Today's Earworm: Waterloo by Abba

I have a pet peeve (Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH!) about radio stations which are fixated on one song by an artist while virtually ignoring all others.

For example, did you know Bryan Adams has other hits besides Summer of '69?  And Kansas released something in addition to Carry On, Wayward Son?  Boston did more than More Than A Feeling.  You get the idea, and chances are you can add to this list.

Recently, one of the local stations began playing a lot of songs by Abba.  My theory is that the station manager recently discovered his Mom's CD collection and Abba's Greatest Hits was in there.  

In any case, I will give the station credit for this: They recognize that Abba had other songs beside Dancing Queen.  That's how the song Waterloo pierced my brain.  I also pay homage to a local town and sing Wabasha instead.  Now, if I only knew the rest of the lyrics....

Enjoy.

Today's Earworm -- Billy Joel: Sleeping with the Television on

This earworm is a little obscure.  I think I can blame Peter for this one.  Peter's Spotify playlist includes a lot of Billy Joel, and he will play it in the car when we are out and about.  Suffice it to say, Peter does not have this song on his playlist. 

One of the drawbacks (if you want to call it that) of the modern method of collecting the work of music artists is that you select individual songs.  I bought the full album and ended up listening to all of it.  Of course, the majority of songs on these albums did not get any airplay on the radio.  You had to discover them for yourself.  Such is the case with "Sleeping with the Television on" from Glass Houses.

Thanks to Peter's Billy Joel kick, this song has been running around in my mind for a few days.  But I'm not upset about it.

A side note: The song begins with the conclusion of the Star Spangled Banner followed by the static of a station that has ended its signal for the night.  I am old enough to remember when television stations signed off for the night, follow by about six hours of static and a test pattern.  Younger people will be thoroughly confused by this, as well as Billy Joel's reference to the white noise coming from a television left on all night.

Ah!  Nostalgia!

As a bonus, here is a bootlegged live version of the song.  Some poor soul had one of the most unfortunate obstructed view seats in the arena.

Today's Earworm: Driver's Seat by Sniff 'n' The Tears

Today's earworm comes because we had run out of dryer sheets for our laundry.  I had made a trip to the store to get more.  I managed to toss several items in my cart which were also needed, and a few which I knew we would use soon enough.  I got home to realize that the main reason I had gone to the store--to get dryer sheets--was overlooked.  Another trip to the store was put on the schedule.

Anyway, one of the ways I chose to remember the need for dryer sheets was to substitute those words for the title of the song, "Driver's Seat."  Well, that stuck in my head for a while.  "Dryer sheets!  Ooo-OO-Ooo-OO!  Dryer sheets!  Yeah."  Sing it with me!  Here it is for your viewing pleasure.

Today's Earworm -- Longfellow Serenade by Neil Diamond

The source of today's earworm is easy to figure out.  I heard it on Sirius XM not too many days ago.

It has stuck in my mind for a few reasons.  One reason is that I had not heard this song in a long time, probably decades.  But I think another reason it has stuck is because it is a hit song by Neil Diamond that has not been overplayed on the radio.  

There are a few artists who have produced many hit songs but only have one or two that receive constant airplay.  In the case of Neil Diamond, I think a few people could ask in surprise, "Did you know that Neil Diamond sang other songs beside Sweet Caroline?"

In any case, here is Longfellow Serenade by Neil Diamond.  Enjoy.

Today's Earworm -- The Cheeseburger Song

I think today's s earworm has resulted from four days of hospital food.  The food hasn't been terrible, but I am yearning for something else.  Perhaps, say, a cheeseburger. 

This little ditty is from VeggieTales. Enjoy.

Today's Earworm -- Breakdown Dead Ahead by Boz Scaggs

I have no idea how earworms are implanted.  Did I hear this song earlier?  Is it some random tune that popped in my head which had not been there since some time in the 1980's?  I don't know.

This song is, in my opinion, the best song Boz Scaggs ever produced.  Here is Breakdown Dead Ahead.  Enjoy!

Today's Earworm -- Life of Illusion by Joe Walsh

My earworms often come to me inexplicably.  I can't remember the last time I heard this song, and I have not heard it recently.  So, why did it pop into my head?  Is it because of a different song by Joe Walsh I had heard?  Is it the lyrics?  Do they have anything to do with my subconscious?  Do I have a hankering for the mariachi type trumpets there?  No idea.

