Pixies apologise for Where Is My Mind? accidentally turning off alarms on Google phones

Virgin Radio

4 May 2023, 13:24

It’s a classic song, but it might just make you late for work.

Pixies single Where is My Mind? was released back in 1988 and has remained a fan-favourite tune throughout the years, but it has recently been revealed that the song has the power to switch off the alarm on a Google phone, all on its own. 

But how? 

Well, it’s all because of the first word.

With many music fans choosing to have their favourite song as their alarm tone, one person noticed that theirs doesn’t go off sometimes. Taking to Reddit, they said that on random days their alarm fails to activate. With their alarm set to play a Spotify playlist, whenever Where is My Mind? is selected, it doesn’t work.

They figured out that this is because the song starts with the word “Stop”. 

The word “Stop”, you see, pre-emptively disables the album on Google Pixel phones. 

Therefore, whenever the alarm uses Where is my Mind?, it immediately is instructed to turn itself off as soon as vocalist Frank Black utters the first word of the song. 

When finding out about what their song does to alarms on Google phones, the Boston band took to Twitter to say: “Sorry about that! ⏰📱🛑”

Where is My Mind? features on Pixies’ album Surfer Rosa, and is one of the group's most recognisable songs. It featured in the movie Fight Club, as well as in TV shows such as The Leftovers and Criminal Minds. 

It has been covered several times, including by Kelly Clarkson and teenage drumming sensation Nandi Bushell.

You might want to think carefully before selecting to use it as your alarm if you’ve got a Google phone!