The Ear Worm Clinic

Trojina · Feb 20, 2014

'Ear Worms' are tunes you cannot get rid of.

They are songs or tunes that get in your head and won't leave. It's not because you like the song or tune. You have no choice about it. It might be a song or tune you hate.

I wonder why it happens and if it is linked to stress or something ?

I thought I'd attempt to open an Ear Worm Clinic. The idea being that if they are put here they will be exorcised like demons are :demon:

This has been driving me mad since a member joined called 'strangeronatrain' Why I don't know ?

[video=youtube;hlSbSKNk9f0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=hlSbSKNk9f0#t=4[/video]

I have been singing it passionately at any opportunity

It's not that I like it.

I wondered if this happens to me more than others

If you are afflicted with an ear worm please use this clinic, post it, and possibly the worm will be extracted, die, or go in someone else's ear ?

Trojina · Feb 20, 2014

By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Health News

Feb. 27, 2003 -- They bore into your head. They won't let go. There's no known cure. Earworms can attack almost anyone at almost any time.

No, it's not an invasion of jungle insects. It's worse. Earworms are those songs, jingles, and tunes that get stuck inside your head. You're almost certain to know the feeling, according to marketing professor James J. Kellaris, PhD, of the University of Cincinnati.

Nearly 98% of people have had songs stuck in their head, Kellaris reported at the recent meeting of the Society for Consumer Psychology. The 559 students -- at an average age of 23 -- had lots of trouble with the Chili's "Baby Back Ribs" Jingle and with the Baha Men song "Who Let the Dogs Out." But Kellaris found that most often, each person tends to be haunted by their own demon tunes.

"Songs with lyrics are reported as most frequently stuck (74%), followed by commercial jingles (15%) and instrumental tunes without words (11%)," Kellaris writes in his study abstract. "On average, the episodes last over a few hours and occur 'frequently' or 'very frequently' among 61.5% of the sample."

Here's the students' top-10 earworm list:

1.Other. Everyone has his or her own worst earworm.
2.Chili's "Baby Back Ribs" jingle.
3."Who Let the Dogs Out"
4."We Will Rock You"
5.Kit-Kat candy-bar jingle ("Gimme a Break ...")
6."Mission Impossible" theme
7."YMCA"
8."Whoomp, There It Is"
9."The Lion Sleeps Tonight"
10."It's a Small World After All"

Stuck song syndrome annoyed, frustrated, and irritated women significantly more than men. And earworm attacks were more frequent -- and lasted longer -- for musicians and music lovers. Slightly neurotic people also seemed to suffer more.

Kellaris hasn't yet found a cure. Women are more likely to try to get rid of the offending ditties. Men are just as likely to do nothing as to fight their earworms.

What helps? Kellaris doesn't know. But he found that when people battle their earworms, nearly two-thirds of the time they try to use another tune to dislodge the one that's stuck. About half the time people simply try to distract themselves from hearing the stuck song. More than a third of the time people with songs stuck in their heads try talking with someone about it. And 14% of the time, people try to complete the song in their heads in an effort to get it to end.

SOURCE: "Dissecting Earworms: Further Evidence on the 'Song-Stuck-in-Your Head' Phenomenon, James J. Kellaris, PhD, presentation to Society for Consumer Psychology, Feb. 22, 2003.

Trojina · Feb 20, 2014

It's weird that 'The lion sleeps tonight' is number 9 for students because I have had a lot of trouble with that song. I may not have heard it for years but it's a demon the way it gets lodged in there

anemos · Feb 22, 2014

my funniest , that usually come in stressful times were... and are :

1. the Flintstones opening singing it in a Muppet Show manner and ...umm enjoying the "Ya ba da ba doo " part

[video=youtube;2s13X66BFd8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s13X66BFd8[/video]

anemos · Feb 22, 2014

2. Muppet show opening, for the opportunities it offers to...express my self

[video=youtube;1M0X6OymIjg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M0X6OymIjg[/video]

( it only allows one vid per post)

Trojina · Feb 22, 2014

yes...I think many years ago I had a Flintstones earworm too...it's not like you want it playing in your head is it !

Or the muppets !

