* Music: The original music comes from "The Wheels on the Bus", a traditional children's song. The melody is instantly recognizable and was used as the base for the "Hamster Dance" song.
* Lyrics: The lyrics were originally written in German by Michael Zager under the pseudonym "The Germs", for a website called "Hamster Dance" which was launched in 1998. The lyrics were initially written as a simple, humorous description of hamsters running on wheels, but were later adapted into English.
* Animation: The animated GIF featuring hamsters dancing was created by "The Germs" and was originally intended to be a simple animation for the "Hamster Dance" website.
The song's popularity:
The combination of the familiar melody, silly lyrics, and charming animation led to the song going viral. It spread rapidly across the internet, becoming a massive cultural phenomenon in the late 90s and early 2000s. It even reached mainstream popularity, with numerous artists recording their own versions of the song.
While the original music is rooted in traditional children's music, the "Hamster Dance" song itself is largely a product of the internet and the early days of viral content. The song is a testament to the power of simple humor and the rapid spread of information in the digital age.