As everybody was winding down at work and getting ready for the mad rush of the Christmas season, Australian music hit a milestone whose significance cannot be overstated, though it admittedly flew very much under the radar.
Last month saw the signature (only?) single from arguably the greatest Australian Idol winner we never had officially turn 10. We’re talking, of course, about Lee Harding and his killer 2005 hit ‘Wasabi’.
We know what you’re thinking, “Hit!?” Believe it or not, ‘Wasabi’, which was written by the team of Barbara Hannan, Adrian Hannan, Tommy Rando, and Emma Graham, managed to go gold in its first week and platinum in its second.
The power pop tune debuted at the top of the ARIA Singles Chart in December 2005 and boosted the sales of Harding’s debut album, What’s Wrong with This Picture?, which also managed to nab a gold certification.
As we all know, the lyrics describe a girl who’s “so damn hot” she’s like the popular Japanese condiment commonly served with sushi. If the lyrics don’t do a good enough job of driving the metaphor home, the handy gong at the end of the first chorus will.
[include_post id=”460502″]
The song managed to reign atop the ARIA Singles Chart for five consecutive weeks and as Tone Deaf’s Suzie Smith wrote, made Harding “the poster child for wannabe emos everywhere for a brief time in 2006”.
While Harding and his song have been largely maligned and relegated to punchline status, we’re certain clicking play on the video below will leave you with the song stuck in your head for days to come. Go on, we dare you.
Lee Harding – ‘Wasabi’ Lyrics
She’s just like wasabi
Looks like a barbie
Yeah she’s too hot for me
She’s like a tsunami
Can wipe out an army
With a blink of an eye, she can part the red sea
Drives a yellow ferrari
Wears Nike & Amarni
Her jewellery’s all Tiffany’s
She hangs out with Arni
Sipps champagne in Paris
But all she ever wants,
Is to do it with me
[Chorus]
Wasabi
So damn hot
Yeah my head’s gonna blow
Wasabi
She’s on eleven
She can go go go
She’s organic, Vegan
Eats tofu, no bacon
Every creature’s so cute u c
Won’t tolerate hate &
No furs & no pagans
Quotes every God, every guru schwarmi
She’s wise as Kenobi
Listens to Moby
Every day on her plasma TV
Speaks french and malaysian
Scores 100’s and a’s ‘n
All she ever wants Is to do it with me
[Chorus]
Flys jets cross the canyon
Sky dives with the band ain’t
your average adrenaline freak
Tightropes niagra
Don’t need no viagra
Cause all she really wants is to do it with me
[Chorus]
