Twist of fate: Sad songs that became memes on social media

If you are an active user of social media, especially Instagram, or if your livelihood depends on it (like me), you might have come across reels with a song that goes like ‘Moye Moye’. If you haven’t, you’re missing out on a trend that has taken social media by storm lately.

In November, the internet went abuzz with the ‘Moye Moye’ trend, which traces back to a song named "Dzanum" by Teya Dora, a Serbian singer-songwriter. The chorus of the song is “Moye More” meaning “My nightmares”, which became “Moye Moye” in India, and became a meme template to depict sad incidents with a hidden, unfortunate and funny twist.

The viral trend caught the attention of many notable social media users, including the Delhi Police and singer-actor Ayushman Khurana.

Irrespective of its virality, and the unexpected twist it took in the meme world, Teya Dora’s Dzanum is far from being humorous.

Here’s the translation of the chorus and the pre-chorus from Serbian to English.

“Till the end of time, till the world ends

My fate is cursed

This soul has no home, this soul has no tone

Candles of a black dawn are burning, my nightmares

My nightmares, my nightmares

My nightmares, my nightmares

My nightmares, my nightmares

My nightmares, my nightmares”

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It’s the post-chorus that has become the crux of the reels, giving it the unexpected and unusual hilarious twist. The fact remains: it’s not funny.

However, this is not the first sad song that has been featured in memes.

There’s more and here we take a look

1) Adhi Adhi Raat (Dil Wale Puchde Ne Cha) by Bilal Saeed

One of the first sad songs that got a funny twist and created ripples in the meme universe. It originated in 2020 on Instagram and TikTok, back when it was available in India, and was used as a background score to countless funny, goofy and often set-up gag videos.

2) Runaway by Aurora

Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora’s debut single “Runaway” was released in 2015, but found social media success much later. A song in which she speaks about her inner battles highlights her intense desire to escape from the pressures of life and the need to disconnect had become musical fodder for many reels, and not all of them were serious.

3) Kisi Din Yeh Tamasha Muskura Kar Hum Bhi Dekhenge (Mughal-e-Azam) by Lata Mangeshkar & Shamshad Begum

A cult classic from K Asif’s epic Mughal-e-Azam, this song too was used widely in reels, memes and YouTube shorts. And not in a serious way. This was one of the most popular meme trends in 2023, which saw a lot of action and activity.

4) Apun Jaise Tapori by Vinod Rathod

Not many people might recognise this song by its actual name. But there is a part of that avid social media users will relate to — Sapna Toota Hai To Dil Kabhi Jalta Hai. A small part of a song about a gangster recalling his failed, incomplete love stories, became the perfect soundtrack for members.

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