# How do I get a song out of my head? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 3, 2009, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837 "2009-04-03T11:09:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/21 "2009-04-03T16:33:20Z")
I sometimes get a part of a song stuck in my head while playing chess. :eek: If I concentrate on analysing moves, it goes away (and may come back a couple of times). ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/22 "2009-04-03T16:58:04Z")
Or Amazing Grace to the Gilligan’s Island theme. Actually what works for me is to sing/concentrate on a really bland song. For me “The Bear Went Over the Mountain” works. For my daughter, it’s “Happy Birthday.” Shouldn’t someone post the link to the most common ear worms? ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/23 "2009-04-03T19:12:17Z")
pretty much what others have said: I sing one of my favorite songs instead, and the unwanted one goes away. If it’s a song I like but an unwanted obsession develops I give in and listen to it over and over, eventually it fades away. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/24 "2009-04-03T19:47:18Z")
A maaaaaan’s gotta do what a maaaaaan’s gotta do Seeeeeeeems destiny ends with meeeeeeee saving you ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/25 "2009-04-03T19:54:21Z")
Try some sex and/or lots of alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/26 "2009-04-03T20:19:06Z")
You’re all wrong! The only way to get a song out your head is to scare it out! I recommend Iron Maiden’s _Invaders_, Iced Earth’s _Violate_, Judas Priest’s _Abductors_, or anything by Manowar. ---
**Author:** ![A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Spoonful_of_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/27 "2009-04-03T20:19:13Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > What works for me is to sing the Star Spangled Banner in my head. Since it doesn’t have any catchy hooks in it, my brain stops looping the other song. I’ve now got the last part of the Star Spangled Banner in my head. A significant downgrade from the Clash’s “Bank Robber” earworm that has lived there for the better part of a week now. Ohhhh say does that star spangled… bann-nerr yet waaavvvee… I just may kill you one day. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/28 "2009-04-04T07:21:47Z")
Give in to it. Clear your mind of everything else, and concentrate on repeating the song over and over again, with as much intensity as you can. After a few minutes, the song will go away. ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/29 "2009-04-04T16:21:25Z")
Watch _A Clockwork Orange_. I did (for a second time) on Monday, and now I hum “Singing in the Rain” every so often. Alternatively, listen to “Louie Louie.” The opening bars are pretty catchy. ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/30 "2009-04-04T20:02:18Z")
Now that you mention Pee-Wee Herman, I’ve got “Tequila” in my head. Dammit. Try [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoGuoXuLmsk) on for size; it’s very catchy and probably won’t drive you so crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837/31 "2009-04-06T07:12:21Z")
It’s still stuck in my head. I’ll probably never get it out other than hypnotism. : p [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-a-song-out-of-my-head/491837.md?page=1)