The earworm songs driving parents to distraction
Wendy Golledge
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How do kids' TV and film makers do it? With every new kids' craze, whether it's the latest must-see Disney movie or the Netflix show they just won't turn off, there seems to be a catchy song.
So catchy in fact, your kids sing it on repeat to the point where you find yourself humming it in the shower, at your desk at work and as you push a trolley round Tesco.
The latest earworm to have infiltrated parents nationwide is Encanto's We Don't Talk About Bruno.
Except for we do talk about Bruno. All. The. Damn. Time.
Because Lin-Manuel Miranda's disgustingly catchy song, from the animated movie that has caused nothing short of mania since it landed on on Disney+ this Christmas has taken the nation's kids, and therefore parents, in its grasp and it isn't letting go. No, no, no.
Which got us thinking about the catchiest, most annoyingly contagious songs of all time. Songs which kids love and parents love to hate.
The earworm songs driving parents to distraction
1. We don't talk about Bruno
Insanely catchy, utterly unforgettable and the soundtrack to many a morning around the UK right now.
From the hit movie Encanto, kids love it and sing it at will. Parents love to hate it.
If only we could all stop talking about Bruno!
2. Everything is awesome
Ahhh ... The Lego Movie’s theme song.
An infernally catchy tune used to brainwash everybody in the movie. Long-suffering parents know exactly how they feel.
It's repetitive and impossible to erase once it's lodged in your brain.
'This song's gonna get, this song's gonna get, this song's gonna get stuck inside your head.'
Yes, yes it is.
3. Let it go
The original Disney earworm and without doubt one of the best.
How many times did you and your child belt out 'let it go, let it goooo' when the Disney film was a hit (and, if we're honest, for a long time after it was a hit, too)?
The biggest issue was everyone trying to hit the high notes that Idina Menzel reached with ease, but the average five year old ... well.
4. Baby shark
No explanation needed.
It is, terrifyingly, the first YouTube video to reach 10 billion views.
5. It's a small world
An oldie, but a goodie ... anyone who's been to one of the Disney theme parks, or spoken to someone who has, will have heard of the sickeningly sweet and oh-so repetitive song from the It's a Small World ride.
Written in 1964 by Robert B. Sherman, it was calculated to be both easy to sing in different languages and uniquely unforgettable.
They weren't wrong there.
6. I'm a Barbie girl
'Life in plastic, is fantastic.'
Who can argue with such life-changing lyrics?
Composed and performed by Danish dance-pop group Aqua, it was voted the worst song of the 90s according to Rolling Stone magazine readers.
Not only is it nauseatingly sexist, once you hear even a couple of bars, it's impossible to shake the awfully infectious chorus.
7. Paw Patrol theme
These animated Canadian pups are almost as annoying as their theme song.
Sickly and wholesome, Chase is always on the case and 'Whenever you're in trouble ... we’ll be there on the double.'
Kids love 'em, parents loathe 'em
8. Crazy Frog
Who can forget the utterly infernal Crazy Frog?
Not so much a song, more just noise.
Really, really irritating noise.
9. Balamory theme tune
'What's the story in Balamory, wouldn't you like to know?'
Um no, not really.
10. You're Welcome from Moana
So infuriatingly catchy it reached four times platinum status.
Sung by Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson in Disney's Moana, this breezy, carefree tune is another belter from Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda!
You’re welcome... and thank you 😉💪🏾'
11. The Stick Song from Hey Duggee
A firm fave with toddlers everywhere, the BAFTA award-winning Hey Duggee is a legend.
He could do no wrong in parents' eyes, that is until the show's makers came up with the 'Stick Song'.
It repeats the word stick about 20,000 times along to a drum 'n' bass beat.
And don't even get us started on the Work Cup 'Kick' song ...
12. Hello Iggle Piggle from ‘In The Night Garden’
'Yes my name is iggle piggle, iggle piggle wiggle niggle diggle ... '
There’s not really much to this song, lots of na na nahs and the odd unintelligible word ... but once it's been on in the background during CBeebies Bedtime Hour, you're guaranteed to be stuck with it until the wee small hours.
13. Peppa Pig theme tune
Forget the squeaky voices, the annoying characters and the fact that your child can seemingly watch the same episode for 11 days straight, the theme tune still wins as THE most annoying thing about Peppa Pig.
'Do do do do do, do do do do do do ...'
Say no more.
14. Happy – Pharrell Williams
Labelled 'the most annoying song ever written' by Reddit users, Pharrell Williams' smash global hit Happy is exhaustingly positive and kids just love it.
Happy lingers on playlists – and in parents' ears – years after we should have dismissed it as the summery pop song it really is.
Does anyone actually know how a room without a roof feels anyway?
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