Earworm - noun - a tune or part of a song that repeats in
one’s mind.
I find I get more earworms when I’m by myself and I’m walking. It’s not the whole song. It’s maybe a
10 to 30 second loop that circles endlessly. The melody keeps me company when I’m alone in crowds. The
tunes can be anything I’ve heard in passing but often it’s music that is very familiar
to me.
My mp3 player traveled with me to London and Shanghai and
Hong Kong. It was nice but I didn’t use
it as much as I expected. I felt I was missing some part of the life of the
city. The buzz of streets has its own character. The pace of the traffic and pedestrians has a
rhythm that my internal metronome translates into songs.
Obviously, my trip to London was filled with Beatles and
Peter Gabriel songs. The busy streets and crowded sidewalks coursed quick tempo-ed
melodies into my subconscious. Under my breath
I was humming or whispering the lyrics to ‘Shock the Monkey’ or ‘I Have the Touch’
and “Paperback Writer’.
As I minded the gap and boarded the The Tube , Joe Walsh’s ‘In the City’ flowed through me.
The weather also affects the songs that speak to me. ‘Rain’ by the Beatles and ’Cloudy’ by Simon
and Garfunkel are on constant replay for obvious reasons. When I get a chance to walk through the snow,
‘I am a Rock’ keeps me company as flakes cover my shoulders.
Earworms match my
mood. Seeger ’s ‘Turn the Page’ and Blue Oyster’s Cult’s ‘Veteran of a 1000 Psychic
Wars’ journey with me into darker corridors.
Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Feelin’ Groovy’ and The Monkee’s ‘Sweet Young
Thing’ speed my steps home as they beam light into those once dark passages.
Where these earworms are most helpful is at the various
conventions and shows I attend. They keep my mind occupied as I do the ComicCon
shuffle (a slow pace because of the crowds), or standing in line. Gabriel’s ‘Solsbury Hill’, ‘In Your Eyes’, and ‘Come Talk to Me’ keep me positive as time creeps by.
The Beatles also provide me with a plethora of earworms as I
attend shows with: ‘Blue Jay Way’, ‘Hey
Jude’, ‘Let it Be’, and myriad of others classics that help entertain me as I wait
for the celebs to show.
While some look to rid themselves of these tunes, I find they
are a part of my inner workings. I can understand
how others feel infected. For me it’s a boon and a source of comfort. Others become distracted by the internal
dialog. I find them friendly companions. They are my personal soundtrack.
AH
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