Bangladeshi and Indian internet circles have been blowing up with memes and videos posted to a morose-sounding track that simply says "moye moye." But as some internet trends go, no one seems to know what "moye moye" means, besides the fact that it appears to depict some saddening sentiment.

But some readers might be surprised to learn that the song actually has Serbian roots. Here's where the phrase "moye moye" comes from, and how it started to go viral online.

Where Does The 'Moye Moye' Song Come From And What Does It Mean?

The sound clip "moye moye" originates from a Serbian song named "Džanum" sang by Teya Dora, first posted to YouTube in March 2023. The song, which has over 47 million views, contains lyrics that go "moje more," which translates to "my nightmares."

How Did 'Moye Moye' Become A Meme?

"Džanum," or as TikTokers call the song, "Moye Moye," went viral on the platform in mid-2023, first through a classic TikTok sped-up remix, and then through a hugely viral video showing a desi bride getting emotional at her wedding. The clip gathered over 60 million plays and set the tone for the kind of emotionally charged videos that populate the sound online today.

@tr3ndysp0tify Džanum – Teya Dora 🇧🇦🇭🇷🇷🇸 | moje more 🫀#foryou #balkan #spotify #fypシ #blowthisup ♬ Originalton – 𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑎𝑛 𝑆𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑦‘

@ws4eed The tears you cry at your best friend’s doli #2023bride #doli #vidaaiceremony #vidaai #punjabitiktok #indianbride #bride #weddingtiktok ♬ Originalton – 𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑎𝑛 𝑆𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑦‘

How Did 'Moye Moye' Continue To Spread In 2023?

Videos using the sound grew popular in Bangladesh and India in the latter half of 2023, as seen in a TikTok by @ahsanshow where he complains about the sound getting way too overused.

@asif17704 moye moye,,,🐸🐸 #moyemoye #fannyvideo ♬ original sound – Asif Bhuiyan

@ahsanshow the end of MOYE MOYE | AHSAN #stopmoyemoye #moyemoye #meme #foryoupage #masud #ahsan #foryou #memes #pranks #vine #funny #trend #tiktokbangladeshi #foryourpage #tiktokbd #fypシ #funnyvideo #funnyvideos ♬ original sound – Ahsan Naheen

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For the full history of the "Moye Moye" meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.