I borrowed "On Repeat" by Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis. I saw an article about the book somewhere in the Pocket article suggestions but I lost it. I asked the university library to borrow it for me. The woman is a specialist in the psychology and neurology of music. The book discusses the difference between music reception and production as opposed to language reception and production. People don't learn a language with the intention of listening to it only and not speaking it, but people listen to music and enjoy it and remember it without learning to produce it and without an intent to produce it.
When my mature and intelligent nephew told me that the songs of the Beatles were a major influence on his ways of looking at life, I was shocked. Still, it was his comment and words by Margulis that gave me the idea that popular songs, often message, poetry and tune, all three contributing to a strong impression on modern peoples' thinking and stance toward their lives. I recently read an email from my friend Ames that further demonstrated the depth that tune, words and rhythms can reach in our minds and emotions.
I was motivated to look through some of my blog posts (there is a handy search window on the blog page: fearfunandfiloz.blogspot.com) . I found that I haven't referred very often to words in music. Tunes, melodies, yes. Words, not much. However, I did find that members of my family, especially the children, have uttered words and phrases that replay over and over in my mind. Therefore I am hereby launching a new line of study: tongue worms! They are like the well-known earworms, which are themselves tunes and songs that recur unbidden in our minds. Tongue worms are quotes that stick, fascinate and recur:
"In the grand scheme of things…" - my greatgranddaughter explaining that a week away from parents actually passed quickly
"Grandad, I'm just a kid!" - my greatgrandson mentioning he had no power to assist me with my problems
Hizzy, Behie! Our daughter Beth surprising us, jumping out of her hiding place. Her phrase translates into adult language as "The daughter you are seeking is located here!"
