While TikTok’s presence in the U.S. social media zeitgeist is precarious at the moment, it is undeniable that for the time being, it’s pretty much everyone’s go-to platform for short (or lengthy) bursts of doom-scrolling.
As was the case on other platforms which were in vogue once upon a time, such as Facebook and Vine, every now and then a meme template simply spirals well out of control. With TikTok, it’s pretty much always a song or soundbite that sets the platform ablaze – and the latest one to take it by storm is the chorus of Tears for Fears’ song, “Head Over Heels.”
So, what’s the deal with the trend that has TikTok in a bit of a tizzy, and dare we say it, head over heels? Let’s dig a little deeper.
‘Head Over Heels’ TikTok trend, explained
For starters, let’s dig into the origin of the trending TikTok soundbite. As mentioned above, it’s sourced from a song recorded for Tears for Fears’ 1985 album, Songs From the Big Chair. It’s a standard-fare love song from arguably one of the best eras in music history, and a ballad that has clearly stood the test of time.
Now, here’s what TikTok has done with it – and it’s a fairly standard template to follow if you want to put your own spin on it. TikTokers film themselves looking shocked, bewildered, and “attracted” to someone – and caption it by describing an encounter with someone they consider to be attractive. Obviously, the most amusing and effective clips are those that describe someone who doesn’t fit the bill of “conventionally attractive,” and plays into the idea of the author having what could be considered weird taste in potential partners.
The clip is then overlaid with the first few seconds of the classic Tears for Fears song’s chorus – with the lyrics “Something happens and I’m head over heels” playing out. We’re not going to lie, a lot of these are quite entertaining.