The Iconic Origins of TikTok’s Viral “Waking Up in the Morning” Song

From Cosmopolitan

Sooo you may have noticed that it’s impossible to log on to TikTok or Instagram without at least 10 people posting a “waking up in the morning” video. Partially thanks to Will Smith being out here like:

So, like, what TF is this song? That would be “Sad Song,” by The Real Housewives of New Jersey’s very own Gia Giudice. Alarmed? Confused? Feeling old? Allow me to explain. But first, enjoy this:

The Original Video

Kay, so Gia originally sang “Sad Song” during a 2011 episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, when she was just 10. In fact, she performed this masterpiece at her sister’s birthday party, and yes, the moment lives on forever on YouTube:

The Lyrics/Meaning

Gia wrote this Grammy-not-yet-winning-but-soon hit about her parents, Teresa and Joe Giudice, fighting with Melissa and Joe Gorga—an epic drama that played out on RHONJ. The relevant lyrics are as follows:

Gia’s Response to *Gestures Wildly* All of This

She’s pumped, tbh. Gia told E! News that she was super excited about Will Smith’s video, saying, “I had a bunch of friends sending me text messages saying ‘Will Smith was singing your song on Instagram,’ and when I saw it, I couldn’t believe it. I love Will Smith and I thought it was really cool that he did that.”

She also fully lost it when Cardi B tweeted that the song is the only thing keeping her on Twitter:

But most importantly, she finally posted a TikTok of herself recreating the moment:

Truly, what a time to be on the internet.

You love all the deets on TikTokers. So do we. Let’s overanalyze them together.

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