Trojina · Feb 22, 2014

BTW I think this clinic works because since I posted 'stranger in the night' on here it has not bugged me at all. I had a brief relapse whilst cleaning the bathroom today and burst into song but it didn't last long.
The neighbours are probably relieved.

Trojina · Feb 22, 2014

OMG it's contagious I've 'caught' the Flintstones tune :hissy:

hilary · Feb 22, 2014

[video=youtube_share;be-V1S9lkpM]http://youtu.be/be-V1S9lkpM[/video]

This stuck with me for about 3 months solid - drove me spare. Now it'll probably be around for another three, and this is your fault. Maybe a therapeutic dose of Muppets...

anemos · Feb 22, 2014

trojan said:
OMG it's contagious I've 'caught' the Flintstones tune

Ya ba da ba doooooooooooooooo

anemos · Feb 22, 2014

hilary said:
[video=youtube_share;be-V1S9lkpM]http://youtu.be/be-V1S9lkpM[/video]

This stuck with me for about 3 months solid - drove me spare. Now it'll probably be around for another three, and this is your fault. Maybe a therapeutic dose of Muppets...

i can relate !!

this clinic doesn't work. The " don't think the pink elephant" can only change if you start thinking the red, or blue or green...

Now I can see elephants on the piano, dancing

anemos · Feb 22, 2014

oh, btw Hilary ,

A friend of mine sings silent night with her son ( his request) EVERY night since Christmas '12...

anemos · Feb 22, 2014

[video=youtube;npUdoua5JSs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npUdoua5JSs#t=28[/video]

that's one I didn't knew before

at least my least expands in variety

sooo · Feb 23, 2014

They don't call it a hook for no reason.

moss elk · Feb 23, 2014

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ydXenL7iu0w

Sort of on topic.

moss elk · Feb 23, 2014

Oh!
And how does one embed the videos?

anemos · Feb 23, 2014

Moss Elk said:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ydXenL7iu0w

Sort of on topic.

"this video is not available"

there is something look like a film strip in to tool bar of the message box. in the Quick reply is the one before the end - the Quotation button

Trojina · Feb 23, 2014

Moss Elk said:
Oh!
And how does one embed the videos?

play the video then right click over the video and you get an option to 'copy video url at current time'
copy then paste in

I have been infected with the tune Hilary posted. The first line of it anyway over and over....and it's not even xmas.

so thanking such posts seems odd.

However I am hypothesising this clinic cure works like penicillin or even homeopathy....catching the same bug deliberately will kill the resident bug. I haven't got a strong dose of the little child prodigy....so it's a bit like the flu vaccine might be. You get it mildly....for a purpose

Trojina · Feb 23, 2014

Moss Elk said:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ydXenL7iu0w

Sort of on topic.

yes it's like that

sooo · Feb 23, 2014

[video=youtube;Sj38rTc0cvc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Sj38rTc0cvc#t=71[/video]

sooo · Feb 23, 2014

Hooks for Hilary and Annamaria

Tempos which synch with the body's natural rhythms, such as pulse, have been used as hooks since classical times. This was no accident; the composers knew this well, and/or they were moved to write according to their own body's rhythms.

In some cases the haunting repetitive melodic themes acted as hooks as well. Repetitive chord progressions were also employed, some which reached the same ridiculous proportions as our modern 1-4-5 blues and rock progressions, such as that of Pachelbel's Canon in D major. (see next post)

[video=youtube;G74o2HbgZtE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=G74o2HbgZtE#t=824[/video]

The drum beats were added to demonstrate the metronomic effect and affect on the listeners.

This isn't magic, it's simply formula.

sooo · Feb 23, 2014

[video=youtube;JdxkVQy7QLM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JdxkVQy7QLM#t=6[/video]

anemos · Feb 23, 2014

ok, will look at the bright side of this multi-ear worm phenomenon as I had a big company while I was study.

the other side is : :lalala:

, "Go away I need to study " :hissy:

blue_angel · Feb 27, 2014

I have one now, driving me nuts! Pharell William "Happy"

"Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof. Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth. Clap along if you know what happiness is to you." And the chorus sings on "because I'm happy." Catchy good song, happy words. But stuck in my head.

anemos · Feb 27, 2014

blue_angel said:
I have one now, driving me nuts! Pharell William "Happy"

.

good one for our drug-medicine list. : ) I guess you are on your phone

so , if you don't mind linking the video.

