Earworms

[Pat]

WHAT mATTERS - I Have a Confession...​

I am terribly susceptible and vulnerable to earworms. If you are not familiar with the term earworms, I think I would be safe to say that you have had them, are experiencing them now, or soon to get them. But don’t panic. They aren't real worms in your ears, but rather they "are involuntary, spontaneous, and repetitive replaying of music in the mind." I would be a great contestant on the show "Name That Tune" because of the hours-on-end time I spent listening to "KYA radio, 1260, San Fran-cisco!" There are songs in my head from sixty years ago that will never go away. Most advertisers on T.V. or radio use music to sell their products. These marketing managers know that if they can make you hear an ad jingle often enough, their product will be in your mind via that jingle whether you like it or not. For example, what do you hear in your head when I say "For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world, visit..." Yep. You got it!

What does this have to do with anything spiritual? Back to my confession, I find earworm songs popping up in my head constantly, often when I first wake up in the morning. If I'm not careful, my mind will be filled with some pretty gross, drug or alcohol enticing, sexually alluring, un-biblical stuff all day long. As a Christian, I don't find that very uplifting nor is it God glorifying. But, as hard as I try, I just can't seem to get rid of those earworms on my own. There is a remedy to get rid of them though. Replace them. In my forty-five years as a Christian, I've heard and learned quite a few Christian melodies. Perhaps as many as I heard and learned of the secular songs of my youth. So, when I first hear that familiar ad jingle or that "I can't get no satisfaction" melody in my head, I seek a familiar Christian song such as "Jesus, name above all names" or even a children’s song such as “Jesus loves me, this I know.” I then start singing that song either out loud (if no one is around) or just in my head and repeat it a few times. Pretty soon, I still have an earworm, but it is an edifying, calming, even prayerful, worship time in my head. Another helpful tool is that I have Christian music playing through my WIFI radio on my porch out front, in my woodshop by the chicken coop and of course in the house. That way, wherever I am, I have spiritual input to consciously or un-consciously meditate on. “Abiding Radio” has a variety of traditional Christian hymns and modern music in various genres to satisfy most tastes without ads.

Scripture encourages us to practice this habit. Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; and Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. What matters is, which influence of music do you want running through your head all day?

 

[seated with Christ]

Their common name is, Earwigs, the are many-legged winged insects. I have seen many of them growing up. I've seen a movie, in it, Earwigs crawled into people's ears, and so forth, it was terminal.

 

[seated with Christ]

I don't know if Earwigs is what you are referring to.

Don't put much stock on they being terminal it was just a movie.

 

[mattfivefour]

WHAT mATTERS - I Have a Confession...​

I am terribly susceptible and vulnerable to earworms. If you are not familiar with the term earworms, I think I would be safe to say that you have had them, are experiencing them now, or soon to get them. But don’t panic. They aren't real worms in your ears, but rather they "are involuntary, spontaneous, and repetitive replaying of music in the mind." I would be a great contestant on the show "Name That Tune" because of the hours-on-end time I spent listening to "KYA radio, 1260, San Fran-cisco!" There are songs in my head from sixty years ago that will never go away. Most advertisers on T.V. or radio use music to sell their products. These marketing managers know that if they can make you hear an ad jingle often enough, their product will be in your mind via that jingle whether you like it or not. For example, what do you hear in your head when I say "For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world, visit..." Yep. You got it!

What does this have to do with anything spiritual? Back to my confession, I find earworm songs popping up in my head constantly, often when I first wake up in the morning. If I'm not careful, my mind will be filled with some pretty gross, drug or alcohol enticing, sexually alluring, un-biblical stuff all day long. As a Christian, I don't find that very uplifting nor is it God glorifying. But, as hard as I try, I just can't seem to get rid of those earworms on my own. There is a remedy to get rid of them though. Replace them. In my forty-five years as a Christian, I've heard and learned quite a few Christian melodies. Perhaps as many as I heard and learned of the secular songs of my youth. So, when I first hear that familiar ad jingle or that "I can't get no satisfaction" melody in my head, I seek a familiar Christian song such as "Jesus, name above all names" or even a children’s song such as “Jesus loves me, this I know.” I then start singing that song either out loud (if no one is around) or just in my head and repeat it a few times. Pretty soon, I still have an earworm, but it is an edifying, calming, even prayerful, worship time in my head. Another helpful tool is that I have Christian music playing through my WIFI radio on my porch out front, in my woodshop by the chicken coop and of course in the house. That way, wherever I am, I have spiritual input to consciously or un-consciously meditate on. “Abiding Radio” has a variety of traditional Christian hymns and modern music in various genres to satisfy most tastes without ads.

