Two earwurms: Miley and Joost

Last summer took me on a long drive. Through Italy on to a boat to northern Greece, Albania and from there slowly north through the Balkans. A region I had never travelled through before. The beauty of the countries and culture surprised me and the friendliness of the people really warmed me. There was one constant though, wherever we were, except for Bosnia, we heard 'Flowers' by Miley Cyrus, multiple times a day. To all likelihood 'Flowers' was the biggest hit of 2023 globally.

Yes, I had heard the song before I left home, but it had not made an impression on me of any kind. It was just one of those modern songs that do not really register with me and I do not have a particular liking for. On holiday it was more the surprise of hearing it again than it brought me musical joy. This was a big hit alright, I was thinking. This was different with the one I love though.

And then something strange happened after the summer holiday. The band I'm in, I'm not allowed to say my band, Sweetwood, had to select some new songs once again. My girlfriend brought in 'Flowers', with me thinking sure, that will never make it to our blues and rock band. By lo and behold, it did make it through the selection. About a month ago we started practising it. And then something even stranger happened, the song won't leave my head for a single day.

I learned of the strange timing of the song. Everything of consequence for a musician starts on the two. I don't think I ever encountered that and it takes counting, believe me, to start on the two, as it goes against all my, and my fellow musicians' instincts. While Miley stops singing on three, leaving an extra count, again against all conventions.

Above all, 'Flowers' won't escape me. My head is filled with the song and I hear the exact same from all the other four members. It just keep going round and round. Sometimes I fall asleep with it and my head is literally playing it still or again when I wake up. I have honestly never had that this intense and for so long ever before. And that spells only one thing: 'Flowers' is a big hit.

In a few weeks we will be going on a spring tour" with four shows in six weeks. An absolute records. Be sure we will be playing 'Flowers' for very diverse audiences, while counting one, two, three, four, one, "I can buy myself flowers"...

The second earworm is even weirder. Where Miley Cyrus' song has some resemblance to what I might listen to, Joost's Eurovision Contest 2024 contribution does not. 'Europapa' has nothing to do with what I like and yet I find my head singing the song every once in a while. In fact, he will score very high with the song is my guess.

'Europapa' is dance, gabber, and whatever it is called. There's rap and some singing and playing with vocoders and voice pitching. All the things happening on dance records and yet it's in my head. The song was at the number 1 spot for weeks here, so that probably explains it. I'm just glad I do not hear most number 1s these days any more. Let me listen to the new Brume album instead, to mention an example, like I'm doing right now. Nice, dark and heavy rock. In the meantime, go for it Joost. May the best one win.

Wout de Natris