Strange Obsession

[Anton Gramscescu]

For the past 48 hours, I have been unable to countenance listening to anything other than the song Disco 2000 by Pulp.

1) Am I mad?
2) What are the best strategies for replacing this earworn with another?

[Guest]

Strange Obsession

I have been reviewing ear worms over the last few week and have come to the conclusion there are two types of earworms...the short term fixation and the very long term, locked into the memory forever type. Two of the latter for me appear to be: Witch Doctor - David Seville and Another Rock & Roll Christmas - Gary Glitter.

Why in gods name I am inflicted with those two is very odd. The full long term list appears to consist of about 12 songs.....

[Anton Gramscescu]

Strange Obsession

....which are...?

[evilC]

Strange Obsession

I was afflicted with 'Brilliant Mind' by Furniture, yesterday. Normally I wouldn't mind that, but it just went on forever. I hope this doesn't start it up again!

[Gyuri]

Strange Obsession

This thread is dangerous. Thanks to Disney Girl, I now have a "Witch Doctor" earworm.

The one earworm that constantly strikes me at unsuspecting times is the repetitive "deh deh deh deh" in Tom's Diner by Suzanne Vega. . .which, apparently, has now knocked "Witch Doctor" out of my head. It's odd, because prior to searching for the linked video, I haven't heard that song in years.

[Anton Gramscescu]

Strange Obsession

...and I finish up my coffee and it's time to catch the train...

Sometimes I get stuck on the German version of Bowie's "Heroes" (Wir sind dann Helden...fur einen Tag).

Also, for the last six months or so, Paul Westerburg's "Ain't got me"

[Guest]

Strange Obsession

Weird, cause one of my long term lock-ins is 'Luka' by Suzanne Vega.

[Gyuri]

Strange Obsession

AG,

I have never heard that version, but (a) it's kind of awesome, and (b) it's now replaced Tom's Diner. This thread is like my own personal earworm killer/starter.

By the way, I find that the songs that give me earworms are ones that I know only very little/none of the lyrics. I end up repeating only the snippet that I know (as in: "Woo hoo, when I feel heavy metal"), or creating my own lyrics. I think this is why Tom's Diner is so effective an earworm for me. I just hear the "deh, deh, deh" and then narrate my life ("I am typing on a chat board and I stop to scratch my face. . .").

The worst, is when the earworm goes public and I catch myself singing it out loud. More ridiculously, this tends to happen with rap most often ("Get from in front of me, the crowd runs to me. . ."). Most ridiculously, this occasionally happens with "Ice, Ice, Baby" (I spent my formative years in South Florida, I can't help it).

[Amor de Cosmos]

Strange Obsession

My long term earworms include Dylan's If Dogs Run Free which has been stuck in my brain since the first time I played it, and Summertime, Summertime by The Jamies, Lord knows why , never owned it, didn't like it all that much, didn't even hear it very often.

Two ongoing earworms I do like are The Marcels Blue Moon (doo-wop in your head feels real good) and Deep Purple I can sing Nino and April's parts simultaneously provided I don't open my mouth.

[adams house cat]

Strange Obsession

'Wipe Out' by the Surfaris (great name) has been in my head for a while now to the point of my beating out the drum part on my desk. I haven't taken it to court yet, but...