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England Loves Earworms (Derogatory)

November 3, 2026 · 21 min

Show notes

Matt Bragg talks with caller/producer Harry about the novelty song Agadoo that has hijacked his brain, Britain's long love affair with ridiculous Christmas number ones, and why America only managed to get the Cha Cha Slide to number eighty-three.

What You'll Hear:

An Earworm Named Agadoo: Harry calls in to confess a British novelty song from the '80s has taken over his every waking thought, and he wants Matt to explain exactly why this keeps happening to him.

Britain's Christmas Number One Curse: Matt and Harry trace a strange lineage from Bob the Builder to George Formby to LadBaby's sausage roll songs, debating which novelty hits actually deserve some respect.

A Charity Single Is Born: Matt hatches a plan to fight fire with fire by releasing Hatch's own deliberately terrible Christmas single, with help from anyone listening.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Christmas radio creeps in early
01:17 Caller Harry needs to vent
04:17 The Agadoo music video breaks Harry
09:00 Britain's history of novelty number ones
16:30 Plotting the ultimate charity single
17:33 Good night to Martin and Lou Vega

For the fully immersive, phone free light + sound experience, learn more at hatch.co. Follow us on TikTok @hatchpodcasts and YouTube.

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