Police in Russia are arguably more
infamous, than famous, but they've scored a major PR coup with a cover - sung by
the police choir - of Daft Punk's, Get Lucky. It's been a big hit on YouTube -
but do they know what they're singing about?
A hip sway here. A harmony there. You could hardly make it up. "We're up all
night to get lucky, we're up all night to get lucky," sing the Russian Interior
Ministry Ensemble, dressed to the nines in their uniforms and medals, and
largely straight-faced. They are the most unlikely YouTube stars. At the time of
writing, more than 1.5
million people have viewed the video.
The response has been mostly positive. "Russian
police rock," writes one university student in Moscow. "Our police have a
sense of humour. Cool!" writes
another. Artemy Troitsky, one of Russia's leading music critics, is a little
more circumspect about their performance. "It's quite adequate," he said. "The singing is OK." The reason it's made such waves, is that it's so left
field, he says - a bit like the Royal Guards at Buckingham Palace doing the Sex
Pistols.
Troitsky believes the video is, "100% a PR effort" aimed
at "softening" the image of the police, and giving them a more "human face".
There have been a number of incidents of alleged police brutality in recent
months, especially in their treatment of migrants.
But Get Lucky would seem be one step further in that vein - with its clear
(to native English speakers) sexually suggestive overtones. Daft Punk is very
much associated with the gay disco scene, making it an even more incongruous
choice, says Troitsky - given the Russian authorities crack
down on homosexuality. Either this is an incredibly brave move by the
police, he says, or they simply didn't understand the words. He suspects the
latter.
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