# You love the song and then you listen closely and hear... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 13, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642 "2013-04-13T23:21:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/1 "2013-04-13T23:21:20Z")
I love Stevie Wonder. Yesterday, I had the song “Overjoyed” in my head, a song I’ve known for years but hadn’t really ever listened to closely. So I decided to [play it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkWQTAU3JzI) and actually pay attention because it was bugging me and listening to a song is usually the best way to stop it playing incessantly. And thus I heard the noise. The dripping noise. The incessant dripping noise that will not go away and becomes the only thing I can hear in the entire song. _drip_ _drip_ _drip_ _drip_ So, have you ever had a song that you liked or loved until you finally noticed… something? ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/2 "2013-04-13T23:42:45Z")
Great song! I couldn’t get that link to play but I found a [version with the drip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P8pB8esfQg&feature=youtube_gdata_player) you’re describing. Obnoxious. I think it’s just that particular mix. They have the track that noise is on turned up too loud. It might also be a metronome type sound to keep time because it’s a karaoke version. The ones with him[playing live](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faD3YF0zhNg&feature=youtube_gdata_player) don’t have it. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/3 "2013-04-14T00:56:22Z")
Hah! I ruined, “Sympathy for the Devil” for my friend by pointing out the repetitive “Who Who” in the background. It’s one of those things that can annoy you if you pay too much attention to it. I read about something a few months back that you can hear in the background all through The Youngbloods, “Get Together”. Once I heard it, I couldn’t NOT hear it. I’m trying to forget it now. I’m getting there: All I remember is the song name and that it’s something vocal all through the song. I’ve resolved to not listen to it through headphones until I forget about it entirely, because it’s too easy to hear in headphones. Might never listen to it through headphones again. Pity. I really like the guitar in it. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/4 "2013-04-14T01:35:30Z")
A few years ago I was listening to a Glenn Gould piano recording on headphones (he was playing Bach solo pieces) and started noticing a peculiar background noise, which I eventually realized was Gould humming along with the music. This was [not an isolated case](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Gould): _"Gould was widely known for his unusual habits. He usually hummed while he played the piano, and his recording engineers had mixed results in how successfully they could exclude his voice from recordings. Gould claimed that his singing was subconscious and increased proportionately with the inability of the piano in question to realize the music as he intended. It is likely that this habit originated in Gould’s having been taught by his mother to “sing everything that he played”, as Kevin Bazzana puts it. "This became “an unbreakable (and notorious) habit”. Some of Gould’s recordings were severely criticised because of the background “vocalise”. For example, a reviewer of his 1981 re-recording of the Goldberg Variations opined that many listeners would “find the groans and croons intolerable”._ I haven’t thrown out his albums, but I avoid listening to them with headphones. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/5 "2013-04-14T06:27:43Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Hah! I ruined, “Sympathy for the Devil” for my friend by pointing out the repetitive “Who Who” in the background. That’s the whole point of that song! 😕 You had to POINT IT OUT to someone? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/6 "2013-04-14T06:28:04Z")
I don’t know that I love the song but I’m always caught by the beeping in “Rock the Casbah.” It’s like the beeps of a little electronic game. I didn’t hear it on the version I found on YouTube but it exists - [it was discussed on the SDMB](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=217502) in 2003. I probably didn’t start noticing it until maybe 5 years ago, when I started texting on my cell phone (it sort of sounds like a texting beep) ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/7 "2013-04-14T08:26:27Z")
In the EMF song [Unbelievable](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waacof2saZw), during the refrain there’s a dude yelling, “What the fuck?!” … “What the fuck?!” … “Waaaas Thaat?!” No one seems to know that’s what he’s saying, until I tell them. Once you hear it, you can’t un-hear it! How do I know? I bought the CD way back when and it’s part of the lyrics written in the liner notes. The only song that got airplay from day one, loaded with the f-word, and still does without a radio edit. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/8 "2013-04-14T09:14:49Z")
Lady Gaga’s [Poker Face](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bESGLojNYSo). I am convinced she’s actually saying “P-p-p-poke her face, fu-fu-fuck her face.” ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/9 "2013-04-14T09:38:36Z")
