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Ear worms

21 Oct 11 - 07:27 AM (#3242383)
Subject: Ear worms
From: Tigger the Tiger

I have found that the current generation finally has this term for a phenomenon that has always plagued me. Waking up in the morning with a tune going through my head that can stay for days,with a song staying through most activities, is a problem. How many musicians out there have always had this?I play totally by ear anyway....


21 Oct 11 - 08:02 AM (#3242399)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Newport Boy

I've heard and used 'earworm' since at least 1975, when our male voice choir learnt 'Jacobs Ladder'.

Phil


21 Oct 11 - 08:29 AM (#3242406)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,blogward

I've always found the way to cure an earworm is to sing the tune to yourself, but modify it.


21 Oct 11 - 08:32 AM (#3242408)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: SteveMansfield

I find the only way to get rid of a persistent earworm is to sit down and play it - although the practicalities of that can be complex, e.g. I don't think I ever managed to capture the full grandeur of the opening of 'Zadok The Priest' on the concertina (although I had great fun trying).

I also feel I've known the word for a long time, but can't give any date/time.


Now playing in my head after that mention of Jacob's Ladder - that Chumbawumba song off the same CD with the loop of 'And they sent him to the wars, to be slain, to be slain ... '


21 Oct 11 - 08:38 AM (#3242413)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,glueman

Repetitive activities like cycling encourage ear worms. If the songs has close harmonies you'll become host to various worms who won't let up until they're done.


21 Oct 11 - 08:47 AM (#3242418)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Tigger the Tiger

Thanks for all the information on this. I guess I just never talked to anyone else about the problem. I see it is much more common than I thought. I find I am particularly open to this to a song that I hear in the morning;also that if a new song starts an earworm in me,it ends up a hit. I have a persistent one from 1968 from a song a friend wrote;I should have kept in touch with him to get the words.This song still makes me happy and bouncy. His songs were so good I thought he would go commercial with them somehow.


21 Oct 11 - 09:32 AM (#3242443)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Will Fly

'Zadok The Priest' on the concertina

Now I'd really like to hear that!

I've been earworming my way through "The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba" over the last few days. It's a tune that's always fascinated me so I thought I'd go through the sheet music - working out the chord progressions for amusement and edification. So I've been humming it endlessly...


21 Oct 11 - 09:38 AM (#3242446)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: davyr

Steve Mansfield said:

"Now playing in my head after that mention of Jacob's Ladder - that Chumbawumba song off the same CD with the loop of 'And they sent him to the wars, to be slain, to be slain ... '"

...which, I believe, was a sample of Walter Pardon singing "The Pretty Ploughboy".

Or was it Harry Cox?


21 Oct 11 - 10:09 AM (#3242464)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,leeneia

Look guys, Tigger has asked for help.

"Waking up in the morning with a tune going through my head that can stay for days,with a song staying through most activities, is a problem."

So never mind the celebrities - who recorded what. Think about earworms.

My thoughts on earworms:

1. As Blogward said, try to get rid of it by singing it or playing it. I've never heard of modifying it, but it sounds like something worth trying.

2. I have a theory that an earworm could be related to allergies. An allergy puts the cerebral-spinal fluid which bathes the brain under excess pressure. This pressure could be irriating music nerves, which respond by doing the only thing they can do, which is make music.

3. Some word which is in the news or in my mind could be triggering the association. For example, the nagging thought that I need to clean the ashes out of the fireplace could cause "Ash Grove" to become an earworm.

Tigger, do you play an instrument or sing? Try making doing some other piece when the earworm strikes and see if that doesn't drive it away.


21 Oct 11 - 10:17 AM (#3242467)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,leeneia

Not even Daniel Levitin, the musical psychologist, has any hints on getting rid of an earworm. He does make a couple of observations, though.

http://www.somethingyoushouldknow.net/content/why-songs-get-stuck-your-head


21 Oct 11 - 11:11 AM (#3242491)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: olddude

Since my grandson visited me ... I wake up with the wiggles song running in my head ... I like the wiggles but its driving me nuts :-)


21 Oct 11 - 11:28 AM (#3242502)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Bert

To get rid of an ear worm replace it with a song that you are just learning. You ARE learning a new song today aren't you?.

