Sh-shake it, shake it, feel good

"Not a single day goes by when I don't walk around with some tune or other lodged in my head - an earworm that will work its way around my subconscious all day, sometimes bursting out at odd moments..."

So began this blog's love affair with Earworms.

I started tracking my own Earworms back in March this year. To start with it was just a fairly simple list of the songs that had been whirring around my head that week, posted every Friday. Towards the end of April, this feature shifted slightly with the introduction of the first Guest Editor. Since then I have had the pleasure of hosting the thoughts of some thirty of my fellow bloggers and got an insight into what has been troubling their synapses. In all that time, I have only posted up a list of my own earworms once - just before Glastonbury. I thought that it was high time that this situation changed.

I'm going to be doing some sort of a round-up of the Earworm year this time next week (and I still need you to email me your votes please, see here for details)... but in the meantime, here are the sounds that have been worrying my brain this week:

10. El Vez - Feliz Navidad

This is taken from the album "It's A Cool Cool Christmas", a charity compilation of indie/alternative type festive songs put out by Jeepster in 2000, and featuring artists like Belle & Sebastian, Saint Etienne, Teenage Fanclub, The Flaming Lips... and this little corker by a Mexican Elvis impersonator. He wants to wish us, he wants to wish us, he wants to wish us a Merry Christmas from the bottom of his heart.

9. Coldplay - Gravity

This is the same song taken to number 7 in the UK singles charts by Embrace. It was written by Chris Martin, who was apparently never entirely happy with it, and so gave it to Embrace to revive their career. I thought I liked the Embrace version, and then I heard this version of Coldplay doing it live... it's all subtle piano and soft vocals, and it made me realise at a stroke that the Embrace version is plodding in comparison. Proof positive, as if any were needed, of why Coldplay are the greater band. I think it's the b-side to their current single, 'Talk', actually...

8. Adam Lay Y Bounden [traditional]

I used to be in the choir when I was at school, and this was always my favourite. It's about Original Sin, apparently.... I just liked the tune.

7. Arctic Monkeys - When The Sun Goes Down

I have a feeling that "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" is going to be making my top 5 of the year. It's an absurdly catchy and exciting record. This one is the follow-up, and it's more of the same really. They play it all coy by starting a bit slowly, but soon the guitars kick in and we're back on familiar territory. Cos he's a scumbag don't you know? Most anticipated album of 2006? So far....

6. Adeste Fideles [traditional]

Another one from the school carol service. This is 'O Come All Ye Faithful' in Latin. I'm a heathen, but I did used to love the ritual of the carol service, with the light travelling from the west end of the church to the east and and the reverent singing. Of course, not believing in God rather spoils things, but I do like a nice sing-song. Venite Adoremus. Venite Adoremus. Venite Adoremus, Dominum.

5. Eels - Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas

Another one from the "It's A Cool Cool Christmas" album. This is a surprisingly cheerful one from the Eels. Included here purely for the bit where E shouts out "Baby Jesus - born to rock!"

4. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Boom Shake The Room

....last song on the radio syndrome, but actually it's not been so bad having this one whirring around my head. Mic in a stanglehold, sweat pourin' / And like Jordan yo I'm scorin'. Nice.

3. God Gave Rock And Roll To You - Kiss

I hardly need a reason to have this in my head, but if I did.... it's the talky bit at the end that does it for me everytime:

I know life sometimes can get tough, and I know life sometimes can be a drag...But people, we have been given a gift, we have been given a road...And that road’s name is... rock and roll!

Amen to that.... and BIG FINISH!

2. Johnny Cash - Hurt

Because he means it.

[this one's dedicated to Hyde, by the way...and to Cheeky]

1. Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc

Right from that manic laugh at the start you know you are deep in Earworm territory - and that's before that stomping beat even starts up. Genius. Probably the band of the year and they're not even real.

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Right - I have to run to meet up with Lord B to get out to a proper old school punk gig at the Old Angel in town... and I'm late.

Get voting!

(feel good!)