In the Guardian today they had an article about earworms-those sticky tunes that people can't get out of their heads. There was a study conducted that states that 99% of people at one point or another had an earworm.
What triggers the retrieval of a particular song - making it come to mind and get stuck in the head - is not exactly known. It might be anything: a title, a thought or a reminder of past experience that somehow is connected to a melody. Or it could just be a few notes that prompt the brain to refresh the memory and find the missing parts of the song. "Earworms seem to be an interaction between properties of music (catchy songs are simple and repetitive), characteristics of individuals (levels of neuroticism) and properties of the context or situation (first thing in the morning, last thing at night or when people are under stress)," says the scientist conducting the experiment.
They also found that women are more susceptible to earworms than men. And musicians more than non-musicians. The reason for women being more susceptible is unknown, bas they say that is could have to do with the fact that earworms are more problematic for those inclined to worry, and women had higher neuroticism scores than men.
The way of get rid of a earworm, is to sing, 'eraser songs'-those that have a mystical ability to eat any other earworms. Singing the eraser tune rids one of an earworm but risks replacing it with the eraser song.
Top 10 earworms
1. Kylie Minogue, Can't Get You Out of My Head
2. James Blunt, You're Beautiful
3. Baha Men, Who Let the Dogs Out
4. Mission Impossible theme
5. Village People, YMCA
6. Happy Days theme
7. Corinne Bailey Rae, Put Your Records On
8. Suzanne Vega, Tom's Diner
9. Tight Fit, The Lion Sleeps Tonight
10. Tiffany, I Think We're Alone Now
I think we need to add Haifa's song, Boos il Wawa...any other suggestions for Arabic songs that become earworms?
Interesting facts!
ReplyDeleteI'm so prone to earworms, I drive my friends and family crazy singing that earworm over and over again!