# Common Words or Phrases that Trigger the Melodic Reflex Effect **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348 "2007-01-09T23:19:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/1 "2007-01-09T23:19:01Z")
I’m in the midst of typing my supervisor an email and decided to go with the phrase, “not to point too fine a point on it…” This served to activate the uncontrollable urge to sing this identical line from _Birdhouse in Your Soul_ from **They Might Be Giants**. In fact, if any poster is familiar with that song I would assume that this would bring about an identical reaction. What words or phrases do you come across that force you to think of the lyrical interpretation of that phrasing? And then what do you do about it? Do you immediately break out into song or simply allow it to rattle about mentally before it quietly dissolves until the next one arises? ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/2 "2007-01-10T00:52:39Z")
If someone says “Right now” I will often break into “It’s your tomorrow!” in my best Sammy Haggar. “Right now! It’s everything!” I actually do this quite a bit with just about any song lyric I know. I like to sing. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/3 "2007-01-10T01:17:36Z")
I do it so often I think people are starting to wonder about me. I’ve gotten better at internalizing the urge to blurt out a song, but then it plays in my head anyway and often makes me giggle. When anyone makes mention of a whole lot of something: **Whole lotta love**. Every. Freaking. Time. Talk of surrender often brings on **Never Surrender** , complete with the Corey Hart “never surrender” fist of defiance. I usually think of the word “lemon” as being sung by Bono in U2’s **Lemon**. There are more, oh so many more, but I can’t think of them just now. They just sort of happen. ---
**Author:** ![Deaf\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Deaf\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deaf_Geek)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/4 "2007-01-10T01:24:06Z")
every time someone mentions curry vindaloo I always think _and Maya Angalou_ (from Rent) ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/5 "2007-01-10T01:27:31Z")
“Gee, isn’t that ironic?”. Feh. Instantly to Alanis Morisette. Stuck in my head all day. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/6 "2007-01-10T01:42:32Z")
This is gonna really sound weird, but “Salmonella”. And I start hearing the Hallelujah Chorus, but with “SAAAALmonella! SAAAALmonella! Salmonella! Salmonella! Sal-mo-nel-la!” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/7 "2007-01-10T01:54:29Z")
[QUOTE=Deaf Geek] every time someone mentions curry vindaloo I always think _and Maya Angalou_ (from Rent) [/QUOTE] And, for me, it reminds me of “Pew, I can smell vinadaloo” from “The Bride Stripped Bare by ‘the Bachelors’” on the Bonzo Dog Band’s **Keynsham** album. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/8 "2007-01-10T02:02:01Z")
My answer from a [previous thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325409) on this topic: > [@](#): > > Woohoo! Lunchtime! Time for me and a coworker buddy to go do a lap around our work campus. I go over to his desk, but hmmm…he’s not there. I ask around. > > _“Oh, he had to leave…his wife called, and you know how they have that big glass dining room table?”_ > > “Yeah…” > > _“Well, his wife dropped something on it or something, and it got shattered.”_ > > “Shadoobie. Wow…that sucks…that was a really nice table, too.” > > _“Yeah, I know. Must’ve made a hell of…wait. Did you just say ‘shadoobie’?”_ > > “Oh…errr…yeah, I guess I did.” > > _“Ummm…why?”_ > > “Well…you said ‘shattered’, and ‘shadoobie’ must follow. It’s…errrr…sort of the law of my brain.” > > :: cue odd looks all around :: ---
**Author:** ![joazito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@joazito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joazito)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/9 "2007-01-10T02:22:26Z")
Don’t know it if counts, but I spent countless hours internally singing Eric Clapton’s “Layla” because some chic in the football (soccer) team was named that and I could hear the couch. I only discovered the cause after a few days, though, it was pretty subliminal. ---
**Author:** ![joazito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@joazito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joazito)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/10 "2007-01-10T02:24:16Z")
[QUOTE=joazito] […] and I could hear the **couch**. [/QUOTE] preview preview preview :smack: ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/11 "2007-01-10T02:25:09Z")
