When I hear Rick Astley, it makes me dance

One Christmas present that's been getting a lot of play over Christmas break is the Just Dance 4 Xbox game:

Why yes, that is Psy. This game has been really fun for all of us -- it has a pretty diverse mix of music, and while I expected the kids to like certain songs on it (Call Me Maybe), others of their favorites have been a pleasant surprise (Istanbul/They Might Be Giants). One that the girls are playing all. the. time. is Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. I was peeling potatoes in the kitchen with David earlier when I heard it emanating from the basement for the 15th time this weekend, and I commented to him, "geez, they love them some Rick Astley." He replied, "they are 8 and 5 year old girls, of course they love Rick Astley." I never knew that that was his fan base! The game graphics for Never Gonna Give You Up are pretty trippy; it's like telling your friend about that weird dream you had the other night:

"I'm in this city, like a Gotham or a Metropolis, when everything starts hitting the fan. Random fires breaking out. The freaking Titanic sinking in the middle of the city. UFOs. And then just when it seems like it can't get any worse, here comes Godzilla. I remember being immobilized by fear - couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't scream. Then of a sudden I see this bona fide superhero on the roof of one of the buildings -- cape, mask, tights, the works -- and this wave of relief washes over me. Only then I realize that something isn't right -- the city is burning around him and dude is completely oblivious because he is too busy dancing to Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up. And then I woke up."

Caroline explained it to me when I joined her on the sofa to watch Elizabeth dance: "He's not doing his job. He's supposed to save the town, but he's dancing instead." There is no way to know if he'd be a competent superhero if it weren't for that Rick Astley kryponite.