No, I don’t mean “Elvis.” Do you know about Ylvis?  Ylvis is a comedy team comprised of two Norwegian brothers (ages 33 and 36).  They’ve done some television gigs and recorded a few songs in Norway — famed hits like Kjempeform; Sammens Finner Vi Frem; and Jag Heter Finn (as I recall, this was our wedding song).   Anyway, one of their songs has rocketed this Nordic duo into the stratosphere of pop culture. 

In 2013, the boys published a children’s book titled “What does the Fox Say.”  It soared to the top of the New York Times bestseller list for children.  And then they wrote a song.  Based on the title of their book.  WHOOOSH!!    It is the song – an electronic dance video – that draws the “wows.”  Since first posted on September 3, 2013, this music video became the most intensely watched YouTube video of all time.  Today it has over half a billion (with a “B“) views.  See www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE  (you may have to copy and paste this link into your browser).  The music videos I referenced on January 5, 2014, aren’t even in the same league. 

If you don’t know Ylvis, you may not know Psy – the South Korean phenom.   “What does the Fox Say” pales in comparison to Psy’s incredible “Gangnam Style” video (see  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0 ).   Psy’s electronic dance video is the most watched – ever – video with 2.2 billion views.  Very cool.  I really gotta learn to speak Korean. . . .