On the chorus for Tame Impala’s “It Might Be Time” front man, Kevin Parker sings “It might be time to face it/ You ain’t as young as you used to be/ You ain’t as cool as you used to be”.
Whether the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter was mourning lost social currency, or accurately pre-empting and decrying a children’s music band winning a coveted accolade for covering one of his songs is anyone’s guess.
If it’s somehow the latter, then he’s not alone.
Last weekend saw beloved Aussie children’s band, The Wiggles, claim top spot on the 2021 triple J Hottest 100 countdown, for their cover of Tame Impala’s 2012 track, “Elephant”. Re-live the winning track below:
Given the event is publicised as the world’s largest “music democracy”, it’s obvious the triple J listenership were mostly taken to this oddball cover, which doesn’t deviate too far from the original, save for the lack of guitar distortion and the liberally inserted “Fruit Salad” interval.
However, many traditionalists have since expressed contempt for the countdown winner, not just because The Wiggles were involved, but because it was a cover as well.
“Every 90’s Hottest 100 is better than today,” wrote Twitter user, Higgo74.
Case in point, Hottest 100 1994.
Look, REAL BANDS pic.twitter.com/n3B5aybb3y— Higgo (@Higgo74) January 22, 2022
“The #TripleJ hottest 100 music sucks…. Surely the top 100 in the 60s 70s and 80s wasn’t so freaking bad with crap music..” another user chimed in.
Oh come on
The Wiggles ? Seriously ?? 😩#Hottest100— Ella Cooper (@EllaCoo55777104) January 22, 2022
As if 2021 wasn’t already bad enough. What a joke :(
— Marc Green (@m_green21) January 22, 2022
Possibly the worst year of my lifetime 2021. Now produces the worst No.1. Absolutely bin job of a year #Hottest100
— Josh Shields (@joshyshields) January 22, 2022
People who care about the hottest 100 are always like *I* think the song that the most people voted for was bad. SHUT. UP. SHUT UP. NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU THINK. ILL K**L YOU. Worst day of the year I mean it.
— Lisa D. Amphetamine 💕🌻🌝 (@mini_misandrist) January 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/MichaelThread20/status/1484819742846492674
Meanwhile others seemed conflicted in their disposition towards the youth radio station.
Responding to The Wiggles triumph, user corngoblin tweeted, “I hate triple j but this is the best fucking day of my life”.
While a (growing) minority just couldn’t keep up with the kids.
Me reading through the #hottest100 like "Who are these people? Where are the Hilltop Hoods? What have Mumford and Son done lately? Where's Deathcab???" pic.twitter.com/HZltXpKfj4
— MajinBeng (@MajinBeng) January 22, 2022
It’s likely many are still sitting before their phone or computer, clutching ever-so-tightly to their Fugazi records and bemoaning what has become of the countdown.
“So glad I was a teenager in the 90s – we were spoiled for amazing music, etc. It’s been downhill since then, unfortunately,” user, Keiran Moore, tweeted, seemingly turning a blind eye to the youth station’s gilded history of crowning totally original, not-hack, still-relevant winners such as “Asshole” by Dennis Leary, “Wonderwall” by Oasis, “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)” by The Offspring, “Amazing” by Alex Loyd, and “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet, just to name a few.
Other folks – lighter of heart and sounder of mind – have seemingly taken the Wiggles’ win for what it is, dorky but a bit of fun.
This includes Kevin Parker himself, who told triple J, “If someone told me back when we released ‘Elephant’ that in 10 years’ time The Wiggles were gonna cover it and it was gonna get top 10 Hottest 100, I would have told you you were out of your mind.”
“So, when I heard it, I was like, ‘This is real, oh my God.’ It was pretty amazing. I was still in disbelief when I was watching it.”
The Wiggles’ “Elephant” cover beat the runner up in The Kid Laroi’s and Justin Bieber’s over-produced, radio-pleasing nugget, “Stay”, Spacey Jane’s “Lots Of Nothing”, Olivia Rodrigo’s Paramore cover, “Good 4 U” and Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever”.
Now that that’s finally over for another year, I believe I’ll return to my Fugazi records, thank you very much.
