IN a campaign to raise awareness around hearing loss, Rick Astley has rerecorded his popular song 'Never Gonna Give You Up' using lyrics people have misheard for years.
The new song's name is 'Never Gonna Run Around With Dessert Spoons'.
Some of the lyrics include 'you wouldn't catch nits from any other guy' and 'your aunt's been naked'.
The release of the new version of the song, in partnership with Specsavers, aims to highlight how hearing loss can often be ignored for years and encourage people to take action if they notice any changes.
In research conducted by Specsavers, one in ten people thought that Astley was singing 'never gonna run around with dessert spoons', while Astley himself has revealed that he suffers from some hearing loss.
The research also found that over one in six (17%) blame mishearing song lyrics on struggling to hear properly, despite just under half (43%) confessing to never having their hearing tested. Half of people find conversations with background noise difficult (51%) and over a quarter (29%) say they can’t hear the TV or radio properly, which are common early signs of hearing loss.
'I had great fun re-recording the song with Specsavers and discovering the amusing ways people have misheard my song,' Astley said.
'It felt weird singing different lyrics but I’m pleased to be raising awareness of hearing loss, as there is still a stigma around this.
'I’ve noticed my hearing changing over time so recently had a hearing test at Specsavers. It showed I have some hearing loss, which I was not fully aware of. It’s probably a result of playing the drums as a kid and working in the music industry, so they’ve given me my first hearing aids.
'It’s important to remember that everyone’s hearing is different. Some people lose high notes, others lose low frequency sounds.
'I’d encourage anyone to get their hearing tested if they notice any changes, so they don’t lose the sounds or music they love.'
According to the research, 40% of people in Ireland have noticed changes in their hearing over the last 10 years but more than half (61%) have taken no action to address these changes.
Commenting on the findings, Martina McNulty, Specsavers Ireland audiology chairperson says: 'Hearing loss affects millions of people worldwide, but often goes undiagnosed and untreated and that is a terrible shame because it often leads to social isolation.
'If you notice any changes in your hearing, don’t wait 10 years to get checked. Hearing change is completely normal and is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about.'
