Move over, “Call Me Maybe,” there’s a new song capturing the hearts of everyone around. This one even comes with some pretty sweet dance moves.

All you have to do is dance like you’re riding a horse. And we’ve all done that a few too many times on a Friday night.

Obviously, we’re talking “Gangnam Style,” from South Korean rapper Psy. It’s a ridiculous music video, a pop song on the rise and a dance craze sweeping the nation.

And it proves, for some reason, that people just love dance crazes.

Psy has already taught Ellen DeGeneres and Britney Spears how to get their “Gangnam Style” on. Then, he took the stage of the “Today” show to perform his dance-friendly hit.

But “Gangnam Style” truly joined the ranks of the pop culture elite last Saturday. During the premiere episode of “Saturday Night Live,” a sketch featured a spoof of the popular song.

Three Lids employees cheer themselves up by pressing a button, unleashing comedian Bobby Moynihan in all his “Gangnam Style,” lip-syncing glory. Once everyone thought the sketch’s punch line was played out, Psy himself emerged from the Lids storage closet he was hiding in.

Psy, Moynihan, two “sexy lady” impersonators from the video and fake horse heads all joined in for the closing.

“Gangnam Style” seems to be the perfect storm of weirdness and a catchy tune to have strong staying power. It takes two types of viral media — songs you can’t avoid, like “Call Me Maybe,” and videos no one can stop posting on Facebook, like winter’s “Sh*t X People Say” videos — and throws them together for a dominating four-minute experience.

Sitting in my magazine editing class this Tuesday, I couldn’t stop hearing Psy singing in my head. And technically, I don’t even know any words other than “Gangnam style” and “sexy lady.”

But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to ride my imaginary horse in the middle of class.

Although songs like “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” by Soulja Boy or the more recent “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO have inspired people to get their pre-choreographed groove on, “Gangnam Style” is definitely most reminiscent of 17-year-old wedding favorite “Macarena” by Los Del Rio.

I assume that 98 percent of the American population doesn’t know any of the words to “Macarena,” excluding the phrase “Aye, Macarena!”

Does that stop anyone from jumping onto the dance floor once they hear the 1995 single come on? Of course not — just like everyone who loves to “Gangnam Style.”

There are children in high school younger than the Latin hit, but all who can tell their right hand from their left still do the dance.

Whether we’re ready to admit it or not, dancing in public is ridiculous. It’s why no one is ready to dance at a party until the lights are turned off.

Dances like those for the “Macarena” and “Gangnam Style” just indulge that silliness. No one looks “cool” doing them and that’s why people love them. Instead of worrying about whether you look hot or like a hot mess, you can just laugh along with your friends about how dumb — and fun — the dance is.

Now we’ll just have to wait and see whether “Gangnam Style” becomes a wedding classic in 17 years.

Ariana Romero is a junior magazine journalism and political science major. Her column appears every week. She can be reached at akromero@syr.edu or followed on Twitter at @ArianaRomero17.

Published on September 20, 2012 at 3:39 am