The Red Army Choir was established in 1939 at the height of the Soviet era to proclaim the great ideals of communism and boost soldiers’ morale.
They have always been known for their renditions of classic Russian folk songs and patriotic tunes.
One wouldn’t blame Stalin for turning over in his grave if he knew that the choir is now becoming well-known for their pop song covers, such as Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” and Adele’s “Skyfall.”
The most recent addition to their repertoire is Pharrell Williams’ infectious hit “Happy.”
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In a music video uploaded to the Russian Interior Ministry’s YouTube channel on Dec. 29, members of the choir play out a scene where a traffic cop just can’t control his happy feet when he overhears the pop song as a cellphone ringtone.
Entitled “Happy New Year!” the video shows the choristers wearing their signature tall hats and military uniforms, clapping their hands and bopping along to the beat.
In just a few days, the video has accumulated over 400,000 views and made headlines around the world.
Ironically, before the music video was released, bystander footage of the footloose traffic cop became a point of controversy as investigators from Russia’s Interior Ministry said they would look into whether he had broken laws by dancing while on duty.
It’s unlikely that the investigation will get very far.
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