NewYearsDayProject | a song a day blog

A few years ago, YouTuber Nick Canovas, or  Mic the Snare , made a  video about the characteristics of meme songs  and why some songs go viral. Not all meme songs are created equal. Some annoyingly catchy songs get stuck in enough heads to become a hit. These are so bad that they’re  almost  good. Then there are old songs that become renewed for the  TikTok  generation. These songs had a solid presence before taking off on social media. Some of these songs are laughable in a modern context—the swanky sax solo from “ Careless Whisper ,”  Rick Astley ’s shoulder dance when he sings “ Never Gonna Give You Up .” But some meme songs are what music critics still call legitimately good.  A-ha ’s “ Take On Me ,”  Simon & Garfunkel ’s “ The Sound of Silence ,” and today’s song can be legitimately enjoyed  with  an extra dose of irony once it has soundtracked a meme. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CUT ME OFF . In the spring and summer of 2012, I did a lot of driving. I had to get my paperwork togeth