I was reminded this morning why pop is toxic for me. I'm in the weary phase of a full week. A couple of days ago I listened to some 80s singles, just out of nostalgia. This morning I woke up with the lines "Uh-huh make me tonight Tonight Make it right" from Atomic going round and round my head - not the whole song, just those lines. Endlessly. They are still there. I hate it. It's like having an irritating itch that you can't scratch but has actually invaded your mind instead of your body. I can't get inside anyone else's head to compare, but I think I'm quite susceptible to this, especially when tired. It's one big reason why I like music that is unhummable. I think it's one reason I am warming so much to ECM. If I see something described as "catchy", it's time to run a mile.
Blondie antidote:
ETA, this album was the connection, accidentally, to John Abercrombie. I was downloading John Surman albums and clicked on one track too many and got the first track of this album. I had so many Guvera credits I thought "well, I guess I should complete it now". And now I have a dozen or so of his albums. Such are the ways of Guvera.
GP - Here's something you didn't know about me: I quite literally have OCD. One of my obsessions is exactly what you describe. Before I was treated for my OCD I would sing the same line(s) of a song for well over a month. Without treatment that aspect of my mental illness would have driven me legitimately insane. I still do it to some extent, but it's a much more normal (and manageable) amount now. I no longer feel the urge to put a spike through my brain just to get Billy Joel out of there.
@Craig, interesting - and I'm glad you've found solutions. I've occasionally wondered from this and a couple of other things whether I have a few tendencies somewhere at the very fringe of OCD - far from a full blown issue, just a tendency sometimes when tired. But who knows where the spectrum stops and starts and what's just the byways of a tired mind. Funnily enough, when I typed the above about Blondie it also occurred to me that that's a reason in favor of hip hop for me - that the vocal is complex enough that I can't easily replay it in my head.
Yeah, OCD can be tough because it's all things that everyone does and the question is just whether some line has been crossed. As for hip hop, though, while you're usually right, I've had parts of "Rapper's Delight" going through my head ever since I drafted that part of my MiG article.
Nice MiG piece - just had time to skim it, will re-read properly later. BTW, on Planet Rock the beat is from another Kraftwerk song, "Numbers".
BTW2, The Message peaked at no.8 on the British singles chart. (Which strikes me as interesting.)
I've seen conflicting references on where the beat comes from, some say Kraftwerk others say other groups, so I left that out. Not enough space to delve into the full history.
Does it say it's from "Numbers" in that German article you sent? Really want to read that by the way. (The one in English is also quite interesting).
Craig, watch out for kids' show theme songs. I can't tell you how many days I've spent humming Bob the Builder, or Curious George or Phineas and Ferb or Martha Speaks.
Ear worms are generally not a big problem for me though; at most I get mildly annoyed, but I'm hardly even conscious of it until it reaches the annoying stage; as soon as it becomes conscious, I can usually turn it off. At worst I just need to listen to something else to clear it. Weird how different brains work.
@Craig, here's a quick summary of the German article: Afrika bambaata always gets cited when the history of hip hop is discussed; he's one of the genre's fathers. Planet Rock made big waves (lit: moved mountains). He mixed his invention of electro-hip-hop with a Kraftwerk melody. The result remains the most sampled hip hop piece. He went on to influence other genres like Electro-funk. Fusing different cultures was always his hallmark, including outside of music, e.g. his Zulu Nation organization and reputation for social engagement. He's playing tonight in Zurich.
Here's the numbers beat for comparison. Released May 1981.
I have often-obscure pop songs "pop" into my head in response to everyday situations. Yesterday it was "Cool Cool Water" by the Beach Boys ("In an ocean/In a glass/Cool water is such a gas!") in response to the Marco Rubio water-drinking thing.
Sometimes to the point of editorial commentary. Once recently when a family member was fussing over her (somewhat spoiled) daughter, my inner DJ started playing the Jackson 5 song "Mama's Pearl." Had to make up a reason for laughing to myself.
Meanwhile,
Getz's poignant last recording sessions.
Ear worms - what a curse. As a young teenager I found myself constantly haunted by commercial jingles. Thankfully when I got slightly older and expanded my "horizons" (and my music listening) it got replaced by songs, but the wrong song can really be a burden. Sometimes these days I find that actually seeking out the song and listening to it can help get it unstuck from the hard drive in my head.
On a much more pleasant note I finished Electric by Richard Thompson yesterday and am very glad I got the bonus disc CD version - while fairly short as CDs go the second disc has some very good material on it - well worth it.
I've heard that from others BigD. I've also been told that if a song is stuck in your head you should sing it in Bob Dylan's voice because it's impossible to get his voice stuck in your head.
Jonah's Jazz Pick of the Week. For those of us in Europe it is only two tracks long, so amazingly cheap! I do feel I am missing out on my jazz education with no Guvera credits!!
Comments
Goo! Gu!
Craig
Hmm, thinking of grabbing the deluxe vinyl for this one...
Raw Like Gushi.
Ub!
Blondie antidote:
ETA, this album was the connection, accidentally, to John Abercrombie. I was downloading John Surman albums and clicked on one track too many and got the first track of this album. I had so many Guvera credits I thought "well, I guess I should complete it now". And now I have a dozen or so of his albums. Such are the ways of Guvera.
Craig
Craig
Craig
BTW2, The Message peaked at no.8 on the British singles chart. (Which strikes me as interesting.)
Does it say it's from "Numbers" in that German article you sent? Really want to read that by the way. (The one in English is also quite interesting).
Craig
Ear worms are generally not a big problem for me though; at most I get mildly annoyed, but I'm hardly even conscious of it until it reaches the annoying stage; as soon as it becomes conscious, I can usually turn it off. At worst I just need to listen to something else to clear it. Weird how different brains work.
Here's the numbers beat for comparison. Released May 1981.
Sometimes to the point of editorial commentary. Once recently when a family member was fussing over her (somewhat spoiled) daughter, my inner DJ started playing the Jackson 5 song "Mama's Pearl." Had to make up a reason for laughing to myself.
Meanwhile,
Getz's poignant last recording sessions.
It's noted here too a little lower down that where it cites similarity to YMO.
NP:
On a much more pleasant note I finished Electric by Richard Thompson yesterday and am very glad I got the bonus disc CD version - while fairly short as CDs go the second disc has some very good material on it - well worth it.
Craig
Not sexy.
NP:
ETA, second listen to this. If I can make the time to give this enough listens, I think I am going to love it deeply.
Jonah's Jazz Pick of the Week. For those of us in Europe it is only two tracks long, so amazingly cheap! I do feel I am missing out on my jazz education with no Guvera credits!!
Participants:
Mariam Wallentin: voice, Nadine Byrne: voice, organ, Emil Svan
Gu!
Ub!
Followed by
and soon