Many know this is one of my favorite songs of all time. That, and my favorite karaoke song of ALL TIME. Snooky and I are an excellent duet, and perform this on a regular basis at karaoke venues across the triangle.
But today is your turn to rate! I’m including four different versions of Total Eclipse here, and would like your comparative ratings!
CHALLENGE… If we can get ten people to participate (people, I know the numbers. I get at least 100 hits a day, so 10% participation is totally doable) I will post a full length video of a Snooky/Janice version (don’t worry, stage names are coming). Bonus points for first-time commenters 🙂 I often wonder who makes up the 100 hits…
Here ya go!
JOSH GROBAN/ELLEN DEGENERES
LIN YU CHUN/WILLIAM SHATNER
THE DAN BAND VERSION
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART: LITERAL VERSION
Rate Your World 
First of all, where’s the Hurra Torpedo version? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIaz6zBz1go – you have to respect a band that plays that song with kitchen appliances.
Here’s my ratings:
Josh Grobin/Ellen Degeneres – 3 – really not that funny, even though they thought they were funny.
Lin Yu Chan & Shatner – 8 – the juxtaposition was fantastic. And you can’t beat Shatner “singing.”
Dan Band Version – 5 – this was hilarious in the movie, not as funny on stage.
Literal Version – 10 – brilliant. Proves that this song is really about an inappropriate relationship between Bonnie Tyler and a high school student.
Damnit! How am I not the first commenter!
Oh well…
Okay…here are my ratings…
Josh Grobin/Ellen Degeneres – Ellen talks to fast…its like she’s afraid you will disagree so she never gives you a chance to talk. Totally cheezy rendition. I give it a 2.
Lin Yu Chan & Shatner – Okay…these guys are hilarious. The seriousness of Lin Yu and what must have been peeing on the inside laughing Shatner was funny. He’s such an media whore and I love it. I give them a 7.
Dan Band Version – Funny. Cheezy. All around good but what’s with his serious singing. I like the person holding the candle holder instead of a lighter…and the background guys. But it was the same all the way through. I give a 7.
Literal Version – Now THIS is the Bee’s Nuts! Hilarious and clever and witty. They win hands down. 10
I’m going to buck the trend here and give Lin Yu and Shatner a 9, simply because I can’t look at that bowl cut without cracking up.
Grobin and Ellen aren’t funny or particularly noteworthy. I give it a 2
Dan Brown Band gets a 7, and the Literal Version an 8.
Total: 10; LITERAL VERSION – Very clever.
Total: 8; Dan Band- Again, funny stuff.
Total: 1; LIN YU CHUN – +9 for the hair. WILLIAM SHATNER -8 he sucks at life.
Total: 8; JOSH GROBAN – +0 I just googled him. Where have I been that I don’t have a clue who this is. ELLEN DEGENERES – +8 (she’s funny).
Andy- YOU in fact suck at life. Shat is the MAN! Common People is one of my favorite songs of all time! This comment makes me question your integrity as a human being.
As far as my ratings go…I feel like Literal and Chun/Shat are both nines, but for different reasons. It’s like comparing apples and oranges. The literal video is hilarious on its own merit, while Shatner is just brilliant. (This is a biased rating, as both of these videos have been in my FB status feed in the last 6 months ;))
Ellen/Groben- meh. 3
Dan Band- less meh-y than Ellen…. 5
Ellen/Josh Groban: 2 – I love Ellen and think she’s hilarious…usually. I also like Josh Groban…great chops, but not for karaoke. -4 for trying to be funny. -4 for Josh Groban actually being a good singer.
Lin/Capt. Kirk: 7 – Hilarious! +2 for the great bowl cut and +2 for the sweater vest (classy!). +3 for Shattnerizing the song (speaking instead of singing…BRILLIANT!). +2 for bringing sexy back with Shattner’s flayed shirt opening. However, to be consistent, -2 for Lin actually being a good singer (only -2 cuz he’s half as good as Josh Groban).
Dan Band: 8 – Big fan! +3 because Dan seems like he was actually drunk for this performance (more realistic for karaoke). +2 for the background singers – great choreography. My personal favs – the shimmy in front of the lights and “Carlton” dance at the end. +2 for cussing…well played. +1 because it makes me laugh. -1.8 because the movie version is funnier.
Literal Version: 6 – +4 because it’s fun to laugh about the 80’s and the crazy, drug induced videos (for the record, I LOVE the 80’s, so I’m not judging here). +2 because these two are not musicians – talented enough for entertaining karaoke, not talented enough to make money. -4 because they have too much time on their hands and I’m jealous.
Thanks for sharing the many renditions of this song I never knew existed. Here are my ratings.
Ellen and Josh Groban 7: They actually sounded better together than I expected and I love Ellen. How can you not love Ellen? -3 for Josh Groban trying to sing this song like he does “You Lift Me Up” Someone must have forgot to tell him this was karaoke.
Lin Yu Chan and Shatner 5: I thought Lin Yu Chan actually sounded decent. I hate William Shatner and the fact that he didn’t even attempt to sing deserves -4.
Dan Band 8: Funny and they sounded good.
Literal Version: 9 for their creativity, -1 because it was over 5 minutes and my attention span only lasts 3 minutes so I didn’t even finish it.