Or sing the whole way through your song list.


21 Oct 11 - 11:37 AM (#3242508)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: SteveMansfield

It was indeed Harry Cox.

And it's still going round my head, four hours later, even after half an hour's concertina practice ....


21 Oct 11 - 12:19 PM (#3242538)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,leeneia

If it's really awful, medication for obsessive-compulsive disorder may help. At least, Wikipedia mentions the idea.

Steve, when you played concertina, did it go away?


21 Oct 11 - 12:36 PM (#3242545)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: SINSULL

Tuesday's earworm was "It's A Great Day For The Irish". You know - "we're feeling so inspirish just because of all the Irish..." Have no idea where it came from. I wish it straight to hell. Replaced it with something less offensive.


21 Oct 11 - 12:46 PM (#3242555)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,highlandman at work

For me, earworms never really go away. They just get superseded by the next one. There's always a soundtrack in my head.
Hiking seems to bring out the most persistent circular specimens, though. I find them most annoying when I don't know them properly and just keep going over the same inconclusive sequence, for ever and ever.
There is one fairly reliable way to get one to give way to the next, for me at least ... give it to someone else .
Mrs. Highlandman does not like it when I exercise this option. But fair is fair, she does it to me often enough.
-Glenn


21 Oct 11 - 01:01 PM (#3242570)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: olddude

Ok I got one for ya, now try to get rid of this outta yer head

"jump down turn around pick a bail of cotton gotta jump down turn around pick a bail a day, jump down turn around pick a bail of cotton gonna jump down turn around pick a bail a day .. cotton needs pickin so bad cotton needs pickin so bad cotton needs pickin soooo bad gotta pick all over the land"

That old folk song will run for days in ya head


21 Oct 11 - 01:36 PM (#3242595)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: gnu

Dan... "Ok I got one for ya, now try to get rid of this outta yer head"

That's as far as I read. Ya think I fell off the turnip truck yesterday? Yes, we have no bananas... >;-)


21 Oct 11 - 03:36 PM (#3242653)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Gurney

The language changes. It used to be called a 'maggot.'


21 Oct 11 - 08:07 PM (#3242758)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Bernard

A lot of people confuse 'Maggot' as being a kind of dance, as Playford lists a few dances which have taken their names from tunes such as Jack's Maggot, Dick's Maggot and Mr. Beveridge's Maggot...

Apparently in this context 'Maggot' can also mean 'a whimsy'...


Then there's that song sung (somewhat approximately!) to 'Buffalo Gals'...

I know a song that'll get on yer nerves,
Get on yer nerves, get on yer nerves,
I know a song that'll get on yer nerves,
Get, get, get on yer nerves

AND

I know a song that'll get on yer nerves,
Get on yer nerves, get on yer nerves,
I know a song that'll get on yer nerves,
Get, get, get on yer nerves

AND

I know a song that'll get on yer nerves,
Get on yer nerves, get on yer nerves,
I know a song that'll get on yer nerves,
Get, get, get on yer nerves

(etc!)


21 Oct 11 - 08:59 PM (#3242802)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Elmore

Old

Old Dude: How could you do This to me? You are evil!

dude

dude:


21 Oct 11 - 11:42 PM (#3242844)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Stilly River Sage

The most recent ear worm that struck me was Leonard Cohen's Dance Me to the End of Love.

SRS


22 Oct 11 - 04:21 AM (#3242903)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: DrugCrazed

You think you have problems, I can't get the bloody Holly And The Ivy out of my head and it's been here for over a month now.


22 Oct 11 - 06:54 AM (#3242948)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Will Fly

Don't worry DC - another couple of months and it'll be just what you need...


22 Oct 11 - 08:35 AM (#3242969)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: SteveMansfield

Steve, when you played concertina, did it go away?

Eventually ... just hope that revisiting this thread won't set it off again!


