Pop Culture

‘No such thing as a coincidence’: Kamala Harris’ coconut tree trend gets deep about life

‘When I’m gossiping with my friend and starting to feel too much like a hater.’

Photo of Charlotte Colombo

Charlotte Colombo

TOS - 'You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?'
That One Sound is a column from internet culture reporter Charlotte Colombo that explores the origin of popular sounds heard on TikTok.
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What came first, the chicken or the egg? For Kamala Harris, the answer is, quite simply, “coconut tree.” Make sense? …No? Good. That’s half the joke.

@user2023829748

♬ original sound – 🎀

The sound

“You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” a female voice asks. “You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.”

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It’s a puzzling, slightly convoluted turn of phrase that speaks to the intricacies of human nature—but what it’s basically saying is everything happens for a reason. Or, to quote another great meme, “there is no such thing as a coincidence.”

But meaning aside, what makes this sound so memeable is the cognitive dissonance that comes with the first and second half of this phrase. While the first part sounds silly and whimsical, the second part just sounds… kind of deep, really. 

And it’s that rapid change of tone TikTokers are capitalizing on with their meme-ing of this sound: 

“Me and my friend having two separate conversations on two different apps at the same time,” said @uncle.ag.

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`”When I’m gossiping with my friend and starting to feel too much like a hater,” said @liahinc.

“How I feel putting my glasses on in the middle of a conversation,” said @webkinz.luvr.

“Me mid-conversation when my adderall starts kicking in, said @kelseyalexandraan.

@uncle.ag #friendship ♬ original sound – 🎀
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Where’s it from?

This soundbite comes from a speech by Kamala Harris—formerly of “we did it Joe” fame and currently vice president of the United States.

She is actually quoting her mother, who originated the now-infamous coconut tree line. A line which, at the time of writing, has been used in 14,200 videos.

@uncle.ag #friendship ♬ original sound – 🎀
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Sound off

Over on the other app, this sound has become the basis of existential memes, like angry Wojack and a guy standing in the corner of a party. 

The fact that the same soundbite can be the basis of such different memes depending on the platform just goes to show how diverse and varied numerous internet communities really are. Creative, too.

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Now you can watch our That One Sound from TikTok column on YouTube! Subscribe to our channel and keep an eye out for new episodes every Wednesday:


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