# Songs which are "earworms" (they burrow into your head and you can't get them out) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388 "2004-12-23T21:07:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/1 "2004-12-23T21:07:49Z")
Yesterday on _All Things Considered,_ their film critic (forget his name) reviewed the new _Phantom of the Opera_ movie. He described the songs as “earworms,” meaning they burrow into your head and get stuck there, which is OK if you like Weber’s music but not so great if you don’t. Maybe this term has been in circulation for a while but it’s the first time I heard it. I must admit, after the first time I saw _A Clockwork Orange,_ I had “Singing in the Rain” playing in my head for two days. What songs have been “earworms” to you? And was the experience enjoyable or maddening? ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/2 "2004-12-23T21:39:29Z")
The Tokens, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” It’s stuck there now, and all I did was type the name of the song. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/3 "2004-12-23T21:47:56Z")
The classics are of course, the Smurf theme and the Oompa Loompa song. Currently however, it’s a battle between “The Man they call Jayne”, from an episode of_Firefly_ (curse your black heart Joss Whedon!) and “Touched” by Vast (wailing singing + techno beats= stuck in my head for EVER). ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/4 "2004-12-23T21:59:27Z")
It’s a world of laughter A world of tears It’s a world of hopes And a world of fears There’s so much that we share That it’s time we’re aware… ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/5 "2004-12-23T22:04:49Z")
[The Poopsmith Song](http://www.overtherhine.com/music/mp3rarity/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/6 "2004-12-23T22:05:39Z")
_Coast to Coast_ by Elliot Smith and Wilco’s _Passenger Side_. It’s a good thing I like these songs. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/7 "2004-12-23T22:10:49Z")
I second **Rufus Xavier** : “It’s A Small World” is THE champion of them all. My earworms are classical. In fact, there’s always something I like running through my head, but it doesn’t bother me. One that stands out was the hunters’ chorus from “Der Freischutz” which our group was doing. A couple of people outside the group complained because I was always humming, whistling or singing it softly. A more recent one was Joan Sutherland’s performance of “Let The Bright Seraphim”. In the earlier part of my life I just didn’t care for her style. I had heard hersing that before but it just didn’t register. However, a couple of years ago I suddenly realized my tastes had changed and I really liked her voice. I bought a CD with that aria on it. It was incredible! In the first few days I would play it multiple times in a row multiple times a day, and it was running through my head almost continuously (I live alone). ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/8 "2004-12-24T09:18:32Z")
Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring banana phone! ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/9 "2004-12-24T19:42:34Z")
\*Who can take a sunrise Sprinkle it with dew Cover it with chocolate and a miracle or two The Candy Man The Candy Man Oh the Candy Man can Oh the Candy Man can The Candy Man can 'cause he mixes it with love And makes the world taste good\* ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/10 "2004-12-24T20:28:39Z")
_The Song that has no End_ from Sharri Lewis’ Lambchop. Lots of kids songs are sticky, my wife had \*the itsy bitsy spider \* in her head the other day. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/11 "2004-12-24T20:33:03Z")
That damned Tom’s Diner song by Suzanne Vega. Signs (the Tesla version is the one I hear most often) And a zillion others - basically any song that I don’t hear the end of. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/12 "2004-12-24T20:44:33Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > He described the songs as “earworms,” meaning they burrow into your head and get stuck there Quick fact: this concept, and compound word, comes from the German _Ohrwurm_. For me it’s f\*cking _Karma Chameleon_ by Culture Club. Though this is useful for driving out other Ohrwurmen. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/13 "2004-12-24T22:36:08Z")
Der Lindenbaum by [cant remember, Schubert?] Michaeleska by Wolgemut ---
**Author:** ![Algul\_Siento](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Algul\_Siento](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algul_Siento)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/14 "2004-12-24T23:57:20Z")
_Banana Phone_ by Raffi _Elvis Sunday_ by the little known band Splashdown ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/15 "2004-12-25T00:02:38Z")
_Achey Breaky Heart._ Okay, not really. I just want it to get stuck in someone’s head. Merry Christmas! ---
**Author:** ![iggy\_popov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@iggy\_popov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iggy_popov)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/16 "2004-12-25T03:33:57Z")
Billy Boola by Gavin Friday and fucking Bono. One of my sister/roomate’s favorite songs so I get to hear it quite often. ---
**Author:** ![Priam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/77aa72/32.png) [@Priam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Priam)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/17 "2004-12-25T03:35:28Z")
_Dragostea Din Tei_ ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/18 "2004-12-25T06:32:30Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring banana phone! I would guess most dopers don’t know that song […yet!](http://www.thefucksociety.com/anim.php?h=400&id=bananaphone&w=550)😃 Cellular, modular, interactive-odular… ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/19 "2004-12-25T06:41:44Z")
Recently? Hal Blain’s opening drumbeat to The Ronette’s “Be My Baby” The Four Tops’ “Standing in the Shadows of Love” Rammstein’s “Engel” Slipknot’s “Wait and Bleed” Tool’s “Hooker with a Penis” and “Eulogy” I’m lucky…I only get songs stuck that I like, and that I own, so I can go listen to them and get them out. And, no, there is NOTHING odd about any list that puts Slipknot and the Four Tops together. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388/20 "2004-12-25T09:17:41Z")
Hymns. Especially if you’ve since left that religion. You wake up and BAM!!! it’s there, with no stimulus or anything. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-which-are-earworms-they-burrow-into-your-head-and-you-cant-get-them-out/281388.md?page=2)