Laura Taylor

Ohrwurm

by Laura Taylor

Tuesday 12th April 2011 12:13 pm

Involuntary musical imagery is invading the space in my brain

On compulsive repeat, musical memes are putting my head under strain

Earworm is humming the tune of the day - it’s a song from an old TV show

Not something I’ve heard for about 30 years, it’s the start of Hawaii Five-O

In times of high stress, the most pestering chorus is destined to play on repeat

Sending me mental is Batman, Bonanza, or the catchy refrain of Sesame Street

The theme tune to Star Wars is circling round, like a Jedi whose throttle is stuck

I don’t even like it, I hated the films, but the melody has a great hook

What cephalic carnage is wreaked on me now? Oh god it’s Raw Hide and Skippy

Mission Impossible sneaks in my ear and the Love Boat is sending me dippy

Why is it so that earworms prefer to worry the mind with obsolete verse?

Shelley’s not been on the telly for years, and neither has Dr Kildare

Earworm’s obsessed with archaic film scores, that take days to track down and ID

And just as I think that it’s dead and I’m free, the theme from the Goodies is back to haunt me

Goodies, goody-goody yum-yum

Book ‘em Danno

What’s that Skip?

Sorry I don’t speak Kangaroo

◄ Teenage Kicks

Wine, Tears and Consolation ►

Comments

<Deleted User> (9801)

Tue 1st Nov 2011 19:59

Funny! and i remember them all?Cephalic I looked up brilliant word? never heard of it before xxx

John Togher

Tue 7th Jun 2011 02:36

I did an art-piece using earworms but of the lines and words 'earworming' their way around a poet's head in composition.

A few on here (Isobel, Ann Foxglove) donated their recordings and I create 'earworms' of them. I'll dig them out at some point and put them up somewhere on't web.

Elaine Booth

Mon 9th May 2011 22:08

Great fun and so true. Reminds me of great story of Joe Simpson - climber who so nearly died in S. American mountains. Whilst dragging himself back to base camp with terrble injuries he couldn't stop "Brown Girl in the Ring" from going round and round in his head. Apparently he remembers being horrified at the thought that this could well have been the last thing he remembered before he died! XXX

Laura Taylor

Fri 15th Apr 2011 14:17

Petrova - oh yes! Spooky shit like that happens to me all the time :D I'll hear the first few bars of a song in my head before it actually comes on, then it comes on and my eyebrows raise so high they warm the back of my neck :D

Thanks again for comments everyone, always appreciated :)

I have actually JUST this second been whistling bloody Hawaii Five-O. AGAIN! nnnggggg

<Deleted User> (8943)

Thu 14th Apr 2011 19:42

Do Earworms migrate? Have you ever walked into your house humming a tune that someone at home was just singing or they start humming a tune you were just listening to in the car?

It's ever so spooky and I have also woken up before my radio alarm with a song in my head that comes on when the alarm goes off!!

Anyone else get that or is it just me??

By-the-way, great poem Laura :) xXx

Dave Bradley

Wed 13th Apr 2011 18:45

Enjoyable - possibly not technically great, but what do I know and who cares anyway - 'twas good stuff. I was told about ohrwurms years ago by a German friend and thought then what a great word. It does seem to have migrated to English now.

Damn - you've got me humming 'The Beat goes on'

Laura Taylor

Wed 13th Apr 2011 11:47

Cheers chaps

steve - High Chaparral was very nearly in this! Haha :D

Terry White

Wed 13th Apr 2011 02:04

I have never heard the term 'earworms' yet I have the suspicion the next time I'm standing in line and the record player in head gets stuck I'm going to be smiling and thinking of this.

Rachel Bond

Tue 12th Apr 2011 13:54

my earworm is currently a smiths fan...'i would go out tonight but i havent got a stitch to wear'...i go out all the time and have loads of clothes. it is quite clever however and manages to sing lines from one song over the top of the melody of another picking a similar lyric as a hook...'i may go home alone, but my faith...' so the little bugger has me stuck in, stitchless and going home alone all at same time...gonna squish him :)

sorry forgot, like the poem. it has inspired a weeding out of crap theme tunes ...jingles are biggest pain in arse but i say thank god for google lyrics as there was nothing more annoying than having to make up all your own daft phrases to fit indecipherable songs, although some q. funny outcomes and complete reversal of themes in songs too..

Joy France

Tue 12th Apr 2011 13:26

Your poems are so varied - but always "linger" in my mind - in a nice way:)

Although I loved this I am now plagued by these earworms!

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