Biggest Going Out Landmine: The Song You Don't Know But Everyone Else Does
It’s the beginning of a great night. You’re dressed perfectly for the evening, you’re with all your best friends, you’re at YOUR bar, dancing the night away. Maybe you’ve had one drink, maybe it’s halfway through the night, but suddenly… it happens. The song you’re dancing to fades out and the DJ fades in the intro of a new song, one you don’t recognize.
And the bar. Goes. Nuts. Everyone you’re with suddenly ERUPTS, screaming, “OH SHIT, IT’S THIS SONG!” Your heart rate increases. You’re frantically looking around the bar for someone, anyone who doesn’t seem to be raging their faces off to this song that, hand to your heart, you have never heard before in your life. Your best friend who you’ve been going to bars with for five years is dancing harder than you’ve ever seen them dance.
What do you do in this situation? The song has got to be 2 minutes maximum, but you could swear it’s been playing for the last three hours. What’s the etiquette for this moment? My move is usually to sip my drink for the full time the song is playing, pretending I don’t feel the awkwardness permeating my body and rotting my soul. If I get drunk enough, maybe I won’t even remember this life-ruining moment, right?
Some people go to the bar. Not a bad move. Gets you out of the situation and gives an excuse to be away from the judgmental eyes of the general public. Some people try to pretend they know the words, but nothing looks worse than being caught.
Kayce said she tries to “blend”. You don’t have to act like you know the words but you nod along to the music and try to look like you don’t feel as uncomfortable as you do. Hubbs said he tries to learn the song then and there by paying attention to the chorus the first time and rocking it the second time. Pat says he’ll physically exit the situation. Jared says he doesn’t go out, so this doesn’t apply to him.
Basically, no one knows what the fuck to do in this situation. There’s no etiquette here, but I think it just has to be a two-way street. If you see your friend struggling in this situation, help them! Tell them the name of the song so later when they’re alone with their shame, they can look the song up and hopefully never be put in this awkwardness ever again. And if it happens to you, I think the best move is to ask everyone if they need another round and escape to the relative safety of the world’s universally most non-judgmental humans, the bartenders.