Following in the footsteps of Mariah Carey and Carly Rae Jepsen, Robin Thicke sat down with Jimmy Fallon and The Roots to perform a rousing rendition of “Blurred Lines,” stripped down with some kiddie instruments. Unsurprisingly, the song is just as fun with maracas and a colorful xylophone, and features a new verse by Roots MC Black Thought in place of T.I.’s original rap.
And with this video, as well as with the arrival of August—that loathsome month that signals the winding down of summer—it’s probably safe to declare Robin Thicke’s infectious dance hit the official song of the summer. The winning combination of irresistible, Marvin Gaye-inspired production by Pharrell; controversy stirred up by its lyrics and video; and the many many parodies and covers that continue to pop up every day has secured its place as the song-you-can’t-escape.
The only other true contender for the top spot this season has been Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” (also featuring Pharrell, and Nile Rogers), which saw a cultural peak in May, but has since cooled down considerably. As Chris Molanphy predicted here on Brow Beat, it stalled at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is now at No. 5, while “Blurred Lines” has sat at No. 1 for eight weeks, and shows no sign of slowing down. Has “Blurred Lines” reached peak saturation yet? We’re probably getting there, but covers like the one above will hold the moment at bay a little longer.