22 Oct 11 - 02:48 PM (#3243159)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,Eliza

I love the old English Hymnal hymns sung in church. But quite recently they went all Happy Clappy and struck up a 'hymn' new to me. The chorus went something like "Thank you Oh my Father, for giving uuuuussss your So-o-o-o-o-n..." It was totally dreadful and didn't even scan, but can I get the blooming thing out of my head? Not on your Nellie!
A much nicer ear worm was Tommy Steel "What a mouth what a mouth what a north and south..." (that was last month, but it cheered me up!)


22 Oct 11 - 05:54 PM (#3243233)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Bernard

"What a mouth what a mouth what a north and south..."

Hmmm... I thought it was more like ""Worra maaf, Worra maaf, Worra norf and saaf..."!!

;o)


22 Oct 11 - 06:17 PM (#3243247)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Joe_F

Since childhood, my remedy has been to switch to the national anthem.


23 Oct 11 - 04:22 AM (#3243380)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: DrugCrazed

"Don't worry DC - another couple of months and it'll be just what you need... "

THE BLOODY THING'S BEEN IN THERE SINCE THE EIGHTH OF SEPTEMBER FOR CHRISSAKE


23 Oct 11 - 06:50 AM (#3243429)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,Eliza

Just got back from church this morning and, would you believe it? they sang the wretched thing again!! Feed the earworm!
Bernard, LOL, that's exactly how he sings it! I love the bit "..'is pore ol' muvva oh lummy, Lord luvva..."


24 Oct 11 - 09:19 AM (#3243897)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,leeneia

So, DrugCrazed, are you DOING anything about having 'The Holly and the Ivy' stuck in your head? Such as:

Go to a pharmacy. Take some Claretin or equivalent. See if allergies are a factor.

Pick up an instrument. Play the song. Modify it. See what happens.

Think about your environment. Do you have a co-worker named Holly? Is there ivy climbing up a tree near you, and do you notice it every day? You can talk to your brain, you know. You can say, "Stop that. Holly is the person at the next desk and has nothing to do with a song."

If it's really bad, keep notes on how many times a day it bothers you. Then see a shrink.


24 Oct 11 - 11:32 AM (#3243970)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: olddude

this morning I woke up with that song from Oliver running in my head
"I'd do anything for you dear anything for you mean everything to me .. you know that I'd risk everything for one kiss everything for you mean everything .. everything to me"


madding


24 Oct 11 - 01:28 PM (#3244030)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,Eliza

Oh no! Not Oliver! I had "Oompapa! Oompapa! That's How It Goes" in my head for weeks.


24 Oct 11 - 04:31 PM (#3244114)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Tootler

It seems useful when you are learning a song. The trouble is when you get an earworm (are they infectious?), you only ever seem to have one line of the song running through your head. The rest of the song is somewhere out in the ether and the built in retrieval system simply refuses to work.


26 Mar 13 - 02:10 AM (#3494953)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Desert Dancer

Get that tune out of your head - scientists find how to get rid of earworms
Scientists claim to have found a way to help anyone plagued by earworms – those annoying tunes that lodge themselves inside our heads and repeat on an endless loop.

By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
7:40AM GMT 24 Mar 2013
The Telegraph

They are the songs you cannot get out of your head. Now scientists may have found a way to help anyone plagued by those annoying tunes that lodge themselves inside our heads and repeat on an endless loop.

Researchers claim the best way to stopping the phenomenon, sometimes known as earworms – where snippets of a catchy song inexplicably play like a broken record in your brain – is to solve some tricky anagrams.

This can force the intrusive music out of your working memory, they say, allowing it to be replaced with other more amenable thoughts.

But they also warn not to try anything too difficult as those irritating melodies may wiggle their way back into your consciousness.

For those unwilling to carry around a book of anagrams, a good novel may also do the trick.

"The key is to find something that will give the right level of challenge," said Dr Ira Hyman, a music psychologist at Western Washington University who conducted the research. "If you are cognitively engaged, it limits the ability of intrusive songs to enter your head.

"Something we can do automatically like driving or walking means you are not using all of your cognitive resource, so there is plenty of space left for that internal jukebox to start playing.

