My favorite earworms
Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 6:35 pm
I'm trying to think of the some of the catchiest, most iconic songs of all time. Not just "hey, that's pretty good" kind of catchy; more like "hear it once, and YOU WILL TAKE IT TO YOUR GRAVE" kind of catchy. It's largely a function of melody, but it also has a lot to do with the way the lyrics feel on the melody, and the interplay between them. You can debate the quality of these songs, but their pervasiveness, and their tendency to get caught between your ears, is undeniable.
For starters, I've
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow," from The Wizard of Oz.
Louis Armstrong - "What a Wonderful World"
(those two, stripped down to solo ukulele and combined, form one of the greatest medley/cover songs ever).
Bob Dylan - "Blowin' in the Wind"
Elvis Presley - "Heartbreak Hotel," "All Shook Up," "Jailhouse Rock," etc.
The Beatles - "Hard Day's Night," "Eight Days a Week," "From Me To You," "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," etc.
James Brown - "I Feel Good"
The Rolling Stones - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," etc.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "I Won't Back Down"
Marvin Gaye - "Let's Get it On"
Queen - "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions," "Another One Bites the Dust"
Billy Joel - "Only the Good Die Young"
Elton John - "Crocodile Rock," "Rocket Man," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
Van Morrison - "Black Magic" (how is it so rhapsodic and yet so pervasive?)
Madonna - "Like a Prayer"
Green Day - "Basket Case"
Beck - "Loser"
Any other suggestions? I'm not necessarily looking to dissect these songs or write essays about them or anything, but I'd imagine that simply listening to a wide range of highly-influential tunes would cause at least a little of the magic rub off on us.
For starters, I've
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow," from The Wizard of Oz.
Louis Armstrong - "What a Wonderful World"
(those two, stripped down to solo ukulele and combined, form one of the greatest medley/cover songs ever).
Bob Dylan - "Blowin' in the Wind"
Elvis Presley - "Heartbreak Hotel," "All Shook Up," "Jailhouse Rock," etc.
The Beatles - "Hard Day's Night," "Eight Days a Week," "From Me To You," "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," etc.
James Brown - "I Feel Good"
The Rolling Stones - "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," etc.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "I Won't Back Down"
Marvin Gaye - "Let's Get it On"
Queen - "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions," "Another One Bites the Dust"
Billy Joel - "Only the Good Die Young"
Elton John - "Crocodile Rock," "Rocket Man," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
Van Morrison - "Black Magic" (how is it so rhapsodic and yet so pervasive?)
Madonna - "Like a Prayer"
Green Day - "Basket Case"
Beck - "Loser"
Any other suggestions? I'm not necessarily looking to dissect these songs or write essays about them or anything, but I'd imagine that simply listening to a wide range of highly-influential tunes would cause at least a little of the magic rub off on us.