This has been up for 7 1/2 hours and I am still in the first 10 to rate this?!? What?!? Come on, we need to get a version of Janice and Snooky up on the web!!! I”m taking this to the streets…
Josh/Ellen: 5 – gotta agree with those above, not as impressive as what I thought it would be -2 for not living up to my dreams; I love Josh typically, but his attempt at being overly dramatic particularly at the beginning -1; lack of choreographed moves -2
Lin/Shatner: 10 – this is just crazy hilarious to me, laughing out loud funny +4; seriousness of Lin -1; seriousness of Lin +1; straightfacedness of Shatner +1; willingness of Lin to perform with Shatner +2; Shatner continuing to ‘perform’ at 79 years old!! +3
Literal Version: 8 – just because it is just that good!; -2 for the talking over the instrumental parts..reminders of Beevis & Butthead…
Dan Band: 8 Good use of explicatives +2; love the outfits +3; not as happening in the live version -2; enjoyment of random audience with candle and many obvious faces of pure excitement of the song +4; totally in to the enjoyment of the lead singer +1
I believe you and Snooky need to have a couple of signature items in your performance, whether that is choreography, constantly walking further and further apart through the song, forgetting words, crazy outfits, jumps into a mosh pit…totally open for interpretation.
🙂
This is a song about one thing, and only one thing- A person that needs another person.
This person needs that person so much that if this person doesn’t get that person, this person will fall apart. Literally, fall apart. That sounds bad, and also, not good. You better believe that this person is going to do whatever it takes to get that person, and then hold that person forever. Forever! That’s a long time!
So, it comes down to a question of believability. Who convinces me the most?
Do I believe that Ellen Degeneres will literally fall apart without Josh Groban? No. You see, she’s a lesbian and he’s a man. She doesn’t need him for anything beside a baby. Even then, it wouldn’t last forever, probably not even an hour. I give them a 4.
Do I believe that William Shatner will literally fall apart without a funny looking Asian kid? Tell me, what does the kid bring to their relationship? You think that kid can book a rental car for less than Shatner? How about a hotel room? I bet that kid hasn’t even been where no man has been before- in fact, it’s impossible because Shatner’s already been there. The relationship is nonsensical at best. Mostly, just creepy. 2
I can’t comment on the literal version. I just don’t understand it. I mean, sure, it’s lucky that they found a video that randomly matches the song they wrote, but why would they write a song like that in the first place? It makes no sense. 0
This brings us to Daniel’s Band’s version. You know how I know he’s serious? He’s swearing. If you’re about to literally fall apart, you better believe you’ll be swearing. Also, probably screaming. Maybe even crying. But definitely swearing.
Also, look at the guy. He’s married to a famous actress with lots of money, he’s probably singing about her. Without her, he has to go back to working at the gas station and having no money. And, as we all know, the very worst thing in the world besides literally falling apart, is being poor. Daniel has something at stake, and that’s exactly the way he sings. 10
3: Ellen played it way cautious. Maybe it was because her voice would crack, but she had Josh Groban to help her cover. I just wasn’t a fan of this rendition. At all. What a terrible ending.
+2 Josh Groban
+1 It was only 3 minutes.
9: It’s hard to imagine how this could have been much funnier. I’ve found Shatner to be hilarious ever since I was introduced to his music in undergrad. Although I didn’t know thus Chun fellow and his bowl cut, I found him to be hilarious. I like that they went heartfelt, and really put some emotion and energy into it and then scaled it back.
-1 it was super brief, and I honestly would have enjoyed more.
6: Ha ha, I found their twirling at the beginning to be quite funny. I must admit I was reminded a bit of Janice busting out the F-bomb. Is this where you got it from, Jan? Or is it a Janice original and he ripped it off from you?
-3 too much unnecessary cursing.
-1 I really despised the turning it into a fast beat at the end.
8: I love the dancing ninjas! So random! The Fonzie clones are also amazing. Have I mentioned how I love the 80s? The Eva Peron reference was pretty comical. This is CLEARLY about her first day teaching at this prep school.
-1 I’m with Scott, super jealous at the time the creators have on their hands.
-1 I didn’t like the segment that started with “having to go to the bathroom.”
I’m tenth!!! Can’t wait for the Janice and Snooky rendition!
Lauren, my mother reads this. You know I would never think of dropping the f-bomb in public. Especially when there’s a microphone and large crowds involved…
Living for the tens! http://www.rateyourworld.wordpress.com
Um, I mean, clearly, of course. You let it slip once accidentally when we were on a road trip, I think. I know it was accidental, and I don’t think it’s happened since. Actually, I’m certain it hasn’t happened since then. Also, I clearly need to identify myself as LEF since there is another Lauren.
Okay, so I know I am WAY LATE in getting to this post, but I told you I would watch and respond when I could. Since the results have already been posted I am not going to rate each one, but I did want to share a few thoughts:
1. The Dan Band version of this song should be the only version performed from now on. Don’t you think vulgarity adds to the songs passion? I do 🙂
2. I couldn’t even make it through the version with William Shatner. I am not a fan of his at all, although he did redeem himself a little while on Boston Legal…but that is only because he played a jackass so it was practically a reality show for him.
3. In my opinion Josh Groben and Ellen were #1. The guy harmonized with a woman who was singing in different keys and out of tune the entire song and made it sound GOOD! He rocks and Ellen is too cute.
When are you and Snooky going to record? All your fans are waiting….