"Likewise, if you are trying something too hard, then your brain will not be engaged successfully, so that music can come back. You need to find that bit in the middle where there is not much space left in the brain. That will be different for each individual.

"It is like a Goldilocks effect – it can't be too easy and it can't be too hard, it has got to be just right."

Dr Hyman and his team conducted a series of tests on volunteers by playing them popular songs in an attempt to find out how tunes can become stuck in long term memory.

By playing songs by the Beatles, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé while the volunteers completed mazes drawn out on pieces of paper, they found they could get songs to play mentally in the participants heads and that they were then likely to recur intrusively through the next day.

They then tested whether performing puzzles such as Sudoku or anagrams would help to reduce the recurrence of the earworms.

They found that while Sudoku puzzles could help prevent the songs from replaying their heads, if they were too difficult it had little effect.

Anagrams were more successful and they found that solving those with five letters gave the best results.

"Verbal tasks like solving anagrams or reading a good novel seem to be very good at keeping earworms out," said Dr Hyman, who now hopes to examine whether similar techniques could be used to prevent other intrusive thoughts caused by anxiety or obsessiveness.

He added: "Music is relatively harmless but easy to start. Choruses tend to get stuck in your head because they are the bit we know best and because we don't know the second or third verse, the song remains unfinished. Unfinished thoughts are more likely to return."

Surveys by scientists have revealed a wide variety of songs tend to end up as earworms with three quarters of people reporting unique songs not experienced by others. The most common tend to be popular songs that are in the charts or are particularly well known.

The Western Washington team found that Lady Gaga was the most common artist to get stuck in people's heads, with four of her catchy pop songs being the most likely to become earworms – Alejandro, Bad Romance, Just Dance and Paparazzi.
Katy Perry's California Girls also rated highly as the 2009 hit Hey, Soul Sister by American rock band Train.

Other surveys have reported Abba songs such as Waterloo, Changes by David Bowie or the Beatles' Hey Jude.

Mountaineer Joe Simpson famously reported being bothered by a song he hated – Brown Girl in the Ring by Boney M – as he lay injured on a glacier in Peru. Fearing he might die, the tune played endlessly in his head, he later recalled.
Researchers, however, claim there is often little logic to the songs that become stuck in our heads but they often are songs we know well and like.

Dr Vicky Williamson, a music psychologist at Goldsmiths, University of London, has been studying earworms and says that the most likely songs to get stuck are those that are easy to hum along to or sing but are often unique to individuals.

She has identified a number events that can trigger these songs to intrude on our every day lives, including repeated exposure to a piece of music, recent exposure to the music, seeing lyrics from the song, moments of stress and allowing your mind to wander.

She has been working with BBC6 Music to ask members of the public to identify their own stories involving earworms and is now attempting to identify new "cures" for those bothered by unwanted tunes.

Dr Williamson said: "Even reading a line in a newspaper can trigger the domino effect that starts a song running. During the trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, we got a lot of people reporting Michael Jackson songs getting stuck in their head.
"Earworms seem to be the key to understanding how music gets so automatically connected in memory – we think we can use that. It could help alleviate people who are suffering from distressing thoughts.

"On learning we could help people suffering from cognitive decline, so if they can't remember the stages to make a cup of tea, if you tech them it as a song, then they could make their own cup of tea rather than relying on other people."

Some of the easiest songs to get stuck in your head (as used by the researchers)
Alejandro – Lady Gaga
Bad Romance – Lady Gaga
Call me Baby – Carly Rae Jepsen.
Single Ladies – Beyoncé
She Loves You – The Beatles
I Wanna Hold Your Hand – The Beatles
She Loves You – The Beatles
SOS – Rihanna
You Belong with Me – Taylor Swift

~ Becky in Tucson


26 Mar 13 - 05:12 AM (#3494991)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,Niggardly Bastard

In The Summertime.
Mungo Jerry.
I bet a Mudcatter or two was in on that one.


26 Mar 13 - 09:00 AM (#3495040)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: saulgoldie

"It's a Small World (after all)..."

