Our washing machine is broken and waiting on parts for a repair, so I found myself in a laundromat today for the first time in 20 years. For some reason, this laundromat chose to play — quite loudly — a UK streaming station called Smooth Relax. I noticed it because of the woman’s voice with a British accent reminding me that weekends are for relaxing, followed by ads for UK stuff like lottery tickets that made no sense to play in the US. It was a weird mix of sappy songs, many of which I’d never heard.
While I was folding, a song came on that I immediately recognized from the movie Love Actually. Though I don’t remember, it’s also in Four Weddings and a Funeral, which was written and directed by the same guy. I always assumed it was a made-up song. It turns out Love Is All Around was a top 10 hit by The Troggs in 1967 that was written in 10 minutes.

