If you’ve been to any club in Shanghai in the last few months, it’s impossible not to have heard this tune being played at least once during the evening. But if you don’t have Shazam on your iPhone, you might still not know what the song is called or who it’s by, so I thought I’d help out and post the details here.
It’s called Nobody by South Korean pop sensation girl group (I won’t use the word “band”) Wonder Girls. Apparently they are huge in South Korea and recently opened for The Jonas Brothers in the US as part of their bid to break in to the American market. If you like “manufactured” bands with catchy tunes that are easy on the eyes, this might be for you.
As an aside, we all know YouTube has been blocked in China which is why I’ve linked to Chinese website Youku, but I have just noticed that Youku seems to be blocked outside of China. So now I am in the ludicrous situation of having to link to a Chinese site for Chinese readers AND link to YouTube for those of you outside of China. Arrrghhhh!
So anyway, if you are outside of China, you can find the video clip here on Youtube.
Right, that’s quite enough on the Wonder Girls. For serious music lovers (especially if you’re a fan of Muse – the British band, NOT the club), watch this space for an announcement about the biggest music event of 2010 so far in Beijing next Friday night!
January 17th, 2010 at 11:49 am
Just when you think it cant get any worse… it does. Nobody, nobody.. should have to listen to that!
January 17th, 2010 at 11:52 am
@Rich – LOL, come on, you KNOW you like it really! Have they reached the UK clubs yet?
January 17th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
This one and “Sorry Sorry” are quite popular now…
btw, http://www.midomi.com/ is good for finding a song name by humming.
January 17th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
this song was madness in Singapore 6 months ago…’nobody nobody butchew!!!’
January 17th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
@Seraph – Thanks for the link, will try it out, sounds quite cool if it works just by humming.
@Karyn – And now it’s madness here in Shanghai (to be fair it has been for a while). “right next to you is where I need to PEE”. Those girls are kinky, me likey!
January 17th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
It’s quite possible that this is being played in the clubs. I’m guessing it’s one they reserve for ‘International Student Night’ since we do have a few Koreans here in Cambridge. Unless there’s a Timbaland remix I cant see it getting much play.
January 17th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
South Korea’s version of the Spice Girls. I see World Domination very soon. It could be worse,but as yet I cannot imagine how. Catchy and annoying, I can’t help but like it.
January 18th, 2010 at 12:34 am
Youku works just fine here in the states. I don’t believe it has ever been blocked, or any Chinese sites that I know of.
The only thing “The Wonder Girls” are making me wonder is if anyone actually believes that its them doing the singing.
January 18th, 2010 at 6:15 am
Blocked in UK. Shame the Wondergirls aren’t
January 18th, 2010 at 6:48 am
Thought that was odd about YouKu being blocked. Actually I did find some US netizens that have some YouKu material blocked due to copyright infringement. I think The Wonder Girls are safe though.
January 18th, 2010 at 9:31 am
that song is soooo annoying, but sadly so very catchy.
(as an amusing side note: this past spring my father and i were joking around about that song when my nieces were playing it off an ipod at a family gathering . . . and he BUSTED out in DANCE! complete with leg lift – had me in tears!!)
January 18th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
@Hopfrog – Yes, I was going to do a post about this. I discovered some Chinese sites behave differently OUTSIDE China and I am sure it’s due to copyright issues.
@Angie – Was it the Korean version? I guess your father likes it partly for that reason. Plus, they’re “easy on the eyes”.
@Rich – Come on we all know you love it, it’s 100 times better than Lady Gaga!
January 18th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
@Kim C – Caught myself singing it a few times at the weekend and almost had to cut my tongue off.
January 19th, 2010 at 5:43 am
Ah, Lady Gaga. 2 things. Firstly, I think Tate would argue otherwise. He’s quite a fan of the Gaga Lady. Secondly, I think I heard on the radio that she was performing with SuBo at some event over here. Could have been an awards ceremony. Would be funny if they were both in matching outfits.
January 20th, 2010 at 2:44 am
Trying to imagine Lady Gaga and SuBo sharing the same stage. Unimaginable!
January 21st, 2010 at 5:30 pm
Wonder Girls had big hits playing everywhere in Thailand in the beginning of 2009…CHina is coming bit late to the party.
January 21st, 2010 at 5:32 pm
And ps. They are not so pleasing for the eye in real life. Saw them do a promo gig in Bangkok. Would consider one of them on “to-do” list (sorry by honest barbarism).
January 21st, 2010 at 8:15 pm
The trash music spreads…never knew this piece of crap had been stiched up with the Korean spice girls! Very smart business move by the western executive behind this, asians are expecially into this kind of “music”.
Nothing is worse than 1-3x every night out hearing “I have a feeling, tonight is gonna be a good good night” this song makes me want to barf and get violent at the same time.
January 21st, 2010 at 9:24 pm
@Mr V – Yes, you’re right on that. They look great from a distance with make up, less so, much less so, close up. I guess I’ve just blown my chances with any of them, but oh well.
@EQ – Ah the awesome black eyed peas! My Humps is my personal favourite …. the Alanis Morissette spoof version!