Fantastic post to re-up, Steve. (And now I have the Band-Aids song stuck in my head, too.) Hope you're feeling better from your spate of headaches, and get some rest and recharge time soon.
Thanks, Lara. The headaches persist, so I'm tidying up another oldie but goodie (I think you will like it) that will go live tomorrow. I pinched a nerve in my neck that I think is connected to the headaches but I'm not sure. It's been frustrating, as I can't be on my computer more than about 5-10 minutes without them getting activated.
Anyway, I didn't write about Band Aid, the supergroup charity event that recorded "Do They Know it's Christmas?" but I did write about Hear-'N Aid a while back, which I think you will appreciate. Here's the link to that one.
Great post Steve! I’ve spent decades working on that inner critic. I really did used to excoriate myself and use the most horrible language against myself. My wife used to say she’d beat the crap out of anyone who spoke to me the way I used to speak to myself.
If I sometimes nowadays slip into using idiot against myself I consider it progress. The overthinking and projecting was helped an awful lot through lots of therapy but my daily meditation practice has also been an immense help. I’m so much better at keeping myself grounded in the present than I used to be.
On the earworm front, I almost always have a song on the brain. Thankfully they don’t tend to stick. But when they do I can almost always count on it being a bad one (Aqua’s Barbie Girl and Eiffel 65’s I’m Blue are the two biggest offenders - you’re welcome 😉)
Thanks, Mark. I haven't been on Substack much this week due to chronic headaches (which is why I'm having to repurpose an old post yet again), so wasn't able to respond to your comment until now.
I agree that mindfulness practices are so beneficial in reducing the volume on the inner critic. I currently am unable to do sitting meditation as my brain has been way too chatty and my neck pain (which I think is the cause of the headaches) intensifies when I can't distract it (I know I should breathe through it to get to the other side).
I actually don't know either song you mention as your bad earwroms. I don't know Aqua or Eiffel 65. I'll have to look them up.
Good luck with the packing and prep for your hiking adventure!
Great post. As a Spanish speaker I don’t think I can mishear “soy un perdedor” but the alternatives you came up with are so funny (especially the chemical one 🤣).
In my totally unresearched and unfounded view, I think the overthinking = earworm proclivity can be explained by hyperactive brains. Essentially, your brain will try to distract you from negative thoughts so a catchy tune fills the space quite nicely.
Thanks, Andres! Yes, I like to think that the earworms are wonderful distractions from the negative thoughts. Sometimes the lyrics that cycle in my head tend to connect to something I'm avoiding, but other times it's just a sticky song that appears and doesn't feel like leaving for a bit!
Great article. And I like how us smart, open-minded and humble people are really intelligent folks (I need that validation!) My negative rehash is/was Joan Jett's 'I Hate Myself for Loving You.' Hate is strong word and I hate using it...But then after I've had a crappy boyfriend, I question - why hate myself? I should be hating him much more than me. Then after that song comes a turning point with Tina Turner's "You Better Be Good to Me." I could go on with the relationship ups & downs songs, so I'll just stop right there, before I go any further.
I love this idea, keep going! it’s such a great idea to write about songs that continue the story from one to the next. Like a break up song followed by an I’m so lonesome song followed by an I’m ready for love again song followed by new romance song, etc..
My sister gets rid of ear worms with a “palette cleansing” song. In her case, it’s “Sister Golden Hair” by America. She says it does the trick every time and leaves her brain much faster than an ear worm.
Yes, that is a top earworm ear-radiation technique. The trick is to find the right one that doesn’t simply replace the earworm with an equally sticky tune. I have to say that TV theme songs from the 70s and 80s are the hardest to get rid of.
Thanks for this. Chris Smither is amazing. I haven’t listened to him in a long while so even separately from this songs lyrics it’s a good reminder to revisit his music. i’m going to save this one for my meditation group. We often share inspirational songs and this is a good one.
Very interesting! I have a line in a song that speaks to this post
“It’s on a loop inside your head like a newsreel
So what’s the point to play it back to retrieve the feeling?”
Why do we play back unnerving events in our heads? Can we interrupt these loops? Or do we need to play them out so that they fade with time like a a 60 minute Maxell cassette tape!
all good questions. sometimes flooding (my term) is the best line of defense against a pernicious earworm. Others require the right replacement worm. like switching out a black briefcase with another black briefcase.
ill check out the song when I get home later. Thanks, Britta!
I totally agree with your thesis here! I’m an over thinker and get earworms all the time!!
I had no clue Beck was singing “Soy un perdedor” either!! I would always sing something like “I walk in the door” lol 😂 Now I’m going to have to go listen to it with the proper lyrics!
I am also full of negative self talk, of which “idiot” is the most frequent. Just started working more on this with my therapist.
Aww - I'm sorry you are also plagued with the 'idiot' voice. I learned about giving the voice a cartoon character from a teacher on a meditation retreat! I taught it to my therapist! Glad I wasn't alone in the lyrics to "Loser" situation...phew!
Fantastic post to re-up, Steve. (And now I have the Band-Aids song stuck in my head, too.) Hope you're feeling better from your spate of headaches, and get some rest and recharge time soon.
Thanks, Lara. The headaches persist, so I'm tidying up another oldie but goodie (I think you will like it) that will go live tomorrow. I pinched a nerve in my neck that I think is connected to the headaches but I'm not sure. It's been frustrating, as I can't be on my computer more than about 5-10 minutes without them getting activated.
Anyway, I didn't write about Band Aid, the supergroup charity event that recorded "Do They Know it's Christmas?" but I did write about Hear-'N Aid a while back, which I think you will appreciate. Here's the link to that one.
https://open.substack.com/pub/earworm/p/hear-n-aid-stars?r=1046qe&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
OMG this is incredible. How on earth did I miss this? Thank you SO much for sharing!
