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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you like this or find it unbearably cringe?

650 replies

TheEnterainer · 26/01/2025 17:17

We have a friend with a birthday in a few weeks.

The number one song when he was born was ‘Cinderella Rockafella.’

As you’ve possibly guessed - if this was his birthday number one - he’s still a young lad and might be a bit shy and self conscious when it comes ti things like showy displays ! 🙌

His birthday’s at the beginning of March.

What my partner and I would love to do is an impromptu dance to this song when we all visit the local social club in a few weeks to celebrate his birthday.

I’m busy learning the exact lyrics for this song already!

i personally LOVE this song although some people apparently find it a bit twee

SO -

YANBU - it’s a lovely, gesture and great to take initiative at a time when most people are busy scrolling their phones and CBA to make an effort for anyone or anything!

YABU - ‘Cinderella Rockafella’ is a novelty record sung by seasoned performers and the ‘Average Joes’ of this world can’t carry off such a performance without it looking extremely naff!

OP posts:
Sunburstclocklover · 27/01/2025 18:51

IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle · 27/01/2025 08:54

I'm old enough to remember when it came out. The song was one of those dreadful novelty songs which for some inexplicable reason sells really well. Goodness only knows why and who bought it- no-one will ever admit to having bought it. It was rubbish then and it hasn't improved.

I had to look up the no. 1 songs in my birth year. I'd heard of about half of them. 2 of them are great- The Platters Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Buddy Holly- It Doesn't Matter Any More. Someone who could actually play and sing performing the Buddy Holly song would be fine as for the rest? No, I've no desire to hear Cliff Richard, Russ Conway or Only 16.

I wouldn't be embarrassed for myself - I'd be embarrassed for the OP and puzzled why she thinks this dreadful song would mean anything to me.

Show quote history

Damn I've now got an earworm of 'smoke gets in you eyes' but with the words to the Esso Blue paraffin advert! Totally showing my age now!

cantbebothered101 · 27/01/2025 18:56

No, no, no and no. Is that clear enough 😂

HappyMe6 · 27/01/2025 18:57

No no no

HappyMe6 · 27/01/2025 19:00

Your the lady your the lady that I love. I’m the lady the lady who 🤣🤣I can remember it so well thought it was cringe the first time round and

eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 27/01/2025 19:08

I think you should do it - everyone will think you're super cool and fun!

SarahsHoneydew · 27/01/2025 19:17

I wasn’t familiar with the song so I looked it up. I already thought it was a bad idea but now I’m imagining you lip syncing to it as well as dancing and tbh it sounds horrific!

Verilingual · 27/01/2025 19:28

Nobody is!!

Isinglass20 · 27/01/2025 19:38

The further embarrassment for this ‘young lad’ of 57 is that perhaps he doesn’t want everyone to know he’s 57.
Also he may have a lady in his life and he’d hate that she would be embarrassed by this performance.
Its all about you isn’t it?

GravyBoatWars · 27/01/2025 19:42

This is the type of thing you should only ever do in public if you are absolutely positively 100% sure that the person will love it. And most people won't love it.

Can you make a video and send it to him? Or do a little performance at his front door (not while he has company)?

And I agree with others that music from the year of my birth wouldn't necessarily register. If you met him as a teen then perhaps look at what was popular the year you met instead.

Whatwaswrongwiththatusername · 27/01/2025 19:43

Another one who had to look and see what song was number one on my birthday - I had no idea, but given the title maybe that explains a lot about me! 😂
So for anyone else curious have a look at this site www.old-record-shop.co.uk/numberones/1972.aspx (I guess you can probably edit and put your birth year in the link instead)
OP, also look at this site. If you're convinced he'd be interested and appreciate whatever obscure song was number one when he was born perhaps just buy him one of these instead? Obviously from the correct year, not the one I've linked to. You say he "might" like, but he's shy and doesn't like that kind of thing so, sorry, especially with all the replies you're getting here, it really would be a terrible idea and even if you still believe you're doing it for him (reeeeaaally?!) it will just come off so badly and attention seeking and 90+% of people there - likely him included - would find it so cringy and will hate it. I'm using that stat as a (generous) guess due to the vote on here.
Please tell us you're just taking the piss or you're reconsidering due to the replies you have on here?!

Shanda5 · 27/01/2025 19:43

I'm sure your intentions are lovely but this is a horrible idea!

