Why You Can’t Get “Bangladesh” Out of Your Head
Ian McConnell shared how he created an absurd 49-second song that’s made fans out of SZA, Lizzo, and Bengalis everywhere.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard “Bangladesh,” the 49-second track that’s taken over your feed and probably your sanity. “You never take me to Bangladesh / You never cook me sausage on an open flame / never anoint me with oil / never write me a novel / you never poison the mojitos of my enemies / You never make me a marzipan / never defend my honor in a holy war / you never treat me like Oprah / never go supernova / you never animorph transform into a cloud of bees / It’s like you don’t care / It’s like you don’t care.”
That song from Ian McConnell, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, has racked up over 7 million views and counting. People around the world have been simultaneously confused and delighted by the (irresistibly catchy) earworm. Lizzo sang it from her bed. SZA can’t get enough of it. It’s even inspired a wave of copycats, from New York to Bangladesh.
But there are a few questions everyone wants to know. Why Bangladesh? Are there more verses? We caught up with Ian McConnell himself, who sang us a few renditions and told us the story behind the music.