Reaction-Analysis to VoicePlay's cover of "'Zat You, Santa Claus?"

[@gilliandrysdale5306]

J’s Louis Armstrong impression is fantastic

[@vdoyne]

Merry Christmas! Thanks for another VoicePlay reaction to their latest Christmas tune. I enjoy the detail in your analysis. Always good to see J. back with the guys. He does a great Louis Armstrong tribute. You are correct. Layne had a new toy to use for this one...they used a robotic arm with multiple cameras. Eli had to connect his computer with the lighting cues to the robotic arm’s computer to sync everything up. They don't release anything that isn't outstanding. This is a fun one from VoicePlay! Geoff's solo Christmas release, "Carol of the Bells," also dropped Dec. 6th and is awe inspiring; it exceeded one million KZbin views yesterday. Judging from his album art, the Geoffquakes did some damage! LOL

[@ShirleyLane-i2w]

J None was a member of Voice Play but went in the Navy singing in their choir. He comes back and joins the boys when he can

[@hollyryalsgrubb1273]

I love the attention to detail in all of David's reactions. I've watched this video multiple times, and yet there are elements that he points out that I've not noticed in all of my watches. David has so much additional background knowledge about the videos creation process that it's almost like a play by play recap. It's a great bit of fun to see VoicePlay enjoying a great tune in a fantastic video. It's the kings of Halloween bringing us a Christmas present.

[@Aurora-cv5to]

what a joy to find this in my feed tonight. Thank you! Your description of this as 'daft' feels exactly right, and a good description of Layne's humor. It's always clear which projects he takes on: they either have his signature humor or intense, internal emotion (thinking of True Colors). His humor is always just a bit off center, and I love it.

[@rmdewberry2482]

VoicePlay on Christmas?! YAY! TY, David. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[@CynicalTesuji]

Layne's range is comparable to Geoff's in a lot of ways, particularly if you exclude the subharmonics. If you recall, Layne took over the bass line in We Don't Talk About Bruno just prior to Geoff's Disney Princess moment, and he was the one who provided Geoff's 'stolen' vocals in Classical Chaos. What surprises me is that no one is commenting on J.'s rich bass tones "...shaking that way..." when he beautifully hands off the lead to Geoff. And it's a surprisingly smooth transition considering it's Geoff being handed the line; J's tone is very nearly as lush, if not quite as relaxed. It's a pretty cool indication of the work he's been doing in the Navy. I hope someone else has the answer about whether they own or simply leased the robot arm; I don't know, and I've been curious about that too!

[@ChristineCornish-l9z]

Always love your in-depth reactions of voiceplay and Geoff. Such an interesting and fun cover that leaves you feeling good inside.

[@yoclark2723]

That "scary movie" tune just reminds me of Laurel and Hardy in the haunted house. I wish I knew the name of it but it's iconic. It is a true Voiceplay tune. Halloween and Christmas at the same time. Love this tune, thanks for featuring it!

[@ShirleyLane-i2w]

I always enjoy your reactions. Thank you

[@sarahborzelli_Castellineicieli]

I love the amount of attention to little details you put in your analysis, David! Thank you for that! (Love your shirt 😉!)

[@LoriPeace]

So excited to see your reaction to this song!!

[@sudelaine8653]

Since you paid attention to the set, I'll add that the wallpaper is designed to look like birch bark, which is very cool for the semi-rustic decor.

[@ilonadever8249]

Although I'm old enough to remember this one, but I don't. It did not get a lot of play time on the radio and few artists would try to sound like Satchmo. Trust Voiceplay to pluck something out of the air and make it wonderful. Actually, they used to do this in their live shows at Christmas. They commented on a few things that they missed in all of those shifts. One of them is the gift. it only appears when Cesar is holding it on the left side of the sofa.... The whistle is Layne. Cesar appeared to do it the first time, but no one was carrying the look the second time. And I love your reactions to Voiceplay and to Geoff. Looking forward to later today.

[@dominique2812]

Ha! You were off by ten minutes 😂 When you said the time, it was 10.38 pm on my time 🤣 Anyway I loved your reaction and analysis of VoicePlay’s video and I love that you saved their video for the release on Christmas Day! For the past four years VoicePlay has been putting me in the Christmas spirit! Honestly I can’t imagine a Christmas without their music anymore! Or without Geoff’s Christmas songs! Can’t wait to watch you seeing and hearing Carol of the Bells 🔔next. He will just blow you away!!! Merry Christmas to you 🎄

[@annel6265]

So much fun! love, love, love it!

[@MarieDesJardin]

Yup, you got the robotic movement description correct, as far as I understand it. Geoff always has his phone in his back pocket, and can be separated from his Apple watch only under the most extreme costuming demands. Which is only responsible because, as you point out, he and Layne are the "parents" in VoicePlay. (Layne in a chat confirmed that he was the whistler.) Such a pleasure to get a new reaction from you on Christmas day. Have a splendid holiday!

