YouTube Video Of The Week: Week One

Like Abba, except with more members, more risque outfits and an Eastern European overlord

Moskau, Dschinghis Khan

Who among us is not partial to some Gypsy-disco-funk? Dschinghis Khan, according their website, are Germany’s most successful musical export (setting a high bar for future generations), formed in 1979 to blow the world away at Eurovision. Sadly, they lost out to Israel’s Gali Atari & Milk and Honey with their epic hit, Hallelujah. It was all about the music back then. Undeterred, Dschinghis Khan released Moskau the following year, which stayed at No.1 in Australia for 5 weeks and became an underground hit in the Soviet Union. We can all see the appeal of a man who looks like a Santa from the steppes of Ukraine, after all.

Enjoy. They don’t make Cossack-dancing, cloak-wearing German Eurovision bands daubed in gaudy primary colours like this anymore. Though I’ve yet to see the entries for 2011, so watch this space.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQAKRw6mToA

If you liked this, then you’ll love: Elektronik Supersonik, Zlad

I like to think this is an East German retort to the stunning success of Moskau. It’s not. Regardless, those cosmonauts seem to have a hell of a good time, and I can say with some certainty that Zlad’s lyrical genius is unparalleled across the former Soviet bloc.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp_PIjc2ga4