Long story short, I have kids and have spent many years going to children’s movies (and then watching the DVDs – repeatedly). These are not the kid movies my parents took me to. They are not just smarter and more clever – they have much better music. Or at least, they have music I like to listen to. My latest earworm has been The Travelling Song from the film Madagascar 2. Sung by the extremely talented Will.i.am it has haunted me for the past several days.
I know I’m one year late, but I just discovered this video this summer. Yes, I know it’s highly probable the original eHarmony video is a hoax, but it’s frickin’ hilarious anyway. After watching this several times (my colleagues this summer were really into it), some things came to mind:
- Jean AAR
I have gotten out of the habit of listening to music. About the only time I do so is when I am exercising. It is difficult for me to find artists that I like. I am not into country or rap and it seems that the music I like is from the 1990’s or early 2000’s – artist like Lisa Stansfield, Natalie Merchant, Tracy Chapman, Oleta Adams, Leona Lewis. So tonight I went searching for some music. And I did find some possibilities.
Marry A Stranger by Smile Smile
Although I only watched the competitions now and then, I enjoyed the Olympic Games in London hugely. By all accounts, they were especially happy and friendly, and I think you could sense that even from the TV screens. (more…)
I’ve been listening to Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run a lot recently, and the song Jungleland is the one that has stuck with me the most. I love the way the different melodies and instruments are weaved together, and the urgency of Springsteen’s voice as he delivers it. Unfortunately it’s too complicated for me to sing without a score, but I catch myself humming snatches of melodies.
What is your favorite Springsteen song?
- Rike Horstmann
My youngest son loves to listen to the radio. This has actually been really good for me – without him I might be stuck in the ’80’s, listening to the same music I did back in college. The down side is that I often find myself haunted by the music we just listened to. This is my latest haunt. I’m lucky – the song bears up well under repeated hearings. And the video has some amazing imagery.
What music has been haunting you lately?
- Maggie AAR
I have a few songs that make me think of just how wonderful summer is. In spite of the heat, I thought I’d share them and remind us why we all love this season.
Recently I asked a group of seventeen-year-olds whether any of them had ever heard of Tom Petty. They just stared at me. (more…)
This is one of the songs about which I can’t really explain why they stick to my brain the way they do. It’s incredibly ’80s in the almost negligent way it’s presented. I still haven’t figured out what it’s about. I don’t know any other songs by Tanita Tikaram. (more…)
Times Square is not an earworm for me in the sense that I sing it myself all day long, instead I press the “repeat button” and listen to it five times in a row or more.
I discovered Marianne Faithfull as a performer in the 1990s through a track sung on a compilation of Kurt Weill songs. The first album of hers that I bought was Vagabond Ways. I quickly acquired more of her albums, old and new ones. The contrast between her 1960s and her present voice continues to fascinate me. I was lucky enough to listen to her live in Munich some years ago, and wow does she have stage presence!
Do you like Marianne Faithfull? What is your favorite song by her?
- Rike Horstmann
