The Rickroll began as an internet bait-and-switch prank built around Rick Astley's 1987 hit Never Gonna Give You Up, where a promising link unexpectedly opened the song's video instead. It became one of the web's most durable jokes because the reveal was instantly recognisable and harmless. This deliberately bad version keeps that same surprise but adds a second layer, offering creators a worn-out, off-key take for audiences who already know the original gag by heart.