[video=youtube;y6Sxv-sUYtM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM&feature=kp[/video]

hilary · Feb 27, 2014

trojan said:
I have been infected with the tune Hilary posted. The first line of it anyway over and over....and it's not even xmas.

Hah. Of course that one comes with an especially virulent dose of cuteness if you watch to the very end.

However I am hypothesising this clinic cure works like penicillin or even homeopathy....catching the same bug deliberately will kill the resident bug. I haven't got a strong dose of the little child prodigy....so it's a bit like the flu vaccine might be. You get it mildly....for a purpose

I regard Mozart as the best vaccine. Symphony 40, or if all else fails Eine Kleine (which is actually uncannily closely related to the Chicken Song - seriously - try imagining the two playing together, if you dare...)

Sooo - first time I saw that Pachelbel rant I practically fell off my chair laughing, especially at the opening patter. Only thing I would add is that you may play that bass line 56 or 58 times - it depends on whether the violinist has brought enough clothes pegs to anchor her part in the wind - if not, you play a few more loops while she retrieves it...

Trojina · Feb 27, 2014

Hey I like that song 'Happy' I just danced around the bathroom to it ! I never heard that before so this thread is about educating the infernal earworm too.

Yesterday I was in a big charity shop (thrift shop) which at times is more like a night club the music is so good...always very funky, you can't keep your mind on the the fact it's a shop. One day one old guy asked me to dance and said 'don't tell your husband :rofl:

yesterday I danced there to a bit of jazz while trying something on in a cubicle.

Now for another of my old time earworms. These are songs that just keep on playing regardless of the fact that I have not heard them for a long time, they are not current pop songs on the radio and no one else is singing them....and yet today in the car I started to sing this again . This has been going on, well off and on, since the 70s when Steeleye Span did it.

Bizarre and it's not even Christmas. At least I kind of like it.

[video=youtube;ZoQ3kbxegHY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZoQ3kbxegHY#t=11[/video]

Oh crossed posts with Hilary...who I think secretly loves Christmas and won't admit it

sooo · Feb 27, 2014

hilary said:
Sooo - first time I saw that Pachelbel rant I practically fell off my chair laughing, especially at the opening patter. Only thing I would add is that you may play that bass line 56 or 58 times - it depends on whether the violinist has brought enough clothes pegs to anchor her part in the wind - if not, you play a few more loops while she retrieves it...

Ha! I recall you posting it once but thought it was long enough ago to repeat, though not another 58 times.

I woke with a late 50's accapella of "In the still of the night" looping in my head. No idea where I caught that, but I'm getting a shot of Thelonious Monk vaccine.

blue_angel · Feb 28, 2014

Yes, on my phone

thank you for posting that link. I love you guys, these threads are all so fun and creative. I enjoy such a wide variety of music. When I come here I feel connected. As insane as it may sound, I sang Silent Night, every night to my children at bed time. Well that as well as Hark The Harold Angel's Sing and You Are My
Sunshine. I guess they seemed peaceful. My oldest years late, says
"All those years I didn't realize you
were singing us Christmas songs!" I
said "Well you wanted another song
and another, they were the ones I
knew all the words to."

For some reason as soon as anyone
mentions Mozart, Beethoven's 5th
Symphony starts in my head.
Following up with Fur Elise. What
would we do without music? Its
amazing, like light that travels from
your ears to your soul and if you're
lucky to your feet.

I'm going to
stop rambling now before everyone
catches on to just how weird I am.

anemos · Feb 28, 2014

blue_angel said:
I'm going to
stop rambling now before everyone
catches on to just how weird I am.

Please, don't . Was thinking yesterday in a half-awake /half asleep state how nice it would be if we could share our weirdness . Its one of those things that also connect us , with others outside and within .

My friend's son, the friend that sings "silent night for a looooong time every night asked her. "where the song go after we sang them. He is about 7yo but he feels that song have a live and go on living

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