h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

An annoying exception to the guidelines above is getting a song FRAGMENT stuck in your head. In this case, you have only become familiar with a short snippet of the song, and end up either finishing if off with an improvised addition (these can be very funny) or by gnashing your teeth in frustration, banging the handiest bodily appendage against the nearest hard surface, and growling something to the effect of, "What is the rest of that d*** song! I curse thee, O elusive melodie!" This can lead to feelings of personal inadequacy, and the general belief that one is getting old, which in all probability is the case, humans tending to "age." The next step is usually to consult family, friends, coworkers, casual acquaintances, and finally complete strangers to see if they can remember the rest of the song. This step most likely will result in a reply something like this: "Oh, yeah. . .hey, I haven't heard that song in years. Isn't the next line something like, mmmmm, da da da, spinning wheel? Oh, man, why did you have to get that song stuck in my head, too? hat is the rest of that d*** song! I curse thee, O elusive melodie!"

Have u ever stopped to think that the reason this happens is that these tunes are ALIVE? Ok, i sound like an idiot (nothing new there) but go with me on this: First, the fragment of song is played somewhere into the air. Now, usually, it would fade away and die. But, it's life can be extended by diving into the nearest receptive conciousness, like a parasite. Then, it develops the urge to breed, hence the desire to find out what the rest of the song is...can you see where we're going with this?

I dont suppose you've read Terry Pratchett's Book "Soul Music" by any chance, have you? If you havn't, it's all about the living music, "music with rocks in it" thats alive and lives as a parasite inside peoples heads. Quite a funny book.

There should be a guide entry on this, now I come to think about it. I'll start writing it now.

Dave