M Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 Question: do folks here tend to get the same song stuck in their heads over and over? Two songs come to mind that are always playing in my brain it seems: > Sunshine on my shoulders by John Denver... but only the first line of the song > that circus theme song... in whistling format People at work hate me for those two... and a couple more that, thank god, I can't think of right now. I did have someone tell me once, that if you have a terrible song on the brain, the best way to rid it is to sing the Hockey Night in Canada theme song. I swear by this remedy. Very interesting article I read today on this topic... see below... ******************* from msnbc Professor studies "playlist from hell": How unwelcome songs get stuck in our heads and how to unstick them Unexpected and insidious, the earworm slinks its way into the brain and refuses to leave. Symptoms vary, although high levels of annoyance and frustration are common. There are numerous potential treatments, but no cure. "Earworm" is the term coined by University of Cincinnati marketing professor James Kellaris for the usually unwelcome songs that get stuck in people's heads. Since beginning his research in 2000, Kellaris has heard from people all over the world requesting help, sharing anecdotes and offering solutions. "I quickley learned that virtually everybody experiences earworms at one time or another," he said. "I think because it's experienced privately and not often a topic of conversation, maybe people really long for some social comparison. They want to know if other people experience what they experience." Kellaris, whose most pervasive personal earworm (Byzantine chants) likely has something to do with his wife's job as a church choir director, has been interested in the topic of earworms for decades. As a musician who now studies how marketers reach the public, he began wondering how widespread stuck songs really are, and began doing small surveys in 2000. Last year, he surveyed about 500 students, faculty and staff on campus asking about the type, frequency and duration of earworms, and possible causes and cures. Among the songs respondents picked as most likely to become stuck were: "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," the Chili's restaurant "baby back ribs" jingle and "Who Let the Dogs Out." But the choice that topped the so-called "playlist from hell" was "Other," meaning the majority of those surveyed chose a unique song of their own as the most probable earworm. That led Kellaris to conclude that stuck songs are highly idiosyncratic. "There are certain tunes that we would describe as catchy that are more likely to become one, but just about anything can become an earworm," he said. THE EVOLUTION OF EARWORMS The study, presented at conferences of the Society for Consumer Psychology in 2001 and 2003, showed: > Women report more irritation and frustration as a result of earworms. > People who are constantly exposed to music suffer them more frequently. > There may be a connection between earworms and a person's level of neurosis. "People with higher neuroticism scores tend to react to the onset of an earworm by saying 'Oh no, here it goes again, I wonder how long this is going to last,'" Kellaris said. "That fretting about it, I think, exacerbates it." The atmosphere is ripe for earworms at Last Vestige, a music store just west of downtown Albany. As customers flipped through compact discs and records with markers displaying such subjects as "Elvis the Pelvis" and "Beatles Cash-in Copycats," employees Jim Kaufman and Charles Monroe ruminated on recent bouts with earworms. "Top 40 pop, usually — stuff you wouldn't catch yourself listening to at home," said Kaufman, who named Jennifer Lopez's "Jenny From the Block" as a past stuck song. "Or stuff you're ashamed to admit listening to at home." Both men said they get rid of earworms either by trying to ignore them or by playing a tune they enjoy. Monroe said an earworm "usually happens when I only hear the song for like a second, like if I go to the laundromat and I'm kind of in and out."Kellaris heard similar stories after news of his study reached the public. He got hundreds of e-mails from the Philippines, South Africa, Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany, Argentina and all over North America. Among the messages: > A company that provided background music for retail stores wanted to know how to avoid using music prone to becoming an earworm. > Sufferers of a psychiatric condition where patients hear music when none is playing sent queries and case histories hoping Kellaris had found a way to cure or treat the disorder. The professor said the two are unrelated. > Personal stories about earworms haunting individuals for weeks, months or years. > Suggestions of how to cure an earworm, including chewing on a cinnamon stick, passing the earworm on to someone else or erasing the offending song by singing the theme from “Gilligan’s Island.” DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD For marketers, earworms can be a "double-edged sword," helpful if consumers look upon a memorable jingle favorably but with the potential to breed negativity toward a brand if the stuck song is viewed as annoying or unwelcome, said Larry Compeau, a marketing professor at Clarkson University and executive officer of the Society for Consumer Psychology. "I think the trick with earworms or with any kind of piece of music in advertising is to make sure the music is going to trigger the kinds of emotions or feelings you want the consumer to experience," he said. Studying when earworms are most likely to occur is next up for Kellaris. He said one theory is that stuck songs are "the brain's attempt to resolve missing information," and that retrieving the forgotten lyrics of a song will provide closure that "unsticks" an earworm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Musicface Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 Nice post M, thanks! quote: I did have someone tell me once, that if you have a terrible song on the brain, the best way to rid it is to sing the Hockey Night in Canada theme song. I swear by this remedy. I have my own remedy to this problem, but the cure may be worse than the problem to some. Whenever you have something stuck in your head that you really want to get out, this will always work: Meow-meow-meow-meow Meow-meow-meow-meow... Peace, Mr. M. (no relation) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Posted October 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 Evil, Mr. M... evil! I've got skating cats in my head now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamilton Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 I find that "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega works perfectly.... Erases anything that was already there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PalacePrincess Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 says M: quote: but only the first line of the song > that circus theme song... OMG, me too! i also always have the theme song from "i dream of jeanie" prancing through there. oh, and when green day's "basketcase" first came out, i had that fricken song in my head for three entire weeks straight, and i somehow knew all the words which made it even worse. i'd wake up with it. it would be there allll day. go to sleep with it. enough to turn a person into a basketcase. heehee thank heavens it finally went away (not that it's a bad song or anything, but 3 weeks straight of any song is too much!). someone told me once that "follow the yellow brick road" will rid your head of any song. i've tried it before, it does work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcO Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 I recommend the theme song to "They Itchy and Scratchy Show". "They fight and fight And fight and fight and fight The Itchy and Scratchy Shoooooooow!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberdinghy Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 I whistle that circus tune all the time too!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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