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Pop Culture

Everyone on TikTok is recreating classic arcade fighting games with this classic ’80s song

Get into your fighting stance.

Photo of Charlotte Colombo

Charlotte Colombo

TOS — Everyone's fighting, and it's all New Order's fault
That One Sound is a column from internet culture reporter Charlotte Colombo that explores the origin of popular sounds heard on TikTok.
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For New Order, whose iconic ‘80s hit “Blue Monday” has gone viral, I have just one question: How does it feel?

@puwtok

dads 🤝🏼 forgetting your friends names

♬ Blue Monday – Extended Mix – Above & Beyond

The sound

Get into your fighting stance, as everyone has started squashing their beefs on TikTok with the power of … dance?

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This new dance/battle trend is a real blast from the past, as TikTokers incorporate the battle stances of classic arcade fighting games while ensuring they stay on the beat with this pulsating ‘80s tune. 

It involves two people simulating an argument, moving back and forth as they change their pose and fighting stance with every beat of the music.

The result is a stage fight that wouldn’t look out of place in games like Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat. Just with a lot less gore, obviously.

A lot of the time, the subject of the fight is something both low stakes and relatable, including a father forgetting his daughter’s friends name, whether to text a toxic ex, and a couple warring on whether they should order food

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@haleyybaylee @Pierson ♬ Blue Monday – Extended Mix – Above & Beyond

Where’s it from?

If you thought you heard a blast from the past, you’re right—the song people are fighting to is New Order’s “Blue Monday.”

Like a lot of ‘80s songs, there’s an extended version of it with an extra-long intro, which is the portion of the song TikTokers are taking advantage of in order to simulate their own, perfectly on-beat version of “Fight Out.”

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@solncevapolinaa reality of our relationship✋🏼 #fyp #fypシ #foryou #foryupage #recommendations #dance #relationship @꧁ Flex ꧂ ♬ Blue Monday – Extended Mix – Above & Beyond

Sound off

At the time of writing, the sound has been used in 242,100 videos. And credit is really due to @_soomin__4, who originated this trend sans the battle, but with delightfully vintage video game poses. 

@_soomin__4 친한친구랑 도전해봐😎 #dance #brother #형제 #fyp ♬ Blue Monday – Extended Mix – Above & Beyond
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