Let’s check in with the winner of the Night Water HitClips giveaway

At the end of my musings on the HitClips player last August, I suggested that it was time for them to make a comeback. These tiny plastic music players used cartridges loaded with 60-second song clips and blasted these tunes out of a single earbud—or, if you had the boombox, out of a surprisingly loud speaker.

After I sent out my HitClips article, my friend Drew actually found a bunch of HitClips players and clips at Goodwill. One day, I opened my mailbox to find a box full of HitClips, my first time seeing the toy since, I don’t know, 2002? And after listening to many HitClip songs, I have to admit… I think it’s fine if HitClips stay in the past.

When Drew suggested a HitClips giveaway for Night Water subscribers as part of a crossover with his podcast Sleep With Me, I jumped at the opportunity to subject a random Night Water reader to the unique tonal qualities of the HitClips player.

Dylan, the winner of the HitClips giveaway and Night Water’s 47th subscriber, was generous enough to share a few thoughts about HitClips.

Who are you and what is your deal?

Hey Night Water, I am Dylan and my deal is that I received a package in the mail from California with a HitClips player in it and a bunch of HitClips and now I am here, talking to all of you while you read this at night in your beds next to your glasses of water.

Where were you and how did you feel when you found out you won the HitClips giveaway?

I don't remember where I was but I do remember that I didn't know that I had entered to win, so I honestly wasn't sure if you were joking because you talk about HitClips kind of a lot and we had some interaction(s?) on Twitter about HitClips. Anyway I felt great.

What’s it like to use the HitClips player?

It's so fucking loud. It's impressive how much sound that plastic boombox speaker makes. I had no memory of what the player looked like or how it worked from the commercials so it was fun to figure out how to use it. I never had one as a kid because... honestly did anyone have one? Adam, did you have one?¹ I didn't know anyone who had HitClips. I just remember the commercials in between episodes of Rocket Power.

Which song clip is your favorite?

I really like "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias. The clip drops into the track subtly and then gets a chance to really build before super abruptly cutting off. Great clip, great hit.

If they made a new HitClips player with contemporary tracks, would you get one?

haha no.

What is your ideal late night vibe?

Lungs and sinuses full of carcinogenic green smoke, head pounding, little drunk, Nesquik in hand (double chocolate), on the N train back from Coney Island, with a bunch of friends, headed to 36th St to go eat Tacos el Bronco and then walk home and pass out after a huge glass of water.