We’re a few weeks into the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s safe to say we are all "Happy Birthday"-ed out.
As you might know, that song’s a good one to sing to yourself if you want to make sure you’re washing your hands long enough to fight the spread of COVID-19. It’s time to refresh our handwashing playlists, and there’s no need to look beyond the expansive borders of our great state for inspiration.
Fixin’ to get clean? Here are 10 (roughly) 20-second clips of modern and classic tunes from Texas artists to make sure you’re washing your hands thoroughly.
"Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" by Willie Nelson
Tempo is important here, friends. Take this classic at an easy country croon and you’ll end up with clean hands that would make your mama proud.
"Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys"
"Survivor" by Destiny’s Child
Attack germs and bacteria with the ferocity of a young Beyoncé Knowles slaying a no-good scrub:
"I'm a survivor, I'm not gon' give up/ I'm not gon' stop, I'm gon' work harder
I'm a survivor, I'm gonna make it/ I will survive, keep on survivin'
I'm a survivor, I'm not gon' give up/ I'm not gon' stop, I'm gon' work harder
I'm a survivor, I'm gonna make it/ I will survive, keep on survivin'"
"Amor Prohibido" by Selena
Oh, oh baby, money matters shouldn’t keep us apart, but shoddy personal hygiene certainly will. Use the Tejano queen’s forbidden-love jam to scrub your manos and soothe your corazón:
"Amor prohibido murmuran por las calles
Porque somos de distintas sociedades
Amor prohibido nos dice todo el mundo
El dinero no importa en ti y en mí, ni en el corazón
Oh, oh baby"
"Colors" by Black Pumas
It might be a while before we’re able to spend quality time with our sisters and our brothers, but you can channel your inner Eric Burton on this soulful hook to help get your hands clean:
"With all my favorite colors/ All my favorite colors
My sisters and my brothers see them like no other
All my favorite colors
It's good day to be, a good day for me, a good day to see my favorite colors"
"Dime Store Cowboy" by Kacey Musgraves
Technically you don’t need the Austin city limits lead-in — the chorus is almost exactly 20 seconds — but we're suckers for a hometown shoutout, and a little extra scrubbing never hurt:
"And I made it all the way past Austin city limits
And maybe for a minute, I got too big for my britches, but
I'm just a dime store cowgirl/ That's all I'm ever gonna be
You can take me out of the country
But you can't take the country out of me, no"
"Good as Hell" by Lizzo
Sure, Texas is just one of three states that claim the superstar rapper, but Melissa Viviane Jefferson will always be a Houston hottie in our books. Start at the bridge and bolster your self-esteem while you scrub:
"If he don't love you anymore
Just walk your fine ass out the door
I do my hair toss/ Check my nails
Baby how you feelin'?/ Feeling good as hell
Hair toss/ Check my nails
Baby how you feelin'?/ Feeling good as hell
Feeling good as hell
Baby how you feelin'?/ Feeling good as hell"
"Apple Tree" by Erykah Badu
Break out the patchouli-scented soap, indulge in a few vocal flourishes and conjure a stormy night with Ms. Badu’s artsy friends as you hum the chorus of her breakout hit:
"And if you don't want to be down with me
You don't want to pick from my apple tree
And if you don't want to be down with me
Then you don't want to pick from my apple tree
And if you don't want to be down with me
Then you don't want to pick from my apple tree
And if you don't want to be down with me
You just don't want to be down"
Gary Clark Jr. "Bright Lights"
Take an easy pace that leaves room for furious licks as you channel your inner guitar hero and let Clark’s explosive take on the Jimmy Reed classic soundtrack your scrubbing:
"Bright lights, big city going to my head
Bright lights, big city going to my head
Bright lights, big city going to my head
I don't care no, no/ Cause you don't care, no"
"The Way We Get By" by Spoon
From here on out, serious attention to handwashing is going to be the way we get by, friends. Let Britt and the gang help you out:
"We get high in back seats of cars/ We break into mobile homes
We go to sleep to shake appeal/ Never wake up on our own
And that's the way we get by
The way we get by
Oh, that's the way we get by
The way we get by"
"Ridin’" by Chamillionaire
The Houston rapper’s 2005 mega-hit was a pointed statement about racial profiling. It’s also a slow, loud and bangin’ way to make sure you’re not ridin’ with dirty hands:
"They see me rollin’/ They hatin’,
Patrolling, they tryin’ to catch me ridin’ dirty,
Tryin’ to catch me ridin’ dirty/ Tryin’ to catch me ridin’ dirty
Tryin’ to catch me ridin’ dirty/ Tryin’ to catch me ridin’ dirty
My music so loud/ I'm swangi’n,
They hopin’ that they gon’ catch me ridin’ dirty"