But today's earworm is Joe Walsh's Life of Illusion.  Here you go:

Today's Earworm: Sweetheart by Frankie and the Knockouts

You can credit this earworm to the 80's station on Sirius XM Radio.  This song did not get a lot of air play back in the day, but it was enough to lodge it into my memory bank.  On a trip to Wisconsin last week, I got to hear it go through the song rotation a few times.  It was released in 1981 which put me back in 7th or 8th grade.  Enjoy.

Today's Earworm: In the Heart of the Night by Poco

This is a second earworm from Poco.  You'd think I owned this album at one point, but I didn't.  It is the only song I know which references Lake Pontchartrain, for whatever that is worth.

Also a bit of trivia: This album cover was designed by Phil Hartman of Saturday Night Live fame.

Enjoy.

Todays Earworm -- Love Will Find A Way by Pablo Cruise

So this has been spinning around in my head for a few days.  While the guitar solo is not the most intricate, it is probably one of more melodic guitar solos in pop music.  Enjoy.

Today's Earworm : Is It You by Lee Ritenour

 Lee Ritenour is a jazz guitarist, but he produced a song with lyrics in the 1980's and found Top 40 success with it.  I happened to stumble across it on Sirius XM Radio (80's station).  Now it is stuck in my head, but I am not complaining.  Enjoy!

Today's Earworm -- Two of Us by the Beatles

I have been watching the documentary "Get Back" on Disney+.  It covers about three weeks of rehearsals by the Beatles who are crafting new songs for a live performance.  It culminates with their concert on the rooftop of Apple Studies.

One of the songs they were working on is "Two of Us."  If you are not tapping along to this, please check your pulse.

Today's Earworm: Abbey Road, Side 2 (The Beatles)

This medley has been playing around in my head for the past few days.  Finding it on YouTube and listening to it has not made it go away.  John Lennon did not care for this medley.  It was mainly "throw away" tracks that got stitched together.  Amazing that the Beatles' throw away music is so good.  

Here is the medley from Abbey Road.  "Her Majesty" was moved to the middle of the medley.  On the album, it came as a surprise ending about 20 seconds after the final track.  Enjoy.

Today's Earworm -- Juice Newton: Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me

 I don't know how or why, but here is today's earworm from Juice Newton, "Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me."  Recorded in 1982, on the album "Quiet Lies."  I probably have not heard this song since the 80's; nevertheless, there it is in my brain.  Here's the video.

Today's Earworm -- Lazy Day by Spanky and Our Gang

Truth be told, this ear worm was from a few days ago, but I thought I would share it all the same.

I still don't know why particular ear worms get into my head.  It's not like I have listened to this song in the past 15 years or so.  Nevertheless, there it was.  And here it is for you.

Today's Earworm: This Time I'm in it for Love by Player

I have no idea why this is stuck in my head, but at least I am not annoyed by it.

This Time I'm in it for Love was recorded by Player in 1977.  Enjoy.

Today's Earworm: Dog and Butterfly by Heart

Last night, Laura and I were looking through YouTube videos and watched "Behind the Music" which featured Heart.  While the song Dog and Butterfly was not one of Heart's biggest hits, I always thought it deserved more air play than it got.  I think a strong argument could be made for Ann Wilson being the best female vocalist in rock and roll.  And I also think Nancy Wilson could be the most underrated guitarist in rock and roll.

Anyway, since that "Behind the Music" episode, this song has been going through my head.  So, it wins the earworm award for today.

Enjoy.

Today's Earworm: Jazzman by Carole King

This has been an earworm for the past few days.  Quite frankly, I'd like to keep this one going for a while.  I remember Jazzman when I was a little kid, and it never got much air play outside the 70's.  I also remembered when it showed up on the Simpsons, and that was the first time in years that I had heard it.  Thanks to YouTube, I can hear it over and over again.

So, here it is--both the studio version and a live version.  Enjoy!

Today's Earworm: I Am Cow by the Arrogant Worms

Yesterday, we had asked Peter if he had ever heard this song.  And when he said, "No," we felt like we had failed as a family.  Nathanael instantly fired it up and we all sang along.  And now it keeps spinning in my head.

Apparently, back in her high school days, Faith would get the entire Concert Choir from Michigan Lutheran Seminary singing "I Am Cow" on the bus to and from churches.  And now, you can enjoy it here:

Today's Earworm -- Nothing from Nothing

Today's earworm is "Nothing from Nothing" by Billy Preston.  At least my earworms are catchy.

Enjoy.