‘Call Me Maybe’ Cover Craze Continues With Video From Soldiers In Afghanistan [Video]

The “Call Me Maybe” cover video popularity is not over; a new rendition courtesy of soldiers in Afghanistan indicates the staying power of the catchy Carly Rae Jepson tune. Cookie Monster’s version of “Call Me Maybe” was cute, but the solders in Afghanistan’s Kunar Province took the dancing and creativity to the next level in their YouTube video.

Afghanistan troops made an online splash in 2010 when a cover video of Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” song was published on YouTube. This “Call Me Maybe” cover goes a step further and includes Afghan forces in the video alongside American troops. The “Call Me Maybe” video shows Afghanistan troops performing as back up dancers behind the American soldiers. In one scene during the Afghanistan “Call Me Maybe” video, an American soldier teaches an Afghan soldier how to do some pop star dance moves.

The Afghanistan “Call Me Maybe” video even includes special effects. Part of the video created by American soldiers takes places as a mortar team is firing off rounds in the background. US Defense Department officials were “unable to say” if the “Call Me Maybe” scene with the firing mortar team was recorded during an active engagement, which would be a violation of military rules, the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Without endorsing the video, and only from the standpoint of choreography, some of it beats a few of the synchronized sports routines the recent Olympics,” a US Defense Department official told the Wall Street Journal.

Some music fans may have tired from hearing the often played and covered “Call Me Maybe” song and are not eager to watch yet another video rendition of the tune. But, the Afghanistan “Call Me Maybe” video appears to have provided a bit of levity for the soldiers serving in the Middle East, something which is likely a rare occurrence and should garner a thumbs up on YouTube for that reason alone.