Health experts say it’s one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community: Wash your hands -- thoroughly -- with soap and water.
Instructions from the Centers for Disease Control state you should lather soap on your hands for at least 20 seconds. And to track the time, the agency suggests you hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
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But the “Happy Birthday” song is bound to get old fast. Especially if you sing it, oh, say about 50 times a day.
So we compiled a list of catchy Texas tunes, songs about Texas or sung by Texas artists, sure to get you 20 seconds of scrub time.
All you need is a sink, some soap and a set of pipes (no worries if you can’t hit some of the high notes).
“Como La Flor” - Selena
Dubbed the Queen of Tejano Music, Selena Quintanilla was born and raised in Corpus Christi. We’d be remiss if we didn’t include Selena Quintanilla’s signature song “Como La Flor.” The chorus is over 20 seconds and it’s an incredible song. This is what we call a win, win.
“Como la flor (como la flor) / Con tanto amor (con tanto amor) / Me diste tú / Se marchitó / Me marcho hoy (hoy) / Yo sé perder / Pero, ay ay ay cómo me duele / Ay ay ay cómo me duele”
“Truth Hurts” - Lizzo
Lizzo’s sleeper hit “Truth Hurts” catapulted the former Houstonian and honorary Texan to fame. It dominated the charts throughout 2019 for a reason: It’s wildly catchy. And lucky for us, it’s got a roughly 20-second chorus.
“Why men great ’til they gotta be great? / Don’t text me, tell it straight to my face / Best friend sat me down in the salon chair / Shampoo press, get you out of my hair/ Fresh photos with the bomb lighting / New man on the Minnesota Vikings / Truth hurts, needed something more exciting / Bom bom bi dom bi dum bum bay”
“Everyday” - Buddy Holly
Born in Lubbock in 1939, Buddy Holly was a singer-songwriter who rose to prominence in the 1950s. Whether you love or hate Holly’s chirpy tune, it’s hard not to sing along to. The first verse is about 25 seconds long, making it an ideal addition to you scrub soundtrack.
“Everyday, it’s a gettin’ closer / Goin’ faster than a roller coaster / Love like yours will surely come my way, (hey, hey, hey) / Everyday, it’s a gettin’ faster / Everyone says go ahead and ask her / Love like yours will surely come my way, (hey, hey, hey)”
“Love On Top” — Beyoncé
Beyoncé, a Houston native, has spawned tons of sing along songs but for our current purposes, our default choice is her 2011 hit song “Love on Top”. It’s upbeat and it’s got a 20 second chorus.
“Baby it’s you / You’re the one I love / You’re the one I need / You’re the only one I see / Come on baby it’s you / You’re the one that gives your all / You’re the one I can always call / When I need to make everything stop / Finally you put my love on top”
“Deep in the Heart of Texas” - Gene Autry
This sing-along love song to the state sung by America’s Singing Cowboy Gene Autry is the cheery Texas tune we need right now. Just wait to clap along until you’re done washing your hands.
“The stars at night / Are big and bright / Deep in the heart of Texas / The prairie sky / Is wide and high / Deep in the heart of Texas / The coyotes wail / Along the trail / Deep in the heart of Texas / The rabbits rush / Around the brush / Deep in the heart of Texas”
“All My Ex’s Live in Texas” - George Strait
Sung by the King of Country, George Strait, the de facto Texas anthem is a favorite among us here in the Lone Star State.
“All my ex’s live in Texas / And Texas is the place I’d dearly love to be / But all my ex’s live in Texas / And that’s why I hang my hat in Tennessee / Rosanna’s down in Texarkana / Wanted me to push her broom / Sweet Eileen’s in Abilene / She forgot I hung the moon / And Allison’s in Galveston / Somehow lost her sanity / And Dimple’s who now lives in Temple’s / Got the law looking for me”
“The Eyes of Texas”
Set to the tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” the official alma mater song for The University of Texas is an undeniable ear worm. Don’t bleed burnt orange like this writer? Consider striking up a rendition of your university’s anthem, hymn or fight song. . . as long as it’s long enough.
“The Eyes of Texas are upon you / All the livelong day / The Eyes of Texas are upon you / You cannot get away / Do not think you can escape them / At night or early in the morn -- / The Eyes of Texas are upon you / Til Gabriel blows his horn”
“Luckenbach, Texas” - Waylon Jennings
With a chorus well over 20 seconds, Waylon Jenning’s tribute to Luckenback, Texas is the perfect Texas tune to practice your hand washing to.
“Let’s go to Luckenbach, Texas / With Waylon and Willie and the boys / This successful life we’re livin’ / Got us feuding like the Hatfields and McCoys / Between Hank Williams’ pain songs and / Newbury’s train songs and “Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain / Out in Luckenbach, Texas ain’t nobody feelin’ no pain”