The Goal of the Ear-worm

Let’s just get to the point. I have a new goal. I want to create an ear-worm. Doesn’t have to be a song (looking at you Islands in the Stream (you are welcome for getting that in your head. Good luck getting it out!)). Or it can just be a poem (nod to The Raven). It doesn’t matter. I just want my words to become an insidious ear-worm that gets stuck on replay in people’s heads. Too much to ask?

This goal developed after I watched the trailer for Marry Me (2022). The newly released romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson. On a side note, the premise of the movie looks ridiculous. But full disclosure, it looks like one I will watch every time it lands on television. It’s an A-star Hallmark movie that is opening in time for Valentine’s Day (natch). But I digress.

The movie has a song sung by Jennifer Lopez. Now, I think I’ve heard maybe one other JLo song that I can remember. But I like this one. Sometimes when I like a song I get a little obsessed with it and listen to it over and over. Don’t judge me by my playlist.

I will say, the song is not perfect. There is a line that drives me crazy. You may know what I’m referring to. “But it do.” I get the rhyme but …c’mon. That’s at the beginning of the song and only happens once. So, we move on quickly.

The other problem with the song is it’s a love song. Of course it is! It’s the theme song for a romantic comedy. Ugh. Another love song.

Despite the flaws though, about midway through the drums kick in. If you are surprised at that point why I like it then you really don’t know me at all. I am still a sucker for them drums. That’s all it takes to sway me. A good beat.

Plus, despite the whole love aspect there are some good lines. “I was never lost, I was just passing through.” That fits me. “And every heartbreak was a yellow brick road, pointing me straight, just taking me home.” Also me.

Because this was my current ear-worm song, I wanted to share. Everyone should get this stuck in their head. Everyone. Or, you know, the 5 people who follow my Insta-page. I am very careful though. The last thing I want to do is to come across as someone wallowing in singledom or pining over an imagined love. To be clear, I’m perfectly satisfied with my life as a single woman. But you can see the pickle I was in. On one hand, I needed to maintain my image. On the other, I needed to share the ear-worm to get it out of my head.

So, I very cleverly took out all the references of “you” and “to you.” Thereby demoting (or promoting?) the love song to just a song. Once all that love junk was removed, I shared it on my Insta-page.

I received one reply. A ❤️ and 😢

I agreed with the heart but the sad face? I thought I was sharing something uplifting and positive. I re-read the lyrics. Okay, I can kind of see why the sad face. That was not my intent.

At any rate, it did not help get the ear-worm out. I had to just let it run its course naturally and work itself out. It finally did.

But it left me thinking that I want to be an ear-worm maker. I want my words playing on repeat in your head. This has become my five-year plan. I’ll keep you updated.

In case you’re wondering what On My Way looks like as just a regular song, here you go:

“Every teardrop fell so heavy
Hurt like hell
But heaven sent me through
I was on my way…
And every heartbreak was a yellow brick road
Pointing me straight, just taking me home
I was never lost
I was just passing through
I was on my way…
Hope was hopeless
Faith was running
And [I] don’t believe in meant to be
And every heartbreak was a yellow brick road
Pointing me straight, just taking me home
I was never lost
I was just passing through
I was on my way…
I was on my way…
Oh, I’m on my way
On my way…
On my way”