This week I missed seeing They Might Be Giants because I was on the wrong coast. Unlike some other bands I have mentioned recently, I am not too upset that I am missing them this go-around because they tend to tour on a regular basis. And, since the Johns are not shy about saying how much they love Portland, I suspect they will be back soon.
But, I have had TMBG earworms running through my head all week. Specifically, I seem to be working my way through the “NO!” album right now. While I appreciate that this particular earworm gave me a chance to introduce the album to my niecelettes (who are finally old enough to appreciate it), I wouldn’t mind getting my brain back.
I am one of those people who are particularly prone to earworms. I can identify songs very quickly, even if I only hear a few notes of a song. That skill that would have made me very good on the “Name that Tune” game show. But, since life isn’t a game show, I am just left with a lot of earworms. One of the many reasons I hang on to my obscure albums is to help me the songs out of my head. Because some songs still cannot be found easily on the internet.
I also make up songs all of the time. Most of them are mundane ditties about everyday objects or my cats. I don’t know how to write the music, but I will share the lyrics of a song I made up in Spain and still haunts me to this day:
Aceitunas*, you say ‘tunas, we say ‘tunas, Aceitunas.
And that’s not enough the worst of my compositions, but I will spare you from any more lyrics.
The flip side of music implanting itself in my head is that it is great for mnemonics. I can remember all sorts of songs I made up to help me memorize information going back to grade school. Because everyone wants to start singing about how to spell …tion words while trying to get work done.
*Olives