I think you know what I mean. What song do you automatically access within your cranial archives when nothing in particular is begging to be ‘played’?
I have absolutely no explanation for this, but the song that repeatedly pops into my head when it is otherwise empty is Hurts So Bad by Linda Ronstadt.
And this has been going on for years.
I know you
don’t know what I’m going through
standing here, looking at you…
mmm
Roger Miller’s Whistle Stop, from the Disney animated Robin Hood.
Got a few for various moods, but when I’m doing something hard and physical, like digging in the garden or hiking or even a long power walk, I seem to hear the Elephant March from Disney’s Jungle Book. Hup-two-three-four, pick it up, two-three-four…
That’s one of my two default whistling tunes (the other being a favorite part of the overture from The Barber of Seville). I can’t say that it plays in my head all that often, though.
I don’t think I actually have a “go-to” song. If I’m not actually thinking about music, stuff cues up almost at random, though it’s slightly influenced by what I’ve been listening to lately.
Me neither. At the moment “Last Man Standing” by People in Planes pops into my head pretty often, but that’ll change when I have a new favorite of the moment.
“Blue Moon”–the Marcels version, which composer Richard Rodgers took out an advert in Billboard asking people not to buy.
“Redemption Songs” by Bob Marley, particularly the line “Have no fear for atomic energy, for none of dem canna stoppa de time”.
It gets me through daily anger and reminds me of how small my problems really are.
How could anyone have anything else?
Saltarello. Usually I hear the Dead Can Dance"original" in my head, although lately it’s been Corvus Corax’s cover.
Just to be clear, I’m not talking about a tune you consciously plop onto your brain’s turntable. I’m referring to a song that repeatedly and automatically appears, maybe even against your will.
mmm
John Lennon’s I Found Out. No idea why.
Unfortunately, it’s Fred Astaire singing Isn’t It a Lovely Day (to Be Caught in the Rain).
Smoke, I’ll trade you my Rondstadt for your Lennon; yours is a much superior tune.
mmm
Oh. Besides Powerhouse, System of a Down’s ‘Psycho’. It is a bad thing to be caught singing it to yourself.
But mostly Powerhouse. Dum dum dum, da da dum dum…
It depends, but if I’m walking and really wanting to get where I’m going, it’s Santa Claus is Coming to Town. If I catch myself in that (and it happens way too often), I’ll switch it to Sunshine of Your Love.
Sunshine of Your Love…love it.
Next time I hear Linda crooning "I know youuuuu…
I will deliberately follow that with:
“…would rather hearrrrrrr…”
“Bum Bum Bum BUMP…”
mmm
Only Passin’ Through - Mack MacAnally.
The opening theme of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #3.
or
The title song from “Thoroughly Modern Millie” (the original one with Julie Andrews, etc.).