Did You Know the Tune Your Washing Machine Plays Is a Real Song?
Updated: Jan. 09, 2024
Next time you do your laundry, you can thank a classical composer for this catchy melody.
If you own a Samsung washing machine, you’re likely familiar with the cute jingle that plays whenever a load is done. It’s short, catchy and according to TikTokers, “an absolute banger.” But did you know it’s actually a classical song from the 1700s?
This summer, appliance repair technician Renae gave us all the details on the jolly tune — what it is, who wrote it and even its surprising lyrics. Check out Renae’s video for yourself below.
@renduh #stitch with @Marianne Paquette #TodayILearned #Laundry #LaundryTok #WashingMachine #CleanTok #clean #history #MusicHistory #FranzSchubert #ChristianFriedrichDanielSchubart #WomenInTrades #Tradeswoman ♬ original sound – Renae
What Is the Samsung Washing Machine Song?
As Renae says in the video, “The song that Samsung washing machines play at the end of a cycle […] is actually a classical song written by Franz Schubert, who was an Austrian composer in the 1700s. It’s called ‘Die Forelle,’ which is German for ‘the trout.’ ”
Does the Samsung Washing Machine Song Have Lyrics?
Strangely enough, “Die Forelle” did originally have lyrics!
In the video, Renae plays the song, which features a man singing opera over Schubert’s melody. However, Schubert didn’t write these lyrics. Instead, Renae says they “were originally written by a poet named Christian Frederi[que] Daniel Schubart, who’s not even related to [Schubert]. And then Franz Schubert liked that poem so much that he turned it into a song.”
What Do the Samsung Washing Machine Song Lyrics Say?
According to Renae, the poem “tells the story of a trout getting caught by a fisherman, but it’s actually a metaphor meant to tell young women to stay away from young men.” In another bizarre facet of this story, Christian Schubart “wrote [the poem] while he was in prison.”
Why Did Samsung Choose This Song for Their Washing Machines?
On this detail, Renae comes up empty-handed. “Now what any of that has to do with laundry, I have no idea!” she says at the end of the video.
One commenter on the video facetiously claims, “The song choice is clearly saying laundry is a trap!” But no matter Samsung’s intentions, the iconic track continues to brighten laundry day.
