Hampsterdance began in the late 1990s as a simple web page filled with animated hamsters dancing to a sped-up sample from Disney's Robin Hood. The page spread by email and early links long before social media, turning the loop into one of the first viral internet songs. A later commercial single had to use a different recording because Disney would not license this version, which is why this original website sample sounds distinct and remains the version longtime fans remember and share.