I think NPR did a story about this phenomenon some time back.

Saul


26 Mar 13 - 12:08 PM (#3495097)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: dick greenhaus

THe ol family cure:
.". Take the juice of s bottle of bourbon and lie down..."


26 Mar 13 - 12:59 PM (#3495119)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,leeneia

"Choruses tend to get stuck in your head because they are the bit we know best and because we don't know the second or third verse, the song remains unfinished. Unfinished thoughts are more likely to return."

There's a whole new approach to try. Perhaps the earworm is the work of your Inner Nag, who is scolding you for not learning the whole song. Try learning the whole song and singing it through. Perhaps your Inner Nag will shut up about it.


26 Mar 13 - 06:48 PM (#3495251)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Desert Dancer

At the NPR link for the story above they give links to previous stories on the topic...

~ Becky in Tucson


26 Mar 13 - 08:28 PM (#3495291)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Joe Offer

Some of you people have some really classy earworms. As for me, my earworms are always insipid, songs that are coursing through my brain that I'm embarrassed to have people know about. Why can't I have some great symphony floating in my head, and not a McDonald's jingle or an ad for sanitary napkins?

-Joe-


26 Mar 13 - 09:38 PM (#3495315)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Herga Kitty

Les Sullivan's "Fly so high", from his "Echoes from Terada" CD, about recruiting for the Royal Flying Corps....

We will fly so high, in the clear blue sky
Like an airborne cavalry
Dive out of the sun, shoot down a Hun
Then back to the base for tea

Kitty


27 Mar 13 - 09:16 AM (#3495451)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,highlandman at work

A recurrent one for me is "Storybook Love" by Mark Knopfler (theme from "Princess Bride").
Just goes around and around and around and my brain puts the up-a-fourth/down-a-fourth thingies at random places.....
-Glenn


27 Mar 13 - 11:27 AM (#3495501)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Tattie Bogle

Just been sent this by a French friend: it's already dug itself a nice burrow in my ear: just as well as I have to know the melodeon part by this weekend!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwpQoHzxUXY&list=FLgwTMpA_cC4dawC5D2WVvSg


27 Mar 13 - 04:18 PM (#3495647)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,leeneia

Thanks for the link, Tattie. Could you explain what exactly that is all about?


27 Mar 13 - 05:22 PM (#3495683)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Edthefolkie

I tried this infallible earworm on a very old friend who is an organist and Scottish Country Dancer. He therefore ought to be infection proofed, but no! He does a bit of bus driving on the side and spent an agonised day in the driving seat with this going through his brain.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNbGYRSsV8g


27 Mar 13 - 08:28 PM (#3495745)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Desert Dancer

In today's news:

It's A Small World ride breaks down, forces disabled man to listen to that song for 30 minutes

Disneyland has paid disabled man Jose Martinez $8,000. Their crime? Not evacuating him from It's A Small World after the ride broke down in 2009, leaving him listening to that song for half an hour.

The song couldn't be shut off. Most adults are ready to strangle someone after going through the ride at regular speed. Like the song says, "It's a world of hopes, it's a world of fears," and this sounds like it belongs on most of our top fear lists.

(There were other issues noted than just the song, but...)

They give a link to a video and say, "Enjoy the ride through It's A Small World virtually below — feel free to cover your ears at any point." NPR says, "We'll leave you with a video that shows the "small world" ride. To be clear, you cannot sue us if the song gets stuck in your head:"

link

:-)

~ Becky in Tucson


27 Mar 13 - 08:48 PM (#3495752)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Tattie Bogle

Good question Leeneia! I just liked the sound of it and there is an English translation on the video. But, having looked further, it seems to be in praise of the Edelwess flower, and also the region of Southern France known as L'Occitane: the language is also the Occitane dialect as far as I can understand. I was going to give you a link to Wikipedia re L'Occitane but blue clickies are currently offline, so you can maybe Google it for yourself.


28 Mar 13 - 10:26 AM (#3495959)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: GUEST,leeneia

Hello, Tattie. I surmised that it had something to do with Occitane, because somebody's screen name was 'monoccitan.' But why the make-up, as if it were a soccer match? Why the flag-waving? Something's up.