Great post Steve! I’ve spent decades working on that inner critic. I really did used to excoriate myself and use the most horrible language against myself. My wife used to say she’d beat the crap out of anyone who spoke to me the way I used to speak to myself.
If I sometimes nowadays slip into using idiot against myself I consider it progress. The overthinking and projecting was helped an awful lot through lots of therapy but my daily meditation practice has also been an immense help. I’m so much better at keeping myself grounded in the present than I used to be.
On the earworm front, I almost always have a song on the brain. Thankfully they don’t tend to stick. But when they do I can almost always count on it being a bad one (Aqua’s Barbie Girl and Eiffel 65’s I’m Blue are the two biggest offenders - you’re welcome 😉)
Thanks, Mark. I haven't been on Substack much this week due to chronic headaches (which is why I'm having to repurpose an old post yet again), so wasn't able to respond to your comment until now.
I agree that mindfulness practices are so beneficial in reducing the volume on the inner critic. I currently am unable to do sitting meditation as my brain has been way too chatty and my neck pain (which I think is the cause of the headaches) intensifies when I can't distract it (I know I should breathe through it to get to the other side).
I actually don't know either song you mention as your bad earwroms. I don't know Aqua or Eiffel 65. I'll have to look them up.
Good luck with the packing and prep for your hiking adventure!
Great post. As a Spanish speaker I don’t think I can mishear “soy un perdedor” but the alternatives you came up with are so funny (especially the chemical one 🤣).
In my totally unresearched and unfounded view, I think the overthinking = earworm proclivity can be explained by hyperactive brains. Essentially, your brain will try to distract you from negative thoughts so a catchy tune fills the space quite nicely.
Thanks, Andres! Yes, I like to think that the earworms are wonderful distractions from the negative thoughts. Sometimes the lyrics that cycle in my head tend to connect to something I'm avoiding, but other times it's just a sticky song that appears and doesn't feel like leaving for a bit!
Great article. And I like how us smart, open-minded and humble people are really intelligent folks (I need that validation!) My negative rehash is/was Joan Jett's 'I Hate Myself for Loving You.' Hate is strong word and I hate using it...But then after I've had a crappy boyfriend, I question - why hate myself? I should be hating him much more than me. Then after that song comes a turning point with Tina Turner's "You Better Be Good to Me." I could go on with the relationship ups & downs songs, so I'll just stop right there, before I go any further.
I love this idea, keep going! it’s such a great idea to write about songs that continue the story from one to the next. Like a break up song followed by an I’m so lonesome song followed by an I’m ready for love again song followed by new romance song, etc..
My sister gets rid of ear worms with a “palette cleansing” song. In her case, it’s “Sister Golden Hair” by America. She says it does the trick every time and leaves her brain much faster than an ear worm.
Yes, that is a top earworm ear-radiation technique. The trick is to find the right one that doesn’t simply replace the earworm with an equally sticky tune. I have to say that TV theme songs from the 70s and 80s are the hardest to get rid of.
Haha!
Nicely written, and I can offer an earworm to respond to repetitive thoughts :)
Chris Smither, "Outside In" https://youtu.be/UZDNV6eNghs?si=ukCD0q4dJ7xQBQ8O
This verse is good advice (not advice that I can always follow, mind you)
"Don't worry 'bout the future, you can't afford the price
There's madness to the method when you pay the piper
Twice once when you start to worry
Once again when you begin to take the future on the
Chin I know that you think worry is your ever-faithful
Friend cuz nothin' that you worry over ever happens in the
End and there might be somethin' to it
But it sure gets in the way of fun today
What you say we try and have some fun today"
"
Thanks for this. Chris Smither is amazing. I haven’t listened to him in a long while so even separately from this songs lyrics it’s a good reminder to revisit his music. i’m going to save this one for my meditation group. We often share inspirational songs and this is a good one.
The other Chris Smither song I particularly recommend is "No Love Today" (this version, from a live album has a nice introduction)
https://youtu.be/mm4owjFJi2Y?si=SBQYSZcSHGodpB4d
Great post! There is always a song playing in my head. Always. Right now it’s Nik Kershaw’s “Wouldn’t It Be Good”. Now it’s in your head….sorry
At least it’s not as wormy as “Wouldn’t it be Nice.” Damnit!
Very interesting! I have a line in a song that speaks to this post
“It’s on a loop inside your head like a newsreel
So what’s the point to play it back to retrieve the feeling?”
Why do we play back unnerving events in our heads? Can we interrupt these loops? Or do we need to play them out so that they fade with time like a a 60 minute Maxell cassette tape!
https://brittapejic.bandcamp.com/track/spring-roll-skin-3
all good questions. sometimes flooding (my term) is the best line of defense against a pernicious earworm. Others require the right replacement worm. like switching out a black briefcase with another black briefcase.
ill check out the song when I get home later. Thanks, Britta!
Enjoyed the article, Steve!
Thanks, Paul!
I totally agree with your thesis here! I’m an over thinker and get earworms all the time!!
I had no clue Beck was singing “Soy un perdedor” either!! I would always sing something like “I walk in the door” lol 😂 Now I’m going to have to go listen to it with the proper lyrics!
I am also full of negative self talk, of which “idiot” is the most frequent. Just started working more on this with my therapist.
Aww - I'm sorry you are also plagued with the 'idiot' voice. I learned about giving the voice a cartoon character from a teacher on a meditation retreat! I taught it to my therapist! Glad I wasn't alone in the lyrics to "Loser" situation...phew!