Scripture encourages us to practice this habit. Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; and Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. What matters is, which influence of music do you want running through your head all day?

Yes, Pat, you have hit upon the one treatment for what you call "earworms". How much more blessed would every Christian's life be if they continually surrounded themselves with songs of worship! Then it is so easy to sing one in your head (or, as you say, out loud when nobody is around) where no music it's available. Andrea and I use the same technique as you to rid our brains of unwanted things ... be they songs or even besetting thoughts. Thank you for this thread. I think you'll help others with your story here.

(Btw, singing a worship song out loud softly while standing in a line at a store is not a bad idea as long as your voice doesn't sound like a rusty door hinge. Doing so can sometimes provoke an interesting conversation in which God can be glorified. It also puts you in s happy mood which can blesses others astound you ... even the cashier.)

 

[greg64]

I get this all the time -- I have a song stuck in my head as I type. I have found Pat's solution to be effective with all kinds of thoughts and temptations... not just music running through my mind. The problem is remembering to take that approach and then actually doing it. And sometimes I like the music running through my head, so it's a constant struggle. Being an introvert, there's probably too much repetitive stuff going on in there anyway!

 

[Mama Bug]

Sometimes I get weird songs stuck in my head. My kids found this song on YouTube called It’s Raining Tacos. It ran through my head for a long time. Right now I have a recording of my dad singing Wish You Were Here going through my head so sometimes earworms don’t bother me. Other times they do, like when it’s a stupid song like Baby Shark, or some dumb jingle I hear on tv.

 

[Nemophilist]

WHAT mATTERS - I Have a Confession...​

I am terribly susceptible and vulnerable to earworms. If you are not familiar with the term earworms, I think I would be safe to say that you have had them, are experiencing them now, or soon to get them. But don’t panic. They aren't real worms in your ears, but rather they "are involuntary, spontaneous, and repetitive replaying of music in the mind." I would be a great contestant on the show "Name That Tune" because of the hours-on-end time I spent listening to "KYA radio, 1260, San Fran-cisco!" There are songs in my head from sixty years ago that will never go away. Most advertisers on T.V. or radio use music to sell their products. These marketing managers know that if they can make you hear an ad jingle often enough, their product will be in your mind via that jingle whether you like it or not. For example, what do you hear in your head when I say "For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world, visit..." Yep. You got it!

What does this have to do with anything spiritual? Back to my confession, I find earworm songs popping up in my head constantly, often when I first wake up in the morning. If I'm not careful, my mind will be filled with some pretty gross, drug or alcohol enticing, sexually alluring, un-biblical stuff all day long. As a Christian, I don't find that very uplifting nor is it God glorifying. But, as hard as I try, I just can't seem to get rid of those earworms on my own. There is a remedy to get rid of them though. Replace them. In my forty-five years as a Christian, I've heard and learned quite a few Christian melodies. Perhaps as many as I heard and learned of the secular songs of my youth. So, when I first hear that familiar ad jingle or that "I can't get no satisfaction" melody in my head, I seek a familiar Christian song such as "Jesus, name above all names" or even a children’s song such as “Jesus loves me, this I know.” I then start singing that song either out loud (if no one is around) or just in my head and repeat it a few times. Pretty soon, I still have an earworm, but it is an edifying, calming, even prayerful, worship time in my head. Another helpful tool is that I have Christian music playing through my WIFI radio on my porch out front, in my woodshop by the chicken coop and of course in the house. That way, wherever I am, I have spiritual input to consciously or un-consciously meditate on. “Abiding Radio” has a variety of traditional Christian hymns and modern music in various genres to satisfy most tastes without ads.

Scripture encourages us to practice this habit. Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; and Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. What matters is, which influence of music do you want running through your head all day?

Thank you for sharing this. I've started doing this in the last few months and it helps me to stop worrying about things. Memorizing scripture will do the same thing.

