Have you ever found a really fun math or science song? I’m always interested in combining math with other subjects, so I think math-themed songs are pretty entertaining. There are more than you might think, running the gamut from serious math put to a melody, to pop songs with playful mathematical allusions. On the more rigorous side, I still remember the quadratic formula by singing it to the tune of “Pop Goes The Weasel,” as YouTube taught me long ago. There’s also the famous “New Math,” the satire of elementary school subtraction techniques by mathematician and musician Tom Lehrer. Less seriously, Regina Spektor’s song “The Calculation” whimsically imagines a computer that can describe love mathematically. My favorite math-themed song, though, is “Academia,” by Australian singer Sia. It bounces between descriptions of mathematical and literary paraphernalia in a lighthearted way. I also really enjoy Steven Bussey’s kinetic typography video for the song, which I’ve embedded below.
How about you? Do you have any favorite songs with academic themes?
