# Is there a song going through your head?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 8, 2001, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590 "2001-02-08T04:29:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/1 "2001-02-08T04:29:56Z")
I was explaining to someone the other day that I always have some tune “playing” in the back of my mind. I’m functioning normally otherwise and can think reasonably clearly. I suspect that this is probably due to some mixture of the fact that I play music by ear, and that I have lousy concentration in general. (The latter may be the EFFECT, not the CAUSE, though.) The song du jour is often just the last song I heard on the radio on the way to work, but it’s sometimes one that was apparently suggested by a conversation or event. Typically I can figure out why it’s that particular song at that time.
At any rate, the person thinks I’m loony, and of course he may be right. My question is whether this phenomenon is widespread, or if I’m some sort of middle-aged ADD victim? As you read this, and assuming that there’s no music playing where you are, is there something in the “Now Playing Mentally” display?
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### Author:  [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/2 "2001-02-08T04:33:38Z")
Always. Right now it’s “Slippery People” by Talking Heads.
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### Author:  [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/3 "2001-02-08T04:35:20Z")
Right now, “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren
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### Author:  [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/4 "2001-02-08T04:37:30Z")
The Germans have a word for this experience, which can be translated as, “Ear-Worm”.
Source: A band member of The Might Be Giants in some sort of interviews.
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### Author:  [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/5 "2001-02-08T05:02:28Z")
Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music. Time for some aspirin.
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### Author:  [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/6 "2001-02-08T05:18:12Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by King Rat \*
> \*\*Right now, “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren \*\*
I’m sorry to hear that, **King Rat**. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/7 "2001-02-08T06:16:08Z")
Just to make things clear, what, exactly, is the question here? The OP is asking, first, is this phenomenon normal? This is a perfectly good GQ question. Secondly, what songs do the Dopers collectively happen to have running through their heads? This is a perfectly good IMHO question. Let me know, so I know whether to move this thread.
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### Author:  [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/8 "2001-02-08T07:07:33Z")
Those of you aware of my interests in music won’t find this surprising:
No, there is no music playing in my head. It happens but it is pretty rare and short lived.
This strikes me as an IMHO thread. Even if the first questiopn is the primary one, I doubt we’ll see any specific information on the nature and frequency of this phenomenon. It’ll just be a lot of people saying “yes, it happens to me” (and I expect that is the answer to commonality).
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### Author:  [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/9 "2001-02-08T09:24:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tpayne \*
> **At any rate, the person thinks I’m loony, and of course he may be right.**
I’ve known you all my life, and I’d say that yes, he’s right. You ARE a loon. 😃
Maybe it runs in the family, cause I have the same problem… but worse. I’ll often start singing along to the song in my head (luckily, I’ve got a good voice).
Right now, teh song is ‘Out of touch’ (I think that’s the title) by Hall & Oates. I think they played it on VH1 while I was asleep (with the TV on) since I normally wouldn’t listen to this song.
Yesterday it was ‘If I Were a Rich Man’. Oy.
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### Author:  [@Kilvert\_s\_Pagan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilvert_s_Pagan)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/10 "2001-02-08T11:37:32Z")
My intent was really GQ, not IMHO - I do want to understand how pervasive this phenomenon is, not necessarily what the song is. What song it is makes the answers more interesting, but it’s not to primary question.
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### Author:  [@10101010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/10101010)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/11 "2001-02-08T12:13:31Z")
Duelling Banjos.
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### Author:  [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/12 "2001-02-08T12:41:29Z")
seriously, I’ve heard of this phenomenon before, except in the circles of abnormal psychology, where it is called musicolalia (IIRC). There have been cases of people being driven to suicide because they can’t stop the tune in their head.
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### Author:  [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/13 "2001-02-08T12:48:08Z")
I’ve no idea why, but “I Should Be So Lucky”, by Ms. Minogue.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Chas.E \*
> \*\*There have been cases of people being driven to suicide because they can’t stop the tune in their head. \*\*
Death by Kylie. I can understand that. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/14 "2001-02-08T14:46:48Z")
“And We Danced” by The Hooters. Don’t ask me how…
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### Author:  [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/15 "2001-02-08T17:09:09Z")
I’ve got four that have been there for a few weeks now - they come and go but it’s pretty much been the same four.
Pink Moon by Nick Drake
If You Could Only See by Tonic
Piano Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”), 3rd movement, by Beethoven
The Blue Danube by Strauss
At this specific moment, Pink Moon is playing.
Yes, I have far-ranging musical tastes 🙂
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### Author:  [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/16 "2001-02-08T17:37:52Z")
Oh, good. I’m not the only one who gets “And We Danced” stuck in my head. I’m not insane after all. 😃
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### Author:  [@tiny\_ham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_ham)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/17 "2001-02-08T17:48:34Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by flowbark \*
>
> The Germans have a word for this experience, which can be translated as, “Ear-Worm”.
and strangely enough…the song going through my head today is Du Hast.
My husband and my parents always used to admonish me to “stop singing”, because I always have some song stuck in my head and i’ll inevitably start humming or ‘mumble singing’ it while I’m doing things such as eating or changing clothes, and I don’t even know I’m doing it. My husband will just grab my wrist and say, “J. Stop singing”
i’m being oppressed.
jarbaby
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### Author:  [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/18 "2001-02-08T18:35:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Right now, “Hello It’s Me” by Todd Rundgren
My husband bought his “greatest hits” album. I have yet to discern _why_.
My song currently: “Summer breeze” (you know…Summer breeze/makes me feel fine/blowin’ with the jasmine in my mind." - something like that).
I whistle tunelessly whenever I need to walk somewhere at work. Does that count?
Jar:
/monty python/ "Help, help! I’m being oppressed! /m.p/
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### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/19 "2001-02-08T18:50:22Z")
Here are some other tries at this topic, none of them very conclusive:
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=36523](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=36523)
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=53110](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=53110)]
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=30229](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=30229)
(Oh, and “The Way You Love Me” by Faith Hill. Curse this ubiquitous pseudo-country pop crap!)
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### Author:  [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2001, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-song-going-through-your-head/53590/20 "2001-02-08T19:03:16Z")
The song I usually hear is the last one that was playing in my car. If I’m lucky, the talk jockeys were on rather than a song. If not, I could be thinking of “Tubthumping” all day long.
What’s really bad is if it’s a song from a kids’ CD that I play for my daughter. I could very well have John Lithgow singing “From the Indies to the Andes in His Undies”.
Augh! It’s there now!
“He sings the songs that remind him of the better times…”
slightly better…
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