 

[seated with Christ]

Their common name is, Earwigs, the are many-legged winged insects. I have seen many of them growing up. I've seen a movie, in it, Earwigs crawled into people's ears, and so forth, it was terminal.

Obviously, I did't read your post.

 

[Everlasting Life]

Obviously, I did't read your post.

No worries, I was amused.

When the kids were small this song would get stuck in my head, "The wheels on the bus go round and round......" Oh....sorry mom's out there reading.



Great post Pat, I sure appreciate the wonderful posts at R.F. like yours, that teach about God. So edifying and strengthening.

 

[usoutpost31]

Their common name is, Earwigs, the are many-legged winged insects. I have seen many of them growing up. I've seen a movie, in it, Earwigs crawled into people's ears, and so forth, it was terminal.

"It was a female.....and the female....lays eggs."

Earworms are a bit different, though.

 

[Pat]

No worries, I was amused.

When the kids were small this song would get stuck in my head, "The wheels on the bus go round and round......" Oh....sorry mom's out there reading.



Great post Pat, I sure appreciate the wonderful posts at R.F. like yours, that teach about God. So edifying and strengthening.

Thank you so much. A little encouragement goes a long way. It is good to be used. 2 Corinthians 4:7.

 

[seated with Christ]

As usual I went off half cocked!

 

[Wings Like Eagles]

Their common name is, Earwigs, the are many-legged winged insects. I have seen many of them growing up. I've seen a movie, in it, Earwigs crawled into people's ears, and so forth, it was terminal.

What we call earwigs here in Canada do not fly. They are these soft body things with a couple of appendages out the back that sort of look like pincers. Not sure if they bite but haven't wanted to find out. They infest dead vegetable material and do us a favour in consuming it. They are about 1/2 inch long. One will occasionally get in the house under a door or something if it is very hot--apparently they dry up in the heat.

 

[Tall Timbers]

One of my earworms/earwigs is:

Bless the Lord,
Oh my soul,
and all that is within me,
Bless his Holy Name.

 

[Spartan Sprinter 1]

Yes, Pat, you have hit upon the one treatment for what you call "earworms". How much more blessed would every Christian's life be if they continually surrounded themselves with songs of worship! Then it is so easy to sing one in your head (or, as you say, out loud when nobody is around) where no music it's available. Andrea and I use the same technique as you to rid our brains of unwanted things ... be they songs or even besetting thoughts. Thank you for this thread. I think you'll help others with your story here.

(Btw, singing a worship song out loud softly while standing in a line at a store is not a bad idea as long as your voice doesn't sound like a rusty door hinge. Doing so can sometimes provoke an interesting conversation in which God can be glorified. It also puts you in s happy mood which can blesses others astound you ... even the cashier.)

You just gave me a visual of when Krusty the clown tries to sing the song sending our love down the well

 

[seated with Christ]

What we call earwigs here in Canada do not fly. They are these soft body things with a couple of appendages out the back that sort of look like pincers. Not sure if they bite but haven't wanted to find out. They infest dead vegetable material and do us a favour in consuming it. They are about 1/2 inch long. One will occasionally get in the house under a door or something if it is very hot--apparently they dry up in the heat.

My childhood acquaintance had pinchers as well, I got the wings from an Internet description, don't know if mine had hem.

Earwig image:

 

[Wings Like Eagles]

My childhood acquaintance had pinchers as well, I got the wings from an Internet description, don't know if mine had hem.

Earwig image:

Yep--that's what ours look like--but I don't see any wings and never knew them to fly. They are disgusting if one gets indoors because they will hide in a damp kitchen towel or damp bath mat or even in the dirty clothes hamper. I bought an organic celery bunch that was infested with them (didn't see them until I cut into the bunch. Gross.

 

[seated with Christ]

Yep--that's what ours look like--but I don't see any wings and never knew them to fly. They are disgusting if one gets indoors because they will hide in a damp kitchen towel or damp bath mat. I bought an organic celery bunch that was infested with them (didn't see them until I cut into the bunch. Gross.

I can imagine!

 

[Wings Like Eagles]

I get "earworms" all the time. The triggers seem to be some observation, such as looking at the blue moon, for example, and then the song, "Blue Moon" will run through my mind constantly for a day or so. Very annoying because most of the time, it will be songs that I don't even LIKE!

 

[Tall Timbers]

blue skies, smiling at me,
nothing but blue skies, do I see.