I once asked my mother when she was picking up the phone “Who ya gonna call?” To which I immediately had to add “Ghostbusters?” ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/12 "2007-01-10T03:35:53Z")
Whenever somebody says that somebody else is funny, I can’t help but say, “Everybody funny. Now you funny, too.” (From George Thorogood’s “One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer.”) If I ask what time it is, my husband shouts “Four-thirty! It’s not late, it’s early!” I have no idea where that comes from, but he sure does like to say it. Of course, if he asks me what time it is, I’m all too likely to announce, “The clock on the wall says three o’clock. Last call for alcohol.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/13 "2007-01-10T05:51:56Z")
[QUOTE=Green Bean] Whenever somebody says that somebody else is funny, I can’t help but say, “Everybody funny. Now you funny, too.” (From George Thorogood’s “One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer.”) If I ask what time it is, my husband shouts “Four-thirty! It’s not late, it’s early!” I have no idea where that comes from, but he sure does like to say it. Of course, if he asks me what time it is, I’m all too likely to announce, “The clock on the wall says three o’clock. Last call for alcohol.” 🙂 [/QUOTE] That’s from the Spin Doctors (of “Two Princes” fame). _What time is it? 4:30!! It’s not late! No, no, it’s early!_ Anyway, my whole life is a sound track. I couldn’t begin to list every time I must break into song. Names, words, even rhythms that match up with songs in my head all tend to get vocalized. I’m weird that way. ---
**Author:** ![shimmery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@shimmery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shimmery)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/14 "2007-01-10T06:18:25Z")
Innocent bystander: “It’s not too late…” My brain: “…to whip it?” ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/15 "2007-01-10T06:22:25Z")
Oh, golly, I do this all the time too. People give me odd looks. Can’t think of any right now; it’s too late. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/16 "2007-01-10T06:27:37Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] And, for me, it reminds me of “Pew, I can smell vinadaloo” from “The Bride Stripped Bare by ‘the Bachelors’” on the Bonzo Dog Band’s **Keynsham** album. [/QUOTE] And, for me, I think of “Vindaloooooo! Vindalooooooo! And we all like vindaloooooo! We’re - gonna score - one - more - than - you – ENGLAND!” from the unofficial World Cup song “Vindaloo” by Fat Les. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/17 "2007-01-10T06:32:52Z")
FTR I hate country, but whenever I hear someone mentioning “little” in a derogatory fashion I always think “Little and evil, just like a boll weevil” from some Dwight Yokum song. “You have good reflexes” fle-fle-fle-fle-flex. Courtesey of Duran Duran. I almost cannot hear a song parodied by Weird Al Yankovic without singing his version. Many of the songs I don’t know the original versions. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/18 "2007-01-10T06:49:06Z")
My friend Linda has a ringtone that sounds like an old fashioned dial phone and every time it goes off, I go into “Telephone is ringing, you got me on the run…”. It’s from Alice Cooper’s “_Under My Wheels_”, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/19 "2007-01-10T07:58:06Z")
Whenever someone says “doobie” or mentions penguins, I immediately sing, “Doobie, doobiedoo . . . They were strangers in the night. . . .” The cause is of course the old Bud Lite commercials with the sinister beer-napping penguins. Good thing I don’t hang out with stoner ornithologists, huh? ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348/20 "2007-01-10T15:09:23Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] This is gonna really sound weird, but “Salmonella”. And I start hearing the Hallelujah Chorus, but with “SAAAALmonella! SAAAALmonella! Salmonella! Salmonella! Sal-mo-nel-la!” [/QUOTE] Reminds me of my first few days on World of Warcraft. I had made a tailor, and learned (at some expense) my first non-trainer pattern- the red linnen bag. I told my guild, “Now I can sing the red linnen bag song!” “The what?” “The red linnen bag song! It’s to the tune of Bethoven’s Fifth! Redlinnenbaaaaag… Redlinnenbaaaag…” There was a long pause… “Damn you! I can’t stop singing that now!” 🙂 But as for an answer to the OP… Happens to me all the freakin’ time. Normally I just sing it under my breath. Cos I don’t want to seem like a weirdo… Although I’m not sure whom I’m fooling at this point! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-words-or-phrases-that-trigger-the-melodic-reflex-effect/387348.md?page=2)