30 Mar 13 - 09:19 AM (#3496697)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Tattie Bogle

AS far as I can gather, it's just a big concert, and about people celebrating their home area of L'Occitane: the flag is that of L'Occitane: as you'll have seen from the link I gave to Wikipedia, it covers a big swathe across the south of France, and you'll maybe have seen from some of the Youtube comments, they have their own special language or dialect in that region. I will ask my French friends more about it.
(Similar things happen in Scotland when there's a big Scottish band on: everyone starts waving the Scottish saltire! - and, of course, we have the referendum on Scottish independence coming up next year. And you'll get Cornish flags in Cornwall, Breton ones in Brittany, Basque ones in the Basque country, etc)


30 Mar 13 - 09:48 AM (#3496715)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Ron Davies

I can't understand why anybody should have a problem with earworms (from the German "Ohrwurm").

First, make sure the last song you hear before you go to bed is something you like--I tend to put on Baroque music--very soothing.

Second, watch no commercial TV.

Third, in general, if you listen to music at home, you should be able to ensure that the music you hear is what you want to hear (obviously having kids in the house may complicate this).    Don't listen to currrent top 40 at all.

My head is stuffed with classical music, country music, Beatles etc. I wake up every day with a different song in my head--but it's these, or a song I'm trying to learn.

No danger of Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow or current top 40, etc. getting in.

This seems to be a classic tempest in a teapot.


30 Mar 13 - 09:51 AM (#3496718)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Ron Davies

Also, if somebody is playing music that you can't stand at work, you should be able to work this out--- if your workplace is reasonable.


30 Mar 13 - 02:43 PM (#3496809)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Elmore

Sort of embarrassing on this day before Easter, but Rosselson's "Stand Up For Judas" keeps running through my brain. It has a neat tune, and is good to dance to.


30 Mar 13 - 07:36 PM (#3496873)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Ron Davies

Is that "Stand up, stand up for Judas, ye atheists against the Cross"?

Actually that one would be a challenge to dance to--but might well be a hit on Mudcat.


30 Mar 13 - 09:13 PM (#3496902)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Tattie Bogle

Did anyone say they were a problem? I quite like them, whether it's something I've just heard or something from way back ( see thread re Marianina for example) or just the latest tune I've " written" myself that I'm trying desperately to keep in my head until I can put it down on paper or computer or record it.


31 Mar 13 - 10:30 AM (#3497031)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: MGM·Lion

All sorts of trains of thought can set them off. We were watching Aston Villa v Liverpool an hour or so ago, and Emma, who is a Chelsea supporter, happened to mention their reserve goalkeeper Hilario ~~ I can't even remember in what particular context. But since then I can't stop humming The Road To Fennario. And it isn't even a song I sing!

~M~


02 Apr 13 - 02:30 PM (#3497910)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Ron Davies

"Did anyone say they were a problem?"

Yes.

"Tigger has asked for help"

Also some have been described as "annoying".


02 Apr 13 - 03:32 PM (#3497936)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Barbara Shaw

It used to be that just catchy tunes got stuck in my head. Lately, however, the last melody I've heard is running continuously until another one replaces it. It could be a great song or it could be a commercial jingle or even a phrase that brings some random song to mind and morphs into an ear worm. Help!!


03 Apr 13 - 07:40 PM (#3498531)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Tattie Bogle

Humming Marianina as I type!


03 Apr 13 - 10:22 PM (#3498571)
Subject: RE: Ear worms
From: Ron Davies

As I noted earlier, to limit commercial jingles, limit exposure to commercial jingles---don't watch commercial TV.

That way, at least the commercials in your head may well be from the 50s and early 60s--when they were actually good-- sometimes.    Or at least they're nostalgia now.

I listen mostly to classical music--and any of those tunes are welcome in my head, as long as they want to stay. The only vocals I listen to are songs I want to learn, or am fascinated by.
Or possibly what kids want to listen to. And some of them are even funny--especially if the singers are not good.

Exceptions to this are really rare.