What a week. We’re in the process of a life experience unlike anything we could have ever imagined. And because it’s Friday and stress levels are understandably off the charts, how about a blog post that doesn’t take itself too seriously? And yet, still be timely. Well, that’s the goal.
Thanks to COVID-19, we’re all learning what we’re NOT going to be doing for the foreseeable future – attending concerts, sporting events, conferences, Broadway shows, and other mass gatherings. We might even have to learn how to pray without being in a building designated for that purpose.
But one thing we all will be doing a lot of is washing our hands.
Earlier in the week, I sent out an advisory to Jacobs Media clients about the virus, and for a note of levity, I included the web meme that lets you pick a song as the :20 soundtrack for washing your hands – “Wash Your Lyrics.” Remember, the original health directive was to sing “Happy Birthday” twice while performing this hygienic task, but like most radio programmers, I have concerns about that song burning out after just a few weeks.
So, just in time, 17 year-old William Gibson from Northampton, England, showed some creativity and ingenuity and created “Wash Your Lyrics.” So, you can plug in the artist and title of virtually any song, and the software converts the lyrics to the standard handwashing guide graphic distributed by health organizations.
I know many of you have already seen this clever little tool, perhaps trying all sorts of oddball songs. (The one I sent to our clients was Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Gimme Three Steps.”)
But perhaps you’re wondering what’s the most popular song on “Wash Your Lyrics.” Which song has been plugged into this meme more than any other? Think of it as a little COVID-19 music research.
So, without further delay and fanfare, the #1 song, based on the first three days the site was up is….
Yes, “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the song’s opening lines proved to be most popular of all songs entered on the site as it went viral. Of course, this news probably angered the remaining members of Led Zeppelin, buoyed by the news earlier this week they won another round in the copyright dispute over who actually wrote “Stairway to Heaven.”
Get some rest over the weekend, and I’ll be back bright and early Monday with a fresh blog post.
In the meantime, wash your hands.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Maybe just 20 seconds humming, “We will, we will WASH YOU!”?? That might be one way to deal with the…news of the world?
Parody songs still work, Dave.