Adele’s heavily breathing in at the beginning of each line on “Somebody Like You” really takes me out of the song. ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/10 "2013-04-14T10:38:57Z")
In [Pounding](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXaqZLkG3TE) by Doves, there’s a rimshot/percussive sound that sounds like coconuts being hit together. It’s only in the right ear, during the choruses (mainly) and as soon as I noticed it I couldn’t unnotice it. It has definitely ruined listening to it through headphones for me! ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/11 "2013-04-14T11:33:32Z")
Isn’t there some Led Zeppelin song where you can hear Bonzo’s bass drum pedal squeaking? I never heard it, but I don’t think I can hear high pitched sounds these days. In “My Old School” by Steely Dan it sounds like someone calling my name (Sam) right after the line “William and Mary won’t do”. Still makes me do a double take. And in “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath you can hear people shifting around during the opening drum beats, especially on the Black Box version. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/12 "2013-04-14T11:47:25Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > I ruined, “Sympathy for the Devil” for my friend by pointing out the repetitive “Who Who” in the background. It’s one of those things that can annoy you if you pay too much attention to it. Pointed it out to him? It’s not exactly buried. I can’t imagine hearing the song, even once, without hearing that. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/13 "2013-04-14T12:04:14Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > In the EMF song [Unbelievable](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waacof2saZw), during the refrain there’s a dude yelling, > > “What the fuck?!” … “What the fuck?!” … “Waaaas Thaat?!” > > No one seems to know that’s what he’s saying, until I tell them. Once you hear it, you can’t un-hear it! How do I know? I bought the CD way back when and it’s part of the lyrics written in the liner notes. The only song that got airplay from day one, loaded with the f-word, and still does without a radio edit. The dude yelling it is Andrew Dice Clay, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![kirk1168](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@kirk1168](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirk1168)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/14 "2013-04-14T15:03:01Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Adele’s heavily breathing in at the beginning of each line on “Somebody Like You” really takes me out of the song. Similarly, all I can hear on Steve Miller’s _Jet Airliner_ is gasping for breath before each line. Don’t listen to it with the intention of hearing the gasps. You’ll hear it for the rest of your life. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/15 "2013-04-14T15:08:22Z")
The “cowbell” skit on SNL pretty much ruined “Don’t Fear the Reaper” for me. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/16 "2013-04-14T15:35:52Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Hah! I ruined, “Sympathy for the Devil” for my friend by pointing out the repetitive “Who Who” in the background. It’s one of those things that can annoy you if you pay too much attention to it… Even the very first time I listened to that song, all I heard was the “woo woo.” It’s always been the only thing I can hear in that song. That song has always annoyed me. I call it the “Woo Woo Song” for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/17 "2013-04-14T15:43:22Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > The dude yelling it is Andrew Dice Clay, I believe. It is definitely him yelling “Oh!” in that song, it stands to reason that the other is him as well, though I’ve never noticed it. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/18 "2013-04-14T15:43:32Z")
Also: There are many songs by Manu Chao which are different songs which use the same backing track. This track has an annoying “poing” sound at the beginning, and repeating every few bars regularly throughout the song. It becomes all I can hear in the song. [Example](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJMLJVha5sw) Maybe these things bother me more because I’m a musician? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/19 "2013-04-14T16:45:58Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The “cowbell” skit on SNL pretty much ruined “Don’t Fear the Reaper” for me. I enjoy it even more now that I listen for the cowbell! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642/20 "2013-04-14T18:03:03Z")
> [@kirk1168](#): > > Similarly, all I can hear on Steve Miller’s _Jet Airliner_ is gasping for breath before each line. Don’t listen to it with the intention of hearing the gasps. You’ll hear it for the rest of your life. Years ago, I had a coworker who brought in a cd of Alanis Morissette and I couldn’t get past the gasping. She sounds like she should be on oxygen or something. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-love-the-song-and-then-you-listen-closely-and-hear/655642.md?page=2)