# Hand Washing Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2020, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930 "2020-03-21T00:55:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/1 "2020-03-21T00:55:40Z")
Putting this here instead of Quarantine, because I think it’s not specific to COVID-19 (or as I’ve been calling it lately, Covfefe). When hand washing hit the news recently, it was reported that to be sure of hitting the 20-second target, you should the “Happy Birthday” song to yourself twice. Then others said that the alphabet song worked too. Later I heard “I Will Survive” worked, but I’m not a disco fan and don’t really know the lyrics. A church I was in recently had, in addition to hand-washing instructions, a laminated page giving the lyrics to songs that worked. One was a religious song I’d never heard of, plus two verses of “Amazing Grace,” the chorus of “Let It Go” (not having kids, I’m not familiar with the song), and – oddly IMO – “Africa” by Toto. Lately I’ve been using “Henry the Eighth” by Herman’s Hermits, but I’d like some alternatives. What do you all recommend? Bonus points for something that’s particularly appropriate for these times, or that makes people smile. Obviously, it needs to be about 20 seconds long. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/2 "2020-03-21T01:01:38Z")
18 seconds for the opening.chorus. [This Song’s Just Six Words Long](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do5vXn_Rap4) And the lyrics are _real_ easy to memorize. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/3 "2020-03-21T01:13:05Z")
The opening verse of Jolene per Ms. Parton in a PSA I saw ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/4 "2020-03-21T01:14:37Z")
The Def Leppard facebook page has instructions on washing hands based on part of Pour Some Sugar on me. So c’mon, take a bottle, shake it up Break the bubble, break it up Pour some sugar on me Ooh, in the name of love Pour some sugar on me C’mon, fire me up Pour your sugar on me I can’t get enough I’m hot, sticky sweet From my head to my feet, yeah For example… So c’mon, take a bottle - a picture of a bottle of soap Break the bubble - soap bubbles I guess sugar is soap. ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/5 "2020-03-21T01:16:20Z")
“Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/6 "2020-03-21T01:19:58Z")
[A Little Bit Of Soap](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0wQU7fJEVQ)-The Jamels. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/7 "2020-03-21T02:27:28Z")
“Hands,” performed by my favorite Sesame Street character: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CVRK5MaY4KE/hqdefault.jpg "Delta Faucet Commercial - Count von Count - "Hands"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVRK5MaY4KE) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/8 "2020-03-21T02:39:28Z")
I’ve heard of his song is perfect. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dQw4w9WgXcQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/9 "2020-03-21T02:43:54Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dQw4w9WgXcQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/10 "2020-03-21T02:45:57Z")
Interesting. One can’t link any more? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/11 "2020-03-21T02:54:26Z")
You need the www. to make it an automatic link. You just have to roll with it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/12 "2020-03-21T03:02:29Z")
[https://Www.m.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ](https://Www.m.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/13 "2020-03-21T03:06:56Z")
Fuck. Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/14 "2020-03-21T03:12:48Z")
[Written just for this occasion](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtulL3oArQw) And it even [has a dance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctF5aMV05kM) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/15 "2020-03-21T08:08:25Z")
Mine is closer to 30 seconds, but better safe than sorry: _Tall and tan and young and lovely The girl from Ipanema goes walking And when she passes, each one she passes goes “ah!” When she walks she’s like a samba that Swings so cool and sways so gently That when she passes, each one she passes goes “ah!”_ Humming it is fine, too. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/16 "2020-03-21T12:52:22Z")
I’ve been singing “Close to the Edge” by Yes. Seems to be working, so far. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/17 "2020-03-21T13:14:42Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > I’ve been singing “Close to the Edge” by Yes. Seems to be working, so far. You’re supposed to wash for twenty _seconds_, not twenty _minutes_. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/18 "2020-03-21T14:46:46Z")
Leaffans’ link was to Rick Astley. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/19 "2020-03-21T15:12:36Z")
[I use the Litany Against Fear from Dune.](http://www.joeydevilla.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/fear-the-mindkiller-handwashing.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930/20 "2020-03-21T15:57:13Z")
The two “verses” of [Baby Shark](https://youtu.be/XqZsoesa55w?t=27) if you slow it down a tiny bit. 4.8 Billion views. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hand-washing-songs/849930.md?page=2)