There was a trend early last year of making meme videos around Smash Mouth’s 1999 hit “All Star”. And today I want to revisit some of the best content that came out of that trend.
2018 memes are pretty boring for me. They’re standardised to the point of redundancy. I’ll write a longer blog post about this at some point, but I’m sick of seeing ‘three thing’ memes consisting of a trifecta of me // thing i like or should do // thing i don’t like or shouldn’t do. Literally they all follow this format: distracted boyfriend, ‘off ramp’, ‘bowling’, ‘gru’s plan’, ‘Jason Momoa Sneaking Up on Henry Cavill’, ‘is this a pigeon’. It’s all awful and contributing the internet hellscape we are all living in.
So 2017 Smash Mouth video memes an oasis of purity in this desolate wasteland of content. Let’s start off with something simple.
‘All Star’ by Smash Mouth, but all notes are in C
This is fun! I love when people take songs and mess around with the keys and stuff, like the major version of REM’s Losing my Religion.
This is especially fun because of how annoying it immediately gets. You’re so used to hearing the song rise and fall in pitch that hearing it entirely in one key is extremely frustrating. Good luck making it through the whole thing.
All Star but the melody is digitally remastered to be 200% more depressing
Actually quite moving.
SMASH MOUTH – ALL STAR BUT IT’S 1 BEAT OFF
This is so so so annoying. But it must be the hardest thing in the world to do, so I have nothing but respect for it.
“All Star” but it’s Sweet Home Alabama
This is when things start getting real good. Changing Smash Mouth to fit a different song. Especially when it’s a song as stupid as Sweet Home Alabama.
All Star but it’s Walking On The Sun by Santana feat. Rob Thomas
But it doesn’t have to be another band’s song! In this video, All Star is crunched up to fit into the lyrical tempo of another Smash Mouth song: ‘Walking On The Sun’. And in the video it’s played by Santana feat. Rob Thomas for some reason.
“All Star” by Smash Mouth, but only using the sounds and beats on my synth (and Ten Second Songs)
Here it is in a whole bunch of different genres! How fun!
All Star but it’s Donald Trump saying “covfefe”
Lol, I’d forgotten about the whole covfefe thing. Was that ever explained?
All Star by Smashmouth but every other word is reversed
Now we delve into the sub-genre of “but every word” videos. In this one, every other word is reversed. Why not every word? I don’t know!
“All Star” by Smashmouth but every word is someBODY
Sure, make EVERY word somebody. Why not? God is dead.
Allstar but every word is in alphabetical order
They sure do say “All Star” a lot.
All Star but the words are ordered by scrabble score
Just very very good.
All Star but “star” is replaced with Gordon Ramsay insults
Lmao. I love how long some of the clips are.
All Star but it’s played on the sharpest tool in my shed
Does what it says on the tin.
All Star But It’s Beethoven’s 5th Symphony in C Minor (1st mov.)
Similar to the ‘Smash Mouth mixed up with other pop songs’ genre, there’s another genre of All Star in the style of classical music. Sorry to all musicians.
All Star but it’s a Bach chorale following the conventions of the Common Practice Period
This is the one that convinced me All Star videos would be the greatest meme of all time. Not only is it a fantastic idea, but it’s perfectly executed. It’s not just a cheap joke, it’s fully backed up with knowledge and expertise. Kudos to the creator.
“All Star” by Smash Mouth but it’s Pachelbel’s Canon
The absolute pinnacle of the form. A modern masterpiece. The perfect bridge of modern and classical music. The zenith of human creativity and perfection.
And an honourable mention goes to…
Steamed Hams but it’s All Star
Delightfully devilish!