The success of the viral trend “Barbara’s Rhubarb Pie” can be attributed to its creator, Bodo Wartke, a musical cabaret artist who has gained a massive following across all social media platforms. With nearly 50 million views on TikTok, over 10 million views on YouTube and over 600 thousand likes on Instagram, Wartke’s popularity is growing exponentially.
The key to the trend’s virality lies in the language used and the devices chosen, making it a difficult tongue-twister even for native speakers. The song “Barbara’s Rhubarb Pie” plays on the repetitiveness and alternation of syllables, adding humor and known phrases for the public to enjoy. This trend has roots in Wartke’s desire to create a comical piece that could catch on social media, using German language sounds and rhymes to engage a global audience.
According to Deutsch Welle, the song’s success can be traced back to two Australian music students who were drawn in by the catchy rhythm and expressiveness of the creators. Their performance was shared widely on TikTok, sparking a chain reaction of imitations and word-of-mouth sharing. In Germany, tongue twisters are a rich tradition of language games, often starting with just a single word. However, “Barbara’s Rhubarb Pie” is unique as it uses musical elements to make it more engaging and accessible to a wider audience.
Wartke’s goal is to breathe new life into the art of tongue-twisters by musicalizing the German language, making it more enjoyable and accessible to a wider audience. Despite the complexities of the German language, the catchy beats and sounds of the tongue-twister have resonated with people worldwide, much like the music of renowned artists like Eminem. The success of “Barbara’s Rhubarb Pie” proves that language barriers can be bridged through shared enjoyment of music and humor.
