In July 1962 I grew a major earworm. I'm not sure that everyone feels compelled to vocalise their earworms, but this one developed an internal combustion that was so intense I couldn't keep it inside my head. And, it was before the coming of self-consciousness.
I'd belt it out from the back seat of my mother's white Triumph Herald convertible (with mauve upholstery) every day, to and from school, so it was much more painful for her and my sister than it was for me. It wasn't just that my singing voice is what I'd call borderline – not bad enough that it can't be hidden in a full choir but not good enough to stand alone. The problem was that I only remembered the first few lines, so it was on high rotation. And listen to those first few lines and you'll realise that they require a voice better than borderline.
My earworm was 'West of the Wall'. Written by Wayne Shanklin, it was recorded as a single by his wife at that moment in time Miss Toni Fisher, as she liked to be called. They knew how catchy the tune was – they'd previously recorded it using the melody and arrangement (with different lyrics obviously) for 'Toot Toot Amore', the B side of her single 'You Never Told Me'. Funny that the playful 'Toot Toot' didn't take off in the same way as this sad song about lovers separated by the Berlin Wall.
Even though I like to think I was a precocious child I doubt I had any idea that Miss Toni Fisher was singing about the Cold War – the real Cold War, not just what happens in relationships. And I don't know what it says about Australians and Americans that it was #1 here and didn't rise above #37 in the US.
My son reckons Peter Gabriel is a serious earworm contender. I can believe it when I hear him singing 'Don't Give Up' with Kate Bush, but I can't quite believe it when I watch their 1986 video.
What were they doing? Certainly not reaching a high point in audience engagement. 'Hello, we're over here. We're listening but trying not to watch.'
Ah, but Gabriel does try to make up for it riding a bicycle around the stage at the concert caught in the 2006 video of 'Solsbury Hill'. Is that another earworm growing?
I'd belt it out from the back seat of my mother's white Triumph Herald convertible (with mauve upholstery) every day, to and from school, so it was much more painful for her and my sister than it was for me. It wasn't just that my singing voice is what I'd call borderline – not bad enough that it can't be hidden in a full choir but not good enough to stand alone. The problem was that I only remembered the first few lines, so it was on high rotation. And listen to those first few lines and you'll realise that they require a voice better than borderline.
My earworm was 'West of the Wall'. Written by Wayne Shanklin, it was recorded as a single by his wife at that moment in time Miss Toni Fisher, as she liked to be called. They knew how catchy the tune was – they'd previously recorded it using the melody and arrangement (with different lyrics obviously) for 'Toot Toot Amore', the B side of her single 'You Never Told Me'. Funny that the playful 'Toot Toot' didn't take off in the same way as this sad song about lovers separated by the Berlin Wall.
Even though I like to think I was a precocious child I doubt I had any idea that Miss Toni Fisher was singing about the Cold War – the real Cold War, not just what happens in relationships. And I don't know what it says about Australians and Americans that it was #1 here and didn't rise above #37 in the US.
My son reckons Peter Gabriel is a serious earworm contender. I can believe it when I hear him singing 'Don't Give Up' with Kate Bush, but I can't quite believe it when I watch their 1986 video.
What were they doing? Certainly not reaching a high point in audience engagement. 'Hello, we're over here. We're listening but trying not to watch.'
Ah, but Gabriel does try to make up for it riding a bicycle around the stage at the concert caught in the 2006 video of 'Solsbury Hill'. Is that another earworm growing?
3 comments:
Good to see you in print - you noisy boomer you
Can't keep a good boomer down!
My earworm is definately blue but there are some others there that still love to wriggle to Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton. Happy 70th Mick!
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