Whatwaswrongwiththatusername · 27/01/2025 19:47

Plus, there are so many of your replies that say something along the ones of "I love that song...". So, yeah I'm afraid it really does come across more and more about you every time you reply 🤷🏼‍♀️ absolutely nothing to do with what he might like, and it just seems more and more obvious it's about you!

Whatwaswrongwiththatusername · 27/01/2025 19:51

Sorry, can't edit on app to add this to my previous comment, but even your last two replies have said how much you love the song! Literally nothing about whether he even knows it or likes it. And these aren't the only times you've said this, just literally the last two before I posted.

Would you like this or find it unbearably cringe?
Bilbo63 · 27/01/2025 20:07

I would actually have to leave - I would be embarrassed if it were my birthday and embarrassed. for you. 😂

You know the birthday boy though…

NooNakedJacuzziness · 27/01/2025 20:16

JennyBG · 27/01/2025 18:27

Are you serious?? How totally disrespectful you’re being for wanting to do something that gratifies just you, but will embarrass the young glad on his birthday. Save your juvenile pranks for April fool’s day. Grow up.

Careful, you nearly overreacted there for a second

Nicecatneighbour · 27/01/2025 20:29

It's a particularly awful song, and a terrible, terrible idea.

NattyTurtle59 · 27/01/2025 20:31

meh2025 · 27/01/2025 13:30

Please don't do this to him. If you crave attention, wait until your own birthday and force your friends to watch you performing then.

People will be nice to you about it on the night to be polite and the majority will gossip about your attention seeking embarrassing antics behind your back.

Edited

OMG - what sort of people live in the UK (or is it just MN-land!)? People I know would probably think it was funny, or if they did think it cringe they would have more important things to do than gossip about it. You all sound like something from several decades ago! Not to mention the most boring people on earth.

However, as MN seems to attract either the socially inept, who can barely cope if a stranger greets them in the street, or princesses who think the world revolves around them and how dare anyone take the spotlight off them, I really shouldn't be surprised.

Yellowbananasarebetterthangreen · 27/01/2025 20:32

TheEnterainer · 27/01/2025 09:04

I love Cinderella Rockafella!

But I tell you the song from this exact era I absolutely hate is Bonny and Clyde - that was number 1 for a week in January 1968 I think so I think he should thank his lucky stars he escaped that one!

Show quote history

Thats the one we should all crash your birthday party with!

If someone ever did this too me for a birthday of mine........ Im not convinced we would remain friends. Id be reconsidering my friendship list. So so cringe and so much more about you than the birthday person.

CountessWindyBottom · 27/01/2025 21:39

TheEnterainer · 26/01/2025 19:11

I love it personally ! But as people are so against it - I’ll read the room!

Show quote history

And that’s just it, YOU like it. So the performance, in all honesty, would be for your enjoyment really.

I appreciate that this is well intentioned but I don’t think it’s much to do with the birthday boy.

Id suggest you buy a karaoke machine and host a party yourselves if you really wish to do it. But absolutely not for your friends’ birthday.

Bunny65 · 27/01/2025 21:47

As he's 57 he's far too old to be mortally embarrassed. I say go for it, it sounds hilarious.

Bingbongbooboo33 · 27/01/2025 21:50

Do what you want, who cares what people think. I'm assuming you'll have had a few by the time you do it, so most others will as well & it will just be fun, a laugh for everyone & soon forgotten.
Unless you are intending it to be taken really seriously & be appreciated for your hidden talent, then....no.

GravyBoatWars · 27/01/2025 21:53

Do what you want, who cares what people think.

If you're going to do something for someone's birthday you should care what they think about it.

Teenagehorrorbag · 27/01/2025 21:54

Ha ha - we love this song! It is totally cringe, but we have an old car with a cassette player and can only play tapes. We have some hits of the 60s, and this is one which we play all the time.

The song itself is dreadful - please don't dance to it at anyone's party........😮

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 27/01/2025 21:59

@TheEnterainer

clearly you have name changed for this thread,

but do you really see yourself as one i.e. an entertainer ?

CatsnCoffee · 28/01/2025 03:44

TheEnterainer · 26/01/2025 17:26

No neither of us are performer types.

We’d be doing it as something very ‘different’ that he might enjoy as its something not many people can be bothered to do

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No, the reason people don’t do it isn’t that they ‘cannot be bothered to’. It’s because it’s a really strange and selfish thing to do.