I was in high school in a small border town when “Losing My Religion” was released. Our radio station was months behind the rest of the country. Someone I knew scored the cassette single from a friend who lived elsewhere. It was like nothing we’d ever heard before. It’s no exaggeration to say our universe of creative and artistic possibilities expanded the instant we absorbed that song and made it part of our respective and collective DNA. Each of us understood that there was a place for art that wasn’t “pretty” or “accessible.” And we began creating that art for ourselves.
I’ve always woken up to songs playingin my head since I can remember. Sometimes it puzzles me why or even how this comes to be for most of the time it’s tunes that I long forgotten.
For example, yesterday’s tune was from the film Jerk. It’s when Steve Martin is in the tub singing a made up love song for his beloved. It’s called “I’m Picking Out A Thermos For You.”
I dream too often of made up tunes that I created in my sleep. Unfortunately I’m not educated or talented enough to put them to guitar or piano.
The most beautiful music I ever heard was being played by a chorus of horns as an unknown friend and I were walking around a fountain in our togas in a dream one time. The melody of the horn interlude on Gathering was as close as I could remember it.
I have this phenomenon as well and have been meaning to ask others about it. The songs aren’t random and mysterious. They are usually a song I listened to recently, but why that one?
Lately, I’ve woken up to “Bitin’ List” by Tyler Childers in my head. It has infected my brain, oddly reminiscent of the song’s subject about getting rabies.
Good to read that I'm not the only one waking up with whole chunks of songs stuck in my head. My family lovingly calls me crazy for remembering all the words, reciting them like poems at the breakfast table. Some songs are there for just a few hours, some songs stay with me for days, even when I don’t necessary need them to. It might be something I hear in the supermarket while gathering my groceries, a song that is played in a series, a tune that someone whistles. In all honestly, and I’m not just saying that because I’m writing this right here, it’s often one of your songs that finds its way into my head and stays there. Those impossible long stretches of lyrics that fill my waking mind with wonder and leave me guessing about their meaning, or what those words mean to me. And I love it. I have always loved being the one with songs on her mind wherever she goes. Crazy or not :)
“You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” has always tugged at my heart strings. Dusty has one of those voices that just lingers for days on end, doesn’t she? Thanks for the most welcome earworm.
This has been open in a tab, for what ? hours and hours and hours, and I have also rarely recently succumbed to Youtube and the fall that is that rabbit's hole, (why do they live so far down down down?) But just after posting a note about that very activity I then decide to read this and it is this, and thank god i don't believe in divine coincidences or interventionist pranking and can just shrug it off as a lark.
Your artwork reminds me of They Might Be Giant’s Apollo 18. The Statue got me High and Which Describes How you are Feeling All the Time underscored with the interconnectivity embodied by Mammal are relevant in the zeitgeist of today.
wow! i ask family and friends all the time if this ever happens to them. i thought i was the only one who woke up with a song in my head (aka ear worm) almost daily. mine are always very random and never connect to each other day to day. they do not seem to reflect the day's events, mood or even playlist. makes me wonder how big is our 'club'?
I was in high school in a small border town when “Losing My Religion” was released. Our radio station was months behind the rest of the country. Someone I knew scored the cassette single from a friend who lived elsewhere. It was like nothing we’d ever heard before. It’s no exaggeration to say our universe of creative and artistic possibilities expanded the instant we absorbed that song and made it part of our respective and collective DNA. Each of us understood that there was a place for art that wasn’t “pretty” or “accessible.” And we began creating that art for ourselves.
I’ve always woken up to songs playingin my head since I can remember. Sometimes it puzzles me why or even how this comes to be for most of the time it’s tunes that I long forgotten.
For example, yesterday’s tune was from the film Jerk. It’s when Steve Martin is in the tub singing a made up love song for his beloved. It’s called “I’m Picking Out A Thermos For You.”
I dream too often of made up tunes that I created in my sleep. Unfortunately I’m not educated or talented enough to put them to guitar or piano.
The most beautiful music I ever heard was being played by a chorus of horns as an unknown friend and I were walking around a fountain in our togas in a dream one time. The melody of the horn interlude on Gathering was as close as I could remember it.
