What's your Default Song ?
Posted by roylevy on 23 March 2008 - 11:25am.
I have a theory that everyone has a personal default song which they carry around with them and habitually hum or sing when their minds are otherwise blank or preoccupied with some mundane task. I used to share a flat with a bloke who, years after it was a hit, still CONSTANTLY hummed the chorus of Don't You Want Me by Human League when moving about the place. Joe Simpson (?) in Touching the Void talked about how he couldn't get Brown Girl in the Ring by Boney M out of his head when stuck on the mountainside with his leg broken in two. If I were in a similar situation it would almost certainly be Strangers in the Night - an excellent song of it's kind. Not particularly representative of my musical tastes, but I seem to be stuck with it.
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Sam Cooke
I invariably find myself humming the opening strains to A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke whenever I'm on my own in a lift.
Do-be-do-be-doooo..
I also find myself humming Strangers in the Night at all kinds of odd moments. Don't know why - like you say, not a bad tune, but no great favourite of mine either.
Lost Highway - Hank Williams
"I'm a rollin' stooooone, all alone and lost..."
No, Mr Freud, I've no idea why I sing it so often.
Also, Hank's Long Gone Lonesome Blues, wherein I practise the yodelly bits.
Having said that, all day yesterday I too was singing the opening to A Change Is Gonna Come - "I was boooooooorn by the river..."
Either this disproves your
Either this disproves your theory, or I'm merely an anomaly...but my default tune to hum usually changes every month or so. At the minute it's 'The Model'' by Kraftwerk.
Last month it was: 'Me'' by Gary Numan and before that, 'Dambusters'' (Ska version) by JJ Allstars.
Cinnamon Girl by Neil Young...
... and occasionally Cars by Gary Numan. The first I can explain by my falling asleep at my 17th birthday party as my 'friend' Tim put Every One Knows This is Nowhere onto repeat play in the room below my bedroom. It played all night. But I can't explain Mr Aiplane-Crashy at all.
Police
I can't seem to help Roxanne coming into my mind on a regular basis around the house. Not a Police fan as such although I don't hate the song - indifferent to it really. I like to really belt out the 'Raaaaaaaaxanne' yelping bit (off key and out of tune) - I feel so much better for it.
Summertime........
And the living is easy. Especially thanks to our correspondent who recently name-checked SkreemR, and my burgeoning explorations into jazz. I found a finnish(?) site with over 40 versions thereof all neatly lined up for sampling, from Ella to the Zombies. Fabulous.
For years
I was cursed by Tiffany.
God knows why.
Even worse than Tiffany
My wife and daughter watched Breakfast At Tiffanys at the weekend and have both been reading the book. All day yesterday I had that awful song Breakfast At Tiffanys by some group whose name I've forgotten running round my head. It wore off overnight. Until breakfast that is.
Whistle
I started then abandoned a similar thread the other day so thanks for this!
I am constantly accompanied, and have been for years, by the opening bass line from "Don't believe a word" by Gary Moore, the soprano sax part from "Anni" by John Stevens' Away, the ensemble from "Pencil it in" by the Clark Tracy Quintet, and "Crossing the line" off "Go live in Paris" by Stomu Yamash'ta. Fuck knows why. I shall be humming them in my vault.
Earworm...
is the phrase, I believe.
I find myself singing Can't help falling in love when otherwise distracted. Obviously in a Presleyan croon rather than an Ali Campbellesque mumble.
Twangers: I'm right in recalling that the John Stevens' one so infected you that you had to write in and ask someone to tell you what it was, am I not?
You're right Retro
I was humming the bastard for years but didn't know what it was, then Volpes pointed me to a great site with all the Whistle Test acts on it, so I then cross referenced them to my diaries of the time, and bugger me, it turns out the little tune I was whistling was "Anni" by JSA. I feel very relieved! Still hum it all the time though!
Interesting you mention Presley - I have DIFFERENT tunes for when I have a bad cold and the old voice drops 3 octaves - notably "Always on my mind" or "Suspician" and "Nobody" by Tom Waits. Both need a good low rumble which my weedy pipes don't normally have!