "The Cha-Cha Slide." By now we've heard that song at so many birthday parties and wedding receptions that it induces a Pavlovian response in us to head for the open bar until the heat cools off.
If only the food were as good as the ads.
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Great...annoying song and annoying, overachieving kid dressed like someone from the Sugar Hill Gang...anyone want to go get a bacon egg and cheese biscuit?
2 different things going on.
First, on the McDonald’s side…the sing is circa 2000; the kids clothes & some moves are from the late 80’s. It would be like playing a Britney Spears song (or whatever was popular with you 5 years ago) & having a kid dressed in 80’s Duran Duran – type of clothes dancing to it.
But the Chicagoist reactions to the commercial…First, Chuck, it’s not a fad…it’s played 8 years later, right alongside the Electric Slide & YMCA. That, along with the first comment, shows a cultural divide.
I learned the Cha Cha Slide at least 7 years ago (maybe a bit more) while volunteering with our church’s youth group in Uptown. When it really WAS in a fad stage, we danced it at least twice a night for several weeks in a row.
Then in 2001, I went to my high school reunion, the Hoffman Estates High School class of 1991 (the village was literally 99% white when I grew up; about 98% or so around graduation). First they played the Electric Slide, which I have never have, & probably never will, understand, & just flounder around when it’s on. Then we did the Cha Cha Slide; I looked around & saw I was the best dancer on the floor!
The Cha Cha slide, in my opinion, is a fun party song because it’s easy to learn (the instructions are there when you dance), & it’s good fun party music for all ages. But the McDonald’s commercial doesn’t seem like the people who created it understand it very well.
It took me a minute, but I knew I remembered reading something about this awhile back.
The Cha Cha Slide was recorded at a recording studio known as M.O.B. Records Inc, which was part of the Gangster Disciple empire, the same racket that took down Arenda Troutman.
From JP Paulus / Commenter #2 (and now #4)
Kevin, i like your stuff on Uptown...but it sounds like you're implying that the Cha Cha Slide is a "gang song".
The Cha Cha Slide is being sold by Wal Mart, and was developed by WGCI, one of Chicago's most important radio stations.
Here's a bio on Casper, from Wal-Mart's website at --> http://musicdownloads.walmart.com/catalog/servlet/AlbumServlet;jsessionid=GYzLkJcJ5W2DjngC2H4zhTyVWhnqTlFptTW80cl2zJcq0gQCVVD1!579385?id=59210
About the Artist
b. Willie Perry, Chicago, Illinois, USA. This Chicago-based DJ/performer enjoyed local notoriety and a brief period of national fame as the instigator of the Cha-Cha Slide dance routine. Perry was raised in the Englewood district of Chicago, and was given the moniker Casper at the age of seven. His love of dancing led to success at the city's annual World's Largest Steppers Contest. The origins of the Cha-Cha Slide date back to 1996, when Mr. C created the slide dance for a personal trainer. The dance became a popular aerobic exercise at fitness clubs, and four years later he was approached by Chicago's WGCI radio station about recording a song to showcase the dance. The city's M.O.B. Records label became involved as well, helping Mr. C create a whole album to promote the dance. Cha-Cha Slide was picked up for national distribution by Universal Records, and broke into the national Top 100 the following January.