Earworms

I never knew there was a formal name for them. I always just said that I've got a 'song stuck in my head'. I'm talking about when you hear a song, usually something stupid or annoying and it 'sticks' in your head and you sing it. Come to find out there is actually a term for this condition, it's called an 'Earworm'. Sounds disgusting I know. Frankly when I think of an earworm, I don't think of a song stuck in my head. I think of something much more fatal. I read that they are called earworms because of the parasitic nature of the travel of songs into their listeners' ears, only to then get lodged and played on mental continuum. I also read that earworms happen to 98% of all people! It's an epidemic. Plus there is no known cure, you just have to ride it out. You can try listening to another song or distract yourself, but good luck. These things can sometimes last for hours. This stuck song syndrome annoys and irritates women significantly more than men. Earworm attacks are more frequent and last longer for musicians and music lovers. Slightly neurotic people also seemed to suffer more, which explains why I'm prone to them. But what I find really interesting are the Top Earworm songs. Kind of a play list of songs you don't want to hear but do any how. Here they are:

1) Chili's "Baby Back Ribs" jingle.
2) "Who Let the Dogs Out" (Woof, Woof)
3) "We Will Rock You"
4) Kit-Kat candy-bar jingle ("Gimme a Break…")
5) The "Mission Impossible" theme song
6) "YMCA"
7) "Whoop, There It Is"
8) "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"
9) "It's a Small World After All"

What a collection of songs to have rolling around in your head. At least "Baby's Got Back" isn't on there. They also say that each person has there own favorite, I guess in this case worst earworm that gets stuck in their head. Which is why you see no #10 on the list, you get to choose your own. Mine would probably either be the theme song from "Gilligan's Island" or "I Dream of Jeannie". The "Brady Bunch" theme song is up there too. Wow, I guess if you analyzed my earworm collection you'd conclude I have 70's sitcom addiction. That's scary. I woke up this morning with an old Door's song playing in my head. Where did that come from? I don't listen to the Doors or even like the Doors. Somehow my sub-conscious decided it was time for me to start singing this song while I was getting around for work. Very annoying. But what I like to do is to sing a really annoying song around someone and then watch it get stuck in their head. That's always fun. I enjoy it when someone says "Now you got me singing that stupid song." Don't know why I enjoy it, I just do. Probably cause it annoys them. Let me leave you with this final thought: "Here's the story of a lovely lady, Who was bringing up three very lovely girls. All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, The youngest one in curls….."

You can finish the rest...