In this post an unofficial playlist of drug theme songs are identified.
Authored By: Timothy P. Gauthier, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCIDP
Last updated: 22 November 2020
Over the years some of the wonderful people I have had the pleasure to work with have jokingly combined drug names into pop culture songs. I couldn’t recall all of them, so I posted a list of a couple onto social media for others to add to. Crowd-sourcing this kind of thing can be pretty effective and the results here were not disappointing. Thank you to everyone who offered a suggestion to this list! Also, hat-tip to ZdoggMD who I am a big fan of, I hope if you see this list it makes you proud too!
There is nothing official about this list. This is purely for fun and it honestly might just make a decent overall pharmacy playlist, as long as the retailers don’t play it on a loop! Anyone who has worked at CVS knows what I’m talking about. Also, I apologize for getting any of these stuck in your head!
If you have an unofficial drug theme song we haven’t listed, you can tell us about it here.
Okay, here is an unofficial list of drug theme songs!!!…
1. Bamlanivimab – Black Betty by Ram Jam
Ram Jam version is here.
Jimmy Fallon mixing it up is here.
Bamlanivimab also has syllables that line up will with the Cupid Shuffle. Listen to that song here.
2. Ceftraoline – Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
Listen to the song here. Bostonian pharmacists who visit Fenway Park will appreciate this one.
3. Vanc and Zosyn – Black and Yellow by Wiz Khalifa
Listen to the song here. Every day all day – Vanc and Zosyn!!! …seriously though, let’s try to at least yank the vanc when we don’t need it!
4. Tigecycline – Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
Listen to the song here. This one is a bit ironic, because this is one of the best hype songs of all time, and for many people the tigecycline has has been a lot of hype and not much enthusiasm for it’s tolerability (insert nausea emoji) or efficacy.
5. Ozempic – It’s Magic by Pilot
Oh, oh, oh, Ozempic! Listen to the song here. The generic name is semaglutide and it is a drug for diabetes.
6. Trelegy – ABC 123 by Jackson Five
Okay this one actually might be official, because the song is in the advertisement. Watch the commercial here. Listen to the song here. The generic name is fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, with vilanterol and it is used for COPD.
7. Efavirenz – Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift
Listen to the song here. This one doesn’t go with the drug name like the others, it’s in recognition that efavirenz can cause vivid or disturbing dreams as a potential side effect.
8. Scopalamine – Vertigo by U2
Listen to the song here. Scopalamine is indicated for vertigo, so like the last entry it’s based upon the drug less than connecting the name with the song.
9. Metronidazole – The Metro by Berlin
This music video is so strange. Watch it here. Metro-Metro… you get it!
Runner up – Shots by Lil Jon (featuring LMFAO). Listen here. Metronidazole is associated with a disulfiram-like reaction where consuming alcohol while taking metronidazole may lead to nausea/vomiting. Note the significance of this interaction is debated.
10. Spironolactone – That Smell by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Listen to the song here. Again, not sounding like the lyrics, but spironolactone smells like mint. Oh that smell!
11. Rifampin – Black Velvet by Alannah Myles
Listen the song here. Sing as “red velvet” instead. Rifampin causes numerous body fluids to turn a red/orange color.
12. Vancomycin – Thank You by Dido
Listen to the song here. And I’d like to vanc you, for having a possible MRSA infection.
Runner up: We Will Rock You by Queen. Such a great song. Rest in peace Freddy Mercury! Listen to it here. We will, we will, vanc you!
13. Doxycycline – Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding
Listen to the song here. The syllables match up wonderfully! The context is nonsense, but that’s okay.
14. Telmisartan – Tell Me Something Good by Rufus & Chaka Khan
Telmisartan good! Listen to the song here.
15. Cipro – Macho Man by The Village People
Cipro, Cipro man. I’ve got to be a Cipro man! Listen to the song here. We all hate you Cipro. Except when we have to use you, then you are okay.
16. Flagyl – Fraggle Rock Opening Theme Song
Soft g on the flagyl. Listen to the song here. Could go for a connection between rocks and the metallic taste metronidazole can cause, but that may be a bit of a stretch.
17. Lithium – Lithium by Nirvana
This one is probably a little too literal, but it’s all good. Listen to the song here.
18. Olmesartan – Oh My Darling Clemintine by Freddy Quinn
This is kind of amazing. Listen to the song here.
19. Maraviroc – Crocodile Rock by Elton John
Listen to the song here. Amazing.
20. Medrol Dosepak – Back in Black by AC/DC
Listen to the song here. Also amazing.
21. Abilify – I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly
Listen to the song here. Stop taking this medication and you may actually believe you can fly!
22. Suggamedex – Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard
Listen to the song here. This med is used for reversal of neuromuscular blockade induced by rocuronium and vecuronium. Too much roc or vec? Pour some sugga on me!
23. Colchicine – Can’t You See by The Marshall Tucker Band
Listen to the song here. The syllables match up splendidly!
24. Dalbavancin – Take You Dancing by Jason Derulo
Listen to the song here. Fits like a glove!
25. Vyvanas – One Dance by Drake (featuring Wizkid and Kyla)
Listen to the song here. This one made me laugh.
26. Ceftriaxone – Constant Craving by K.D. Lang
Listen to the song here. Cef-tri-ax-one!!
27. Olemesartan, Benicar – Old McDonald Had A Farm
Listen to the song here. Yea I know olmesartan is up there too, but I’m putting it here too!
Also, the Oh Oh Oh O’Reilly Autoparts song goes well with this too. Listen to it here.
28. Haldol – Halo by Beyonce
Listen to the song here. Will never think of this song the same way ever again!
Honorable mention
- Midazolam, ativan, or diazepam – Black Betty by Ram Jam. Song is here. I’m giving this one to bamlanivimab.
Nice try thanks for playing, but no dice.
These were suggested, but I just don’t see it. Maybe you will?
- Entanercept – Enter the Sandman by Metallica.
- Bamlanivimab – Work It by Missy Elliot
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