I LOVE the thermos song. I'm also partial to he and Bernadette Peters's rendition of "Tonight You Belong to Me" which I rewatch a lot on YouTube.
That horn solo!
https://youtu.be/wyinJyWUhas?si=_FzEYYB51N12byBm
Apropos of nothing…
https://youtu.be/HhXZlNqmGSc?si=0R6kmxhydWz1TDXp
The good ‘ol mouth horn! That was amazing! And the hair! Omg!
😍 😍 😍
I thought I was special for waking up singing a song every morning. Turns out it’s a more common experience than I thought 😂
Mine last a week or so. What do you do while you're sleeping to reset to a new song?
I usually end up tapping out syllables on my chest like a big ol’ weirdo actually.
Song I woke up singing: "Blown To Bits" by Charly Bliss.
Also, I started a playlist on Spotify, I'm assuming it'll be one of many ;)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5g4JSR2sTlC3R699IvAjFx?si=WxrvxggHQxGDbuspeedh-Q&pi=ln8GO1b-QCSlQ
Badass, Austin! We can crowd source this mystery phenomenon!!
I have this phenomenon as well and have been meaning to ask others about it. The songs aren’t random and mysterious. They are usually a song I listened to recently, but why that one?
Lately, I’ve woken up to “Bitin’ List” by Tyler Childers in my head. It has infected my brain, oddly reminiscent of the song’s subject about getting rabies.
That dude can write.
Good to read that I'm not the only one waking up with whole chunks of songs stuck in my head. My family lovingly calls me crazy for remembering all the words, reciting them like poems at the breakfast table. Some songs are there for just a few hours, some songs stay with me for days, even when I don’t necessary need them to. It might be something I hear in the supermarket while gathering my groceries, a song that is played in a series, a tune that someone whistles. In all honestly, and I’m not just saying that because I’m writing this right here, it’s often one of your songs that finds its way into my head and stays there. Those impossible long stretches of lyrics that fill my waking mind with wonder and leave me guessing about their meaning, or what those words mean to me. And I love it. I have always loved being the one with songs on her mind wherever she goes. Crazy or not :)
We are crazy but we have the music!!!!!!
So true! And with those words Leonard Cohen's 'Chelsea Hotel' drifts into my mind. Thank you!
Hi Josh!
What do you mean by "as long as I keep waking up"?
Of course you're going to keep waking up until you're an ancient wizard walking among us.
Keep singing your heart out! You're just the mojo we need!
Sending oodles of love to the skies above you and rose petals at your feet.
Gretchen Gersh Whitman
You’re the best, Gretchen! I’m not going nowhere!🧖🏼♂️
“You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” has always tugged at my heart strings. Dusty has one of those voices that just lingers for days on end, doesn’t she? Thanks for the most welcome earworm.
She destroys me every time. The vulnerability and hopefulness that all will work out…
This has been open in a tab, for what ? hours and hours and hours, and I have also rarely recently succumbed to Youtube and the fall that is that rabbit's hole, (why do they live so far down down down?) But just after posting a note about that very activity I then decide to read this and it is this, and thank god i don't believe in divine coincidences or interventionist pranking and can just shrug it off as a lark.
This is why I came to substack. It’s to get all these projects and questions out of my head and into the “real”world!
Weird. I’ve had “Big Rock Candy Mountain” in my head a lot lately. Not sure why that is?
Who wouldn’t want hens laying hard boiled eggs????
My morning tune: “Such Kooks”, The Hold Steady.
It’s gonna be a day. . .
Ooooooh they’re the best!
Do you ever wake up with your own songs stuck in your head?
Sometimes! I wrote Other Side from lyrics that were ina dream.
Your artwork reminds me of They Might Be Giant’s Apollo 18. The Statue got me High and Which Describes How you are Feeling All the Time underscored with the interconnectivity embodied by Mammal are relevant in the zeitgeist of today.
Love those guys so much. Such heroes.
wow! i ask family and friends all the time if this ever happens to them. i thought i was the only one who woke up with a song in my head (aka ear worm) almost daily. mine are always very random and never connect to each other day to day. they do not seem to reflect the day's events, mood or even playlist. makes me wonder how big is our 'club'?
Let’s find out!