With the outbreak of coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19, now a pandemic, one of the simplest ways to keep yourself and others safe is by washing your hands.
The CDC recommends soaping up for at least 20 seconds — or the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. But what if you can't handle that particular earworm dozens of time a day?
Enter the good samaritans of Twitter, who have been finding alternative songs with 20 second choruses. A Twitter thread created by Twitter user Jen Monnier includes a plethora of songs — and other Twitter users chimed in to give their best option for a 20-second ditty as well.
One Twitter user replied, "I use one verse of My Sharona, but sung as My Carona." Too far?
Savannah Guthrie took a creative approach by making up a song for Vale called "The Corona Shuffle."
And a new website Wash Your Lyrics even generates a hand-washing infographic for the song of your choice.
Dr. Ana Flavia Zuim, Director of Vocal Performance at NYU Steinhardt School, recommends jazzing up your hand-washing routine with a musical theater song, because why not put on a show if you're going to be singing to yourself?
Dr. Zuim's suggestions include "My Shot" from the hit musical Hamilton, or, for a more comedic take, "Hands Clean," by Alanis Morisette. Isn't it ironic?
Songs to sing while washing hands
- 1. "Love On Top," by Beyoncé
- 2. "Truth Hurts," by Lizzo
- 3. "Jolene," by Dolly Parton
- 4. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," from the Wizard of Oz
- 5. "The Sound of Music," from The Sound of Music
- 6. "My Shot," from Hamilton
- 7. "Hands Clean," by Alanis Morisette
- 8. "Karma Chameleon," by Culture Club
- 9. "Stayin' Alive," by The BeeGees (also a favorite song for performing CPR)
- 10. "Toxic," by Britney Spears
- 11. "Livin' On a Prayer," by Bon Jovi
- 12. "No Scrubs," by TLC
- 13. "Raspberry Beret," by Prince
- 14. "Landslide," by Fleetwood Mac
- 15. "Love Shack" by The B-52's
People have even made coronavirus hand-washing playlists on spotify:
Now there's no excuse not to wash your hands. Clean lyrics optional.