Squeamish Bikini
  • Home
  • Squeamish Features
  • Squeamish Reviews
  • Squeamish News
  • Squeamish Contact
  • About Squeamish

Friday 5...Ohrwurms

9/3/2012

6 Comments

 
Picture
How do you pick just 5 earworms? There must be hundreds of songs that float up from the subconscious to wrap themselves around your brain during a moment of silence. It seems best to pick the ones that create an irrepressible internal soundtrack the moment you read the name, or someone mentions them… Of course thinking about earworms has brought to mind that playground tune ‘I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves…’

1. Kylie – Can’t Get You Out of My Head

I was a massive Kylie fan. When I was 8. And then I didn’t notice/pay attention to her for over a decade (it’s ok, I know she did a lot during that time, I accidentally married a massive fan whose interest did not diminish when he hit puberty). Then all of a sudden, this song was EVERYWHERE. The name is very apt because as soon as someone mentions it you will have the “na-na-na” (It’s La-la-la! - Squeamish Kate) refrain stuck in your head. If you say you don’t, I don’t believe you. I can’t even tell you whether or not I like this song, I just can’t get it out of my head. 
Squeamish Louise

2. Andy Williams – Wives and Lovers

When I am alone and I have managed to quiet my mind Andy Williams will usually take this cue to strike up the band and sing: “Heeeeey little girl! Comb your hair, fix your make-up…” Considering I am more familiar with other tracks from the back catalogue of Andy Williams (House of Bamboo anyone?) and this song has an incredibly annoying instructional vibe about never waving your husband off to work in your curlers (it’s more important your bouffant has a curl than his – besides, the office is starting to make fun) I don’t know why this is the one forever in the centre of my brain.  My subconscious is evidently telling me to get ready for love. And to brush my hair. Squeamish Kate

3. Guns’n’Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine

I think this is fairly unusual in that when I get it stuck in my head, I get the whole thing stuck. Usually it’s just a phrase or a refrain that lodges itself but everything from the vocals to the guitar is sublime. Someone I used to know claimed that you could get rid of any annoying earworm by thinking of this song, instead. It works – it’s how I got rid of the “na-na-na”s  (it’s LA LA LA! I don’t believe you get that song stuck in your head at all! Why do you think Kylie has a book called LA LA LA – Squeamish Kate) after thinking about Kylie. And I don’t mind so much.  
Squeamish Louise

4. Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin

I’ll level with you. I love lists, love listing things, but I don’t love this feature. Every time I post a Friday 5 I get this song in my head because the idea of a top 5 puts me in mind of Top of the Pops. It’s probably the only song I don’t like on Led Zeppelin II, I don’t think the production of that track is all that. So let’s be clear, I like Led Zeppelin, I like the Friday whale, I like lists and I liked Top of the Pops. I don’t like posting Friday 5s because it puts Whole Lotta Love in my head. It’s going round and round right now.  
Squeamish Kate

Mahna Mahna – The Muppets

How to reliably tell if someone watched The Muppet Show as a child: shout “phenomenon!” at them and see if they respond by humming this tune back at you (disclaimer: do not just shout random words at people. Especially if it’s dark and you don’t know them. This is likely to get you into trouble). I actually believed this song was called “Phenomena” my whole life, until I saw the new Muppet movie and learned it’s actually called Mahna Mahna. And promptly spent the next three weeks annoying everyone by singing it nonstop. It’s fun, try it! 
Squeamish Louise

Help us get these songs out of our head by sharing your earworms! 
6 Comments
Gareth
8/3/2012 06:37:24 pm

Actually if someone starts singing Mahna Mahna in response to hearing Phenomena all it proves is that they watched the 1996 Muppets Tonight show as that's where it is from, not the original The Muppets Show.

I can't believe I'm married to someone who knows this little about Muppets. Or Kylie.

Reply
Squeamish Kate link
8/3/2012 07:26:43 pm

I thought it was a case of mass-mishearing. I don't think I have ever watched an entire Muppet show.

The Kylie lyric though... man that's bad.

Reply
Gareth
8/3/2012 07:36:05 pm

No, Phenomenon is a sketch from the first series of Muppets Tonight featuring Sandra Bullock and is a pastiche of the original song.

I’m shocked and appalled that Louise doesn’t know the lyrics to Can’t Get You Out Of My Head – it is her second greatest song (after Confide In Me, obviously)!

Squeamish Kate link
8/3/2012 10:49:50 pm

I missed that, I don't think I even knew the muppets were on TV, I thought I just came into school one day and everyone was singing the wrong words together.

I remember Confide in Me - Indie Kylie!

sue
8/3/2012 10:38:14 pm

Nooooo this is awful you should put a Kylie warning on this article, I've got 'Can't get you out of my head' going round my mind and I haven't liked her or her songs ever!

Reply
Squeamish Kate link
8/3/2012 10:48:27 pm

I liked Kylie when, during her Spinning Around/gold hotpants year 2000 comeback, I realised she was short, like me.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011

    Categories

    All
    Books
    Booze
    Cinematic
    Dress Up
    Educating Sue
    Educating Sue
    Friday 5
    Friday 5
    Geekery
    Gender Agender
    Gender Agender
    Glitter And Twisted
    Glitter And Twisted
    History Repeating
    History Repeating
    How To
    Just A Thought
    Just A Thought
    Let's Get Political
    Let's Get Political
    Music
    Nom Nom Nom
    Nostalgia
    Tellybox
    Why You Should Love

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos from Pink Sherbet Photography, anunez619, NikRugby23!, Asso Pixiel