Musicians Are Changing Their Own Song Lyrics So You Can Wash Your Hands & Jam

For those sick of singing 20 seconds’ worth of “Happy Birthday” every trip to the sink, a few musicians are here to help. Some of your music faves have rewritten their hits to suit their fans’ handwashing needs during the coronavirus pandemic. It seems any song can become a jam to wash your hands to with a few lyrical tweaks. Seriously, just ask Neil Diamond, who recently made “Sweet Caroline” even sweeter.

Now, it’s true that a 20-second snippet of any song would do, as fans learned thanks to the viral meme #WashYourLyrics created by British teen William Gibson. He encouraged music fans to create handwashing infographics featuring their favourite songs through a website of the same name and share them online. Miley Cyrus even created one for her 2009 single “The Climb.” The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers went so far as to release a how-to video of himself singing the band’s hit “Mr. Brightside” as he scrubbed his hands thoroughly. But this list is dedicated to the artists who have gone above and beyond, reworking their hits to become full-on handwashing anthems. In Mariah Carey’s case, she’s not rewriting her lyrics, but switching up which part of her track “Fantasy” she sings. It’s so good it will make you want to lather up.

Unfortunately, these songs, which have been updated in this age of COVID-19, won’t heal your dry, cracked, overwashed hands. But they will certainly make washing your hands a little more fun. Now that’s something, isn’t it?