Song in my head.

[Roosmum]

This is not a trivial question. I've had a song in my head for weeks now and I can't get rid of it. I listen to the radio and stuff and I sing different songs to myself when I'm awake. If I wake in the night it's always there... the same phrase of the song... and it carries on from there. When I wake in the morning it's there.... same phrase.... If I'm engrossed in something, say gardening or shopping or whatever, it's there playing in the background.

Any ideas please?

[flashpig]

I heard something about psychology or something that people need to hear things through. Know the outcome. Apparently that is why films with ambiguous endings stay in the mind and songs, caught in snippets stay in the mind.

On a different note, my cure for songs wedged in the head is to hum the Black Beauty theme. For some reason this is musical parsley for me. It gets rid of the taste of 'Hey Mickey' or whatever, and doesn't leave an aftertaste. The song is gone and Black Beauty isn't there in its place!

This might only work for me though.

[Roosmum]

Thanks flashpig, it's not the hearing it through thing 'cos I know all the words and I have actually tried singing it through to myself in the hopes of putting it to rest! 

I've sort of tried the Black Beauty thing too, my own "mantra?" is Deck the Halls!

[chazza]

This may sound mad but eat a piece of licorice!  I read somewhere that concentrating another of your senses on something else will rid you of a song that you cant get out of your head! 

[thorkel9]

Roosmum - take a look at this link to the Fortean Times Message Board re stuck tunes syndrome.  Might give you a laugh if nothing else!

http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2711

[Pythia]

flashpig - bless you for the phrase 'musical parsley', that's a fabulous concept. I don't have a pet song to chase away something unwanted but just pick something that I do like and consciously make it play in my head or aloud until the intruder just gets overwritten. Good luck Roosmum - I think I'm glad you didn't say what the song was or we might all be stuck with it!

[Cetti]

Would it be something to do with hearing a song late at night? Two weeks ago I watched the  classic rock film called "The Last Waltz"  and even though I don't particularly like this song every night and throughout the day the words

"Like my father before me, I'm a working man
And like my brother before me, I took a rebel stand"

keep going round and round and...... Yesterday I heard Queen's "We Will Rock You" - So now I have two!!!!

[Roosmum]

thorkel9, they wouldn't let me in 'cos I'm with hotmail.

[Roosmum]

Sorry Cetti, this is deep rooted, not your usual "can't get this song out of my head" stuff. It happened a couple of months ago, some song, but I cleared it and now it's come back.

[Cetti]

Sounds dreadful Roosmum. 

Are you are going through a particularly stressful time at the moment? Perhaps with a lot going through your mind your poor  brain is on overload and this is its way of coping. I truly hope you find  peace of mind very soon.

[Buddy]

Just sing a long with it and it will get fed up with you before you get fed up with it.And no I'm not being flippant.

You are placing too much importance on it so let it run its course.

[Tha-Flash]

If it's a song you like, allow it and create a association of FEELING GREAT whenever you hear that phrase.

Maybe you've created what psychologists call an "anchor". The radio always plays the same tunes and if it's repeated so many times then you just remember it without trying.

If you really don't like it then when you start thinking of that phrase then you can allow yourself to forget by doing something else and when you've done that, do something else.

When you hear that phrase... Imagine a control menu appears with a volume button on it. This volume button allows you to turn the sound of that song down. Hear the song going quieter and quieter.

[squiggle]

Roosmum - Just out of interest, what is the song that's causing you all this distress?

Just being nosey.

[Roosmum]

Hi Squiggle

It's Gipsies, tramps and thieves by Cher. It always starts at Picked up a boy just South of Mobil, gave him a ride, filled him with a hot meal........

I've been trying Flashpig's suggestion of the Black Beauty theme, I can't remember it and it generally turns into Ride of the Valkyries but I think it may be helping 'cos it's got no words and just sort of mumbles on!

And today I see I've got a few more suggestions to try.. .

[squiggle]

Aww, you poor thing. Well, I haven't got any suggestions for you other than what's been said, but good luck getting rid of it. I've had this before, and I know how annoying it is, although I've never had it quite as bad as you!