When the song’s chorus is “C’mon baby, America!” how can the Japan-stationed men and women of the United States Marine Corps not start dancing?
During their heyday in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, Japanese boy band Da Pump was one of the hottest acts in the J-pop world, winning fans with their pumping beats and coordinated dance moves. Four years ago, however, they went on extended hiatus following the release of their 28th single, “New Position,” in the fall of 2014.
This summer, though, Da Pump burst back onto the music scene with “U.S.A.,” an energetic dance pop tune that went on sale in June. Mixing loving shout-outs to American landmarks such as the Pacific Coast and New York’s Times Square with inclusive statements like “We’re all people of Earth, riding on the same ship,” the song is filled with positive vibes, and its catchy chorus of “C’mon baby, America!” has been stuck in Japan’s head all summer long.
▼ And now it can be stuck in yours, too.
The song’s official music video, seen above, has racked up over 53 million views. But another version has also achieved an impressive view tally of over 6.3 million in less than two days, and it’s from a very unexpected group of fans: the United States Marine Corps.
The official Japanese-language Twitter account of the U.S. Marines’ Japanese operations decided to record their own fan video for Da Pump’s latest hit, with uniformed personnel dancing up a storm to the sound of Da Pump passionately singing the name of their home country.
In addition to giving the video several hundred thousand likes, Japanese Twitter users left comments including:
“Soldiers having fun is proof that we’re at peace. USAヽ(´ー｀)ノ！！”
“That’s the U.S. Marines for you. You can feel their sense of humor, broad-mindedness, cheerfulness, and patriotism.”
“They’ve got some pretty sharp moves!”
“Please make a full-length version for the entire song!”
“Cool and cute.”
“Awesome! Now I want them to dance with members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces.”
Actually, that last request might be possible, seeing as there’s also a video floating around online of a JSDF squad dancing to “U.S.A.”
In the meantime, the U.S, Marines’ version has also received a nod of approval from Da Pump’s lead vocalist, Issa Hentona.
▼ “They’re doing the ‘C’mon baby’ part!”
This isn’t the first time for Japan-stationed marines to get in on local dance crazes. Last year, the official Twitter account also shared the military branch’s take on the Love Dance/Koi Dance that became a cultural phenomenon, so odds are this isn’t the last dance performance we’ll see from them.
Source, images: Twitter/@mcipacpao
[ Read in Japanese ]