On our recent drive south from the Highlands there was a song that briefly seemed to be following us. First at an emergency food stop in a McDonald’s in Carlisle, and then the next day on XFM, as we rolled back into London.

Its key feature was the the refrain, which seemed to say, repeatedly: “You own a tank-top.”

While I can see the logic of outing someone for that particular crime against fashion, I was fairly sure it was a mondegreen.

So when I was back at a computer, I searched for “you own a tank top” lyrics mondegreen. No hits.

I removed the word “lyrics”, which gave me a single hit. Some IRC log. But it was enough. The song is, apparently, ‘You Overdid it Doll‘ by The Courteeners.

It’s kind of disappointing to know the truth. I’m listening to it as I type, and I can’t hear it saying “you own a tank-top” any more. Still, it has entered family lore, and will always be known that way to us.

In the interests of full disclosure, I should note that I once owned a tank-top. In my defence, it was the seventies, and I was seven.

Also, my nephew, Paul, who is travelling around Australia and other far-off places, and blogging about it, once tried to introduce me to The Courteeners. I wasn’t super-impressed, but I quite like this track.

On the same short drive Paul introduced me to Vampire Weekend, who I love, and you should listen to. And either way, you should read his blog.