Have you ever had a song stuck in your head? You hear a catchy tune on the radio, and later that day, you find yourself singing the refrain ad nauseum. Whether it’s the chorus or the hook, just a few seconds of the musical piece is simply irrefutable. It’s known as an earworm. Recently I’ve reconnected with my best friends from high school. There were 12 of us, and our love for music was a shared interest. Music defined us and still binds us together. While we prided ourselves on being at the forefront of the industry scene, it was the 70’s that was a collective catalyst for our love of good music. The mere mention of The Hues Corporation’s “Rock the Boat” and we sailed into recounting first and favorite records. The music of our youth before we had control of the dial. There was “Undercover Angel,” “Heaven on the Seventh Floor,” “Love Will Keep Us Together,” and “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing.” My first was Steve Miller’s The Joker. It was 1973, and I was four. My mother took us to Radio Shack so my older sister could buy her first album. While combing through bins, a young employee picked me up, sat me on a stool with headphones, and played me the song. Those first few beats and opening lyrics still stop me in my tracks. I wanted to be a space cowboy and was forever hooked on the pompitous of love. Without missing a beat, “I really love your peaches, wanna shake your trees” was assiduously trapped following the group text. The refrain had nestled itself in my brain and wouldn’t let go. So I hunkered down and decided to embrace the situation. If I couldn’t beat the earworm, I thought I’d better invite him in and let him stay awhile. Several hours and one exacerbated husband later, I have a peach cobbler. Time to serve me a bowl and turn on some music. Maybe I’ll let it shuffle. No matter where the needle lands and skips, I’m going to “Baby Hold on To It!”
