United States Of Whatever

Album: Fake Songs (2002)
Charted: 10
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • At 1:25, this is the shortest ever single to reach the top ten of the UK singles chart.
  • In the mid-'90s, Lynch and his childhood friend Matt Crocco sent a few tapes to MTV Europe of the sock-puppet skits they had created. MTV started showing them as "idents" - short buffer clips played in between videos. A year later, these "idents" turned into half-hour shows. MTV in America started airing Sifl And Olly in July 1998, and the show lasted two seasons. One of Sifl And Olly's most popular songs, "United States of Whatever," started reappearing on the request charts on Los Angeles radio station KROQ after a fan leaked the tune from a UK import.
  • Lynch was one of 40 musicians chosen from around the world to study at the prestigious Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. This school, founded and financially supported by Paul McCartney, gave Lynch the opportunity of a lifetime. He was part of the school's first graduating class, but also one in five students handpicked by McCartney himself to study guitar on a one-on-one basis. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for all above

Comments: 3

  • Edward Pearce from Ashford, Kent, EnglandThanks for correcting my songfact, Chris, though I believe 'United States Of Whatever' still holds the record for the shortest ever UK Top 10 single. Incidently since you posted your comment Nukleuz DJ's record has been broken by the 64 second 'Spider Pig' track by Hans Zimmer, which reached #24 in 2007 purely on download sales.
  • Pinkmonty from London, Englandits great to have in your head while your boss/lecturer/teacher is screeching at you, even better than looking at thier forhead or thinking what they would look like naked, or on the toilet.
  • Chris from Belfast, IrelandThis is not the shortest ever single to chart in the UK. That honour goes to Nukleuz DJ's with DJ Nation: Only 75 seconds long and reached no.40 in 2002.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Benny Mardones

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Peter Lord

Peter LordSongwriter Interviews

You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song Titles

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song TitlesMusic Quiz

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have some rather unusual song titles - see if you can spot the real ones.

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."