Songs that Stick in Your Head

 

Earworm Music

“When you wake up with a song stuck in your head, it means an angel sang you to sleep.”

Denise Baer (Author)

          I wish I could believe that! For the last few months, I’ve had songs stuck in my head more often. Sometimes I enjoy the song, but after ten-thousand repeats of the same verse, any song becomes annoying. This morning’s choice for my angel was Cat Stevens’ “Moonshadow.” Because this is happening so often, I decided to look up “earworms” and see what causes them. Bottom line is, scientists don’t know the why of it, but have done considerable research on the what and who. If you’re interested in reading more, there’s a good article on the website, Live Science, March 5, 2017, titled “Why Do Songs Get Stuck in Your Head?” It’s by researcher Stephanie Pappas.

          Research shows that musicians and singers have more earworms, which of course makes sense, and that the stickiest music tends to have simple lyrics that are easy to remember, but with a unique section and rhythm that makes the brain glom on. One example (for me) is Paul Simon’s song “You Can Call Me Al” that starts out with a very recognizable and repeated guitar cord, and then has an easily remembered refrain, “I can call you Betty, and Betty when you call me, you can call me Al.” As soon as you hear the entro, you know the song. It catches and you’re off and running. At least, I am.

          Having frequent earworms is also part of anxiety, specifically obsessive-compulsive disorder. People who have the tendency to be obsessive, even when they do not have the full-blown disorder, are more likely to report music (or conversation, for that matter) running on a loop in their heads. There is no specific treatment for earworms, though trying to get rid of them seems to be the best way to ensure they stay. I have read in the past that doing exercises to relax the tongue helps. But mostly, they die a natural death on their own schedule. In the meantime, I hope you like the song.

          It makes sense to me that earworms would be more common right now since existential, free-floating anxiety is high. With all the sickness and death around us from Covid 19 delta variant, we are worried, especially if we are older and/or more vulnerable. Even if you are not conscious of worried thoughts, the pandemic is always in the back of your mind—just like the stuck song. It’s one way our brain discharges anxiety—clever devil that it is!

          As for me, “I’m being followed by a moonshadow, moonshadow!” Have a happy, restful sabbath.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane