BONUS: The 2021 song

Noam wrote an end-of-year song with Today, Explained host Sean Rameswaram, so we thought to drop it here as a little end-of-year surprise. Lyrics: 2021, it was gonna be fun Get a couple shots and then you’re done Then the second the year’d begun We had an insurrection 2021, it was gonna be fun Get a couple shots and then you’re done Then the second the year’d begun We had an insurrection Yeah it wasn’t just what we hoped to see We might have started too optimistically So if we keep our expectations low Maybe the world won’t seem so terrible Yeah it wasn’t just what we hoped to see We might have started too optimistically So if we keep our expectations low Maybe the world won’t seem so terrible Dial back to when the year had begun We were looking forward to the end of hibernation But it didn’t even last a week No it didn’t even last a week, mm-hmm On the sixth day of 2021 Vanilla Isis tried to flip the election But looking back we can’t agree On the facts, no, we can’t agree, mm-mm Pretty soon we were signing up for shots (shots!) Talking about shots (shots!) Shots shots shots (shots!) Everyone was a pharma fan With the Pfizer fam, the Moderna clan (J&J) But we should have known Delta would happen Most of humanity not getting vaxxed and Fourth wave — fifth wave, in rhythm That’s one more wave than feminism! 2021, it was gonna be fun Get a couple shots and then you’re done But according to Joe Ro-gun You should take Ivermectin Yeah it wasn’t just what we hoped to see We might have started too optimistically But if we keep our expectations low Maybe the world won’t seem so terrible A booster, I’m not sure I need it. Dune on the IMAX, I seen it. Back to the good life, I dreamed it. (Arrakis) Wake up, reality, don’t fit. Hope you don’t need a house or a condo (a condo) Hope you don’t need a trip to Toronto (Toronto) Hope you don’t need some gas for your Durango (Durango) Hope you don’t need a can of dried mangos (dried mangos) Everyone is feeling frustration Quitting jobs — the Great Resignation Blaming Biden for rising inflation While billionaires shoot off to space, racing Did we fix the grid in Texas? (yes) Figure out how wide the Suez is? (yes) Don’t ask me All I see on TV It's just fights on Critical Race Theory 2021, it was gonna be fun Get a couple shots and then you’re done Moving onto issue number one: Whether to allow abortions! Yeah it wasn’t just what we hoped to see We might have started too optimistically But if we keep our expectations low Maybe the world won’t seem so terrible I just want to be free Of thinking about Covid-19 I just want to see Something done about global warming And I still don’t get NFT’s Can’t understand crypto currency and And we can’t agree on anything But at least we got together to free Britney (Oh baby baby) 2021, it was gonna be fun Get a couple shots and then you’re done Then the second as the year’d begun We had an insurrection And people lied about the last election And made it harder to vote in elections At least we don’t have another election Wait, I think there’s another election... 2021, it was gonna be fun Get a couple shots and then you’re done Then the second we thought we’d won We’re learning how to say "Omicron" Guess you never know what’s gonna come through Making plans for things you’ll never do But take it from a brown guy (and a Jew) There’s always 2022. This song was written and performed by Sean Rameswaram and Noam Hassenfeld, produced by Noam, engineered by Efim Shapiro, and features additional vocals from Christina Animashaun. For more, go to http://vox.com/unexplainable It’s a great place to view show transcripts and read more about the topics on our show. Also, email us! unexplainable@vox.com We read every email. Support Unexplainable by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices