TikTok’s ‘Do you know the muffin man’ song and original, explained

At this point in time, is anyone even surprised by the constant flow of trends TikTok churns out? The social media platform has become known as a place for chaos, where anything can easily go viral, from easy-going dance challenges and memes to controversial “prank” videos. Right now, however, the app is being taken over by the “Do you know the muffin man?” trend, and while some were quick to get with the program, other users are still trying to understand how this all began and who the Muffin Man even is. Surely, he can’t be a real person, can he?

How did the “Do you know the muffin man?” trend begin?

This trend was started by a TikTok user known only as Rab (@rab_f). In their video, they claim to work with psychiatry patients in the ER while showing the viewers a hospital setting. As that goes on, we can hear someone out of the shot ask “Do you know the muffin man?”, and the person holding the camera asking back “The muffin man?” Promptly, the first voice replies much louder “The muffin man!” as the second one dissolves into laughter.

Currently, the video has over 4.1 million views, and over 598K likes. While there’s no telling if it is staged or not, many found the brief clip extremely entertaining, and have since replicated the scenario time and again. Meanwhile, others have taken the meme and put their own spin on it.

What is the “Do you know the muffin man” trend based on?

Believe it or not, this trend is a reference to a nursery rhyme that has been around since the 19th century, aptly titled “The Muffin Man.” Toward the beginning of the children’s song, we can hear the familiar words spoken in the aforementioned TikTok video, accompanied by a catchy melody.

Now, not only will you get the TikTok sound stuck in your head, but it’s sung version, too. In the grand scheme of things, though, this is just one more of the numerous songs that have achieved viral status thanks to TikTok.