"Let it go, let it go...". If only I could, but these song lyrics from the movie Frozen, recently kept rolling through my head over and over again.
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It was all thanks to something a colleague shared, which left me unable to shake this earworm. It is not the first time I have been haunted by this tune. It was a favourite of one of my daughters when she was younger.
Fast forward a day, and a new, but very different song began to play on repeat in my head. That song was the Black Sabbath breakout hit, Paranoid, and the reason for the mind invasion was the news that Ozzy Osbourne had died. While sharing that news, every media outlet kept playing a portion of this song. And, of course, the tune stuck like a needle on a scratched vinyl record.
It has made me ponder the question, "Why do some songs settle into your mind so easily while other tunes are difficult to recall only minutes after you have heard them?".
Some might argue that they are better songs, but I don't consider this to be true, some of the songs I enjoy most tend to slip from my mind almost as soon as they come to an end. No offence to all the toddlers out there, but Let it go is not a typical tune on my playlist. However, Paranoid is on my playlist, and it infiltrates my mind every time it comes up on the shuffle.
In my youth (back in the 70s and 80s), I remember rumours circulating that some songs sent subliminal messages. It was a claim that was especially linked to heavy metal or alternative music. I took this conspiracy theory with a grain of salt. Seriously, what musician is consciously writing tunes for the purpose of infiltrating the minds of all who hear their tunes?
Using their music as an expressive outlet, to create shock value, to send messages, inspire or simply to deliver a memorable, catchy sound...sure. But writing to infiltrate minds? I think not!
No doubt, it is a bonus for any musician if the songs they write have the ability to linger in the mind of their audience long after the tune has finished playing. I acknowledge there are several I have heard over these years that have achieved this... some I love, some I would prefer to exit my mind promptly, but Iseem to have no control in that space.
The Moving Pictures hit, What about me?, is a mind squatter for me, yet I prefer their song Bustin' Loose. Meanwhile, Neil Diamond's, Sweet Caroline has spent quite the earworm over the years. Although I tend to blame my parents for this, as they would play this song repeatedly on the record player (remember those), so of course the tune has taken up real estate in my mind.
What songs have locked into your brain waves? Suggestions would be appreciated as I need to change the record.
Jackie Meyers, ACM editor
