A worthy addition to the subgenre of videos of the Super Mario theme being performed on various instruments by young people who were too young to have played the NES games as kids. These musical game-historians give me hope for the future, they truly do.

Mario Theme on Balalaika (Thanks, Putinoid!)

Previously:

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I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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Anonymous

I’m more jealous of his hair than anything.
Sam

Is this kid serious?

I snap my fingers dramatically after rubbing my nose too.
Anonymous

WARNING: How not to get laid.
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  Anonymous at right above me,
  
  So, so clueless to the erotic peccadilloes of the Boing Boing crowd you are.
Antinous / Moderator

Finally a balalaika!
Anonymous

This should have been in Dr Zhivago.
Anonymous

I love his showmanship and “I’m so intense, now I’m so casual” playing style more than his rendition.
Anonymous

omg He looks like Bert
ridl

Very sad that the guitar virtuoso link is all broked.
erissian

I always wondered what Charlie did to distract himself from the responsibility of running a chocolate factory…
Anonymous

@ Erissian:

Well played, my friend. Well played.
Anonymous

Wow, the balalaika looks like it’d be difficult to produce a good tone with it compared to instruments like the guitar and the violin. Props to the maker of this video.
Palilay

@noodle : I rather liked the Maestro stuff, it was a bit of showmanship in an otherwise kludgy but kooky performance. :)
t3hmadhatter

#4:
Win.
papercup mixmaster

The balalaika lends a wonderful sproingy note to the song, and I like how he exploits it for a few moments of jumping.
DRayMorton

When McCartney sang “Let me hear your balalaikas ringing out,” I wonder if this is what he envisioned…..
Abby

Two things I love – Mario and the balalaika.

Just because someone’s too young to have played NES when it was first on the scene doesn’t make them too young to have played it as kids. Mine still works… mostly.
Anonymous

Truly epic levels of instrumental vamping.
paddysat

James Hill on Uke is my favorite.
Anonymous

Finally! Geeky guys with big hair playing the balalaika :)
Anonymous

I guess you’re too young to remember that the name of the game is “Donkey Kong” not “Super Mario” :)
Anonymous

the first thirteen seconds of this video are some of the wierdest 13 seconds known to man.
aelfscine

Gradually the players in these videos are going to keep getting younger, until we’re watching doofy-haired fetuses, strumming in the womb.

Super Mario theme played on a balalaika

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