[@Starrynightdiner]

I always give Geoff a hard time for wearing the apple watch all the time. But he recently explained he has a fear of being trapped. And if he was trapped and didn’t have his phone, he would be able to call for help on his watch. Yes he is a little neurotic. It is part of what i love about him ❤❤

[@carinarodebak9419]

The boys with their new toy- the robotic camera arm. Third time Layne arranged this song. It's on their Peppermint album and they used to perfom this live. The topper was printed out and given to their top-tier patreons. The coach was stored for several years, waiting for a Christmas video that never occured and therefore cleared away. Then this idea dawned upon them and they had to go and borrow it back from another tenant of the mall, IIRR. Bucky was the drunken sailor and the choreographer of Monster Mash and long ago a shorttime member of the early incarnation of VoicePlay. Santa in Oogie Boogie was Geoffs brother-in-law and father of intro kid in Just Sing. I find that Cesar and also Eli often 'illustrate' the lyrics in movement or pointing parts of the anatomy. Sometimes the others too, but mainly those two. Merry Christmas David.

[@carinarodebak9419]

PS The range of Layne is equal to Geoff, I believe, especially if you include the beat-boxing. Another reactor, Klovn is a pr beat-boxer and has lots of insight on the sounds of Layne and often on the bassline of Geoff as well. IIRR your theory on mouthpositions between percussion and singing for Layne is correct.

[@tracyz9155]

To me, the “creepy” feeling kind of explains why some small children react to Santa like other costumed figures. You have to be taught that Santa brings good things but maybe being wary is a good thing.

[@janetdw]

@@tracyz9155 Yeah, it’s hard to enforce the stranger danger & be careful about people you don’t know line and then go to the mall and tell them here is this crazy looking man in a red suit yelling ho ho ho but “go up and sit on his lap!”😂

[@alexwalker8440]

So glad to find you back with VoicePlay! I know you can't stick with only 1 or 2 artists, but two months is too long to stay away, isn't it? Lots of catching up to do!! Happy Holidays!!

[@karenponchak5304]

if you take the notes to the first part of the solo "but I pause because" and add Geoff's walking bass riff that follows (the 5-4-3-2-1 of the scale), you get....... the reason it's a bit creepy sounding. (and you did catch it - later on, without Geoff "finishing it") and you seem to have missed Geoff's epic bass run at the end of Cesar's line "that is what I've been waiting for" (don't worry... I think everyone has pretty much missed it). Layne's solo is like the end of We Don't Talk About Bruno... he's mixing inhale and exhale sounds and singing in addition to percussion sounds. the final stack goes J., Cesar, Eli, J., Cesar, Eli, Cesar, J.

[@coletedeux]

J was a permeant member of VoicePlay and was actively recruited by the U.S. Navy for the band/vocal as a bass. He is able to come and play with his friends whenever he has some time off (leave). No one knows if he will return at the end of his enlistment - or at least they aren't saying. I think he has 2 or 3 more years to go.

[@ShirleyLane-i2w]

I remember Geoff saying at one time that Layne sprained his tongue lol

[@coletedeux]

[@janetdw]

They had a lot of fun with this one which is a bit of a tribute to camaraderie and friendship and their willingness to share with all of us. I really enjoyed the Satchmo improv that J did at the end. It’s a nice tribute to the original artist. They used a robotic arm (I think with multiple cameras) that was also on a track so they just watched where the camera was and are always looking at us as they sing. Maybe because I first heard it from Harry Connick Jr, but I’ve always thought this sounded like a New Orleans sound song and this really gives me that same feeling. Another reactor just happened to pause at least twice during one of the morph sections and it was quite creepy. At one point Cesar had two mouths😮. Between the lyrics and the way they arranged it, it is a tad creepy. Your analysis made it more clear to me why that was. I think it’s funny that during the “running and running, he’s coming to get you” section all the guys are reaching for J just like they were all after him in Thriller.

[@EnsembleStantePede]

Yours was the reaction l didn't know l was waiting for😜 I love in depth analysises, as l am musically illiterate, l only know, what l like and l love to be shown WHY! And with VoicePlay and solo Geoff there are always so many details contributing to the fun, it is amazing. Thanks a LOT for this. It was really educational and l subscribed for more!

[@patjayne5273]

Yay! Been missing your vids on VP… 😊

[@coletedeux]

Truly appreciated Christmas present. Just what I needed! How did you know?

[@coletedeux]

10:44 pm here in Michigan.

[@michelgoossens7550]

J-None was member of Voiceplay until he got called up by the Navy, now he perform with VP when ever he can

[@bjspeck4337]

This came out in 1953 by Louis Armstrong plus friends. I figure that the late great Satchmo loaned J None his voice to make sure it was right. (I do know this is definitely J None.) Santa is the Drunken Sailor! These guys have a new robotic arm that lets them do the moves.

[@felicitymcdonald24]

Maybe you've figured it out by now, but the stockings have everyone's initials on them - G, C, J, E, and L. Also the melody connection you made regarding "hope you've not been bad" may *potentially* have some weight to it - it's not part of the original song; that whole "he's coming for you" is a VoicePlay original bit, and has been since this was first covered on their Peppermint Winter album in 2012! (Or done at their live shows at Disney World, whichever came first.) Also I'm happy you noticed Geoff's pleased look during one of Eli's solo parts - it makes me happy and nobody else has mentioned it in reactions!

[@Wildecat10]

Unfortunately, they’re not selling the tree topper. They had some 3D printed, but just enough to send out as gifts to their top level patrons.

[@mariahaggmark9619]

*sad* That topper needs to be in the merch shop for next christmas 😥😀😍

[@mariahaggmark9619]

💕🎵🎶💕 Love your analysis 😍 I think Layne does something called throat bass to make those low notes? Are there any bestboxers here, who can explain what that actually means? @clownreacts?

[@thisismetoday7423]

Wasn’t this so good??? ❤