BRS

I'm a listener to all music from country to rock, blues to jazz, and alternative to symphony. I even like artists who are in classes themselves, such as Mason Williams's Classical Gas, Harry Connick, Jr.'s funk and jazz compositions, and Garth Brooks's combination of country and rock. Music is everywhere, the car, office, restaurant, and even your mind. Yes, that place where no matter how much you listen to other music, it WILL NOT LOSE A TUNE AND IT WILL PLAY IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER TILL YOU GO CRAZY!

This common occurrence is scientifically called "Broken Record Syndrome" or BRS. Sufferers of BRS get it from listening to music and then being withdrawn from the source. An example is when you are listening to your car radio on the way to school. When you get there, you turn off your car along with the music and head to class. Perhaps it was "Johnny Be Good." Because of BRS, "Johnny Be Good" will be stuck in your head while you attend class. The problem is that while your math teacher explains how sine, cosine, and tangents tie into everyday life, you will be humming "Johnny Be Good."

Office workers are vulnerable also, but to their advantage, they usually have the radio to listen to while they work. Sometimes, though, as much as they try, and they try, and they try, they can't get notes out of their heads even though they are listening to different music. They may be listening to "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" but still have "Turn, Turn, Turn" ringing in their heads. High-level executives are not immune to BRS either. While on the commute to work as they are talking to their secretaries over the car phones, they are running that last song over and over in their heads. Perhaps it was Beethoven's Fifth, more crudely known as "Nobody home." The executives will be caught humming "Nobody home, nobody home" throughout the day in meetings, at lunch, and on their private throne.

"Tequila," "Sunshine My Love," "Soul Man," "Star Wars Theme" (not to be mistaken with "Superman Theme,") "Pretty Woman," "Louie, Louie," "Margaritaville," "Gimme Some Lovin'," "Do Wah Diddle," and the more catchy car commercial tune "Da Da Da Da," which is a rip from an old Microsoft commercial, are pretty common to sufferers of BRS because everyone knows them.

Sometimes words or conversations are enough to trigger the jukebox in your mind. A rancher might be talking about moving his cattle in a normal everyday conversation and the theme to "Rawhide" comes on. You know, "Rolling, rolling, rolling, keep them dogies movin', keep them dogies movin' Rawhide!" or perhaps you were talking about baseball and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" comes to mind.

The worst form of BRS is ABRS or Annoying Broken Record Syndrome. This happens when you get a song that you consider annoying stuck in your head. It's like having the most annoying person around you for hours. My trouble songs are "The Macarena," "I'm a Barbie Girl," Hanson, car commercial jingles (with the exception of "Da Da Da Da"), and kids' tunes such as "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and the "ABC Song." The "Sesame Street" theme isn't so bad; I sing that all the time.

Whatever music you listen to, chances are that you get BRS from time to time. If you know someone who is suffering from BRS, let it be. But what can I say? I love humming a few bars of the song that they are trying to forget from time to time. Especially after they just got it out of their heads. Imagine if there was no BRS or ABRS. Imagine all the happy people living in perfect harmony.

Oh, by the way, if you didn't have a tune stuck before you read this but do now, mission accomplished. If not, well, mission impossible.