Not just a song that can be found in the archives, but one that almost everyone can hum, even today.
(Somebody asked what was meant by “today’s…” Throw whatever you want out, somebody tossed out “Love me tender” as being a tune from in the 1860s.)
Darude - Sandstorm
Yesterday
O Fortuna, Carmina Burana.
The poem was written in the medieval period, but finally set to music in 1935-1936. It still took till the 1970s to be used in TV/Film and became so widely used, it is now known as the most overused piece of music in film history.
It’s not overused, it’s just used a lot (not that I have heard it in anyway)
“O Fortuna” has been called “the most overused piece of music in film history”, and Harper’s Magazine columnist Scott Horton has commented that “Orff’s setting may have been spoiled by its popularization” and its use “in movies and commercials often as a jingle, detached in any meaningful way from its powerful message.”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Fortuna
I’m not the one that called it that.
One of my favorite little details of Blood and Wine, Witcher 3, is random people humming or singing small refrains of modern pop songs like the Beatles, implying these tunes are exactly what you’re asking about.
Bohemian Rhapsody
All Star by Smash Mouth, obviously.
Belgian techno anthem Pump Up the Jam by Technotronic is one for the ages. Some say it has always been with us.
Get your booty on the floor tonight, make my day
Good one, I kinda thought Salt-n-Pepa’s Push It had a little more staying power though.
merzbow
Fly me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
Simple, yet very recognizable melody. Easy to whistle, but could also be extended to a whole orchestra with vocals.
Amen Brother by The Winstons, more specifically the drum break on it. It’s by far the most used sample of any song ever, and once you know of it you’ll hear it everywhere kind of like the Wilhelm Scream in movies.
“I like to f*ck” by Tila Tequila.
Essentially the same lyrics, even.
It’s it a hummer?
XcQ, link stays blue
Well, green.
I want to click, but I don’t want to click
deleted by creator
I can see it
Happy Birthday has the kind of universal recognition you’d be looking for. Maybe in 300 years there’ll be a lyrical shift towards something more interesting. I know multiple versions of Greensleeves. The Cuckoo is the other song that I can think of with a long history. The wiki article doesn’t fully capture it. I’ll stick something in here later.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cuckoo_(song)
Happy Birthday owes it’s place to function. I don’t think anybody actually enjoys it as music.
My 2 year old begs to differ!
While not what one would think of when they think of songs that survive hundreds of years from now, the only song I can think of that’s not a folk song that’s both archived and hummable (and actually has a tune, so that excludes pop songs)… is the Pokémon theme song. Go up to anyone and say in tune that you wanna be the very best and someone’s gonna ask “like no one ever was”.
i have this thing where when i’m focused, but switching tasks, i’ll click my tongue but it’s always the tune of nick nick nick n’nick nick nick o lo dea onnn
You need more Nick. One before n’nick and one after.
Source: I kinda still want to go to space camp.
Orange you glad …
We Three Kings.
