Halfbakery: Earworm Grenade
Fan Chime Orchestra
Human Whale Music
So your co-worker complains because they've got that god awful James Blunt "You're Beautiful" song stuck in his head. Excellent.
You wait a bit. Maybe they've turned on some other music. Perhaps they're distracting themselves with a videogame. They might even be doing actual work.
You sneak up, pull the pin on your Memetic Song Grenade (MSG), lob it into their office or cube and run like hell (covering your ears as you go). In five seconds, a small MP3 player pumps "You're Beautiful" out through a speaker in the grenade's housing. It cannot be turned off unless you turn it off. The song is stuck in their head again, MUAHAHAHAHAH!
The grenade would come pre-loaded with a variety of proven annoying songs, such as
"YMCA" by The Villiage People
And for serious warfare -
"My Hump" by the Black Eyed Peas
You can always load the song yourself, and there would be a "nasty loop" feature that would allow you to select a small portion of a song, like the chorus, and have it loop continuously.
You're beautiful....you're beautiful.....you're beautiful.....you're beautiful.....you're beautiful.....
— tourist, Mar 22 2006
You should add The Lion Sleeps Tonight to the list http://www.nytimes..../africa/22lion.html
...except the chorus should be "mbube" not "wimoweh" [DrCurry, Mar 22 2006]
What [sophocles] was thinking? Car_20Alarm_20Land_20Mines
[methinksnot, Mar 23 2006]
For all you sad James Blunt fans http://www.slimepie.com/mp3/gullible.mp3
An excellent parody which sums up my thoughts entirely. [Gordon Comstock, Mar 23 2006]
Oh, and here are the excellent lyrics http://www.stablesound.co.uk/gullible.php
[Gordon Comstock, Mar 23 2006]
Speaker Psychological Warfare by [DesertFox] Weapons_20of_20Mass_20Distraction
[hidden truths, Mar 23 2006]
Psycube by [Headcleaner] Cubic_20Psychologic..._20Unit_20(PsyCube)
\\snippets of Britney Spears albums at various speeds\\. The horror. Either of these what you were thinking of [soph]? [hidden truths, Mar 23 2006]
For when you don't give a crap about subtelty [methinksnot, Mar 23 2006]
I did it again... http://www.youtube....watch?v=V4WGsMplGxU
[normzone, Apr 15 2014]
Produce this, and I will slay you myself. (+)
— notmarkflynn, Mar 22 2006
We used to have a little gadget that would blast out the Macarena. ++
— DrCurry, Mar 22 2006
Very nice. It doesn't need to be that sophisticated. Or, indeed, loud. It could just play the melody, possibly chiptunes-style, at a volume on or around the fringes of audibility.
sp. Humps, surely. Unless one of the B.E.Ps is rocking mad Quasimodo styles.
— calum, Mar 22 2006
Eeeh Macarena.
Once upon a time, I remember a HB idea similar, but highly escalated. Can't locate it. The idea was to drop a bunch of these in enemy territory as non-lethal weapons, aiming to have the enemies surrender....
— sophocles, Mar 23 2006
You are right [sophocles]. It made me think of this one from mid 2003 (link).
But this idea is much more subtle and subversive.
At last a way for those of that are hearing impaired to rule the world! Muhahahaha! You will all rue the day that you... that you... damn it, my hearing aid battery just died. Hold on, I'll get back to you in a second...
— NotTheSharpestSpoon, Mar 23 2006
Much as lists are proscribed here, I can't help mentioning Brown Girl in the Ring. For those of you who've read or seen Touching the Void will remember, this earworm turned out to be a real life saver.
— Gordon Comstock, Mar 23 2006
+ for using the under used term 'earworm'. Should also include Kylie's 'Can't get you out of my head' a very aptly titled song.
— oneoffdave, Mar 23 2006
Rather than going for the all-out sound blast I'd prefer a stealth attack. Place your grenade in a discreet location and pull the pin, then it starts playing your chosen song almost inaudibly at first but slowly, gradually increasing the volume so that the unsuspecting victim doesn't take fright at the sudden noise but, instead, find themselves humming along with the tune as if it had just popped into their head spontaneously.
— DrBob, Mar 23 2006
Hah, I had a friend who hated a song by B*witched. - What are you like? I'd say to him in an Irish accent. Nooooo!
Let me see if I can do it now on a massive scale....
NNNNnnnnnnnnnnnnnaaaababababa
bim bim-da-bimim-bim-dela-bim
Ba-ba-ba-bababababar! <axelF>
Just reading this idea did it for me. I hate you. +
— Shz, Mar 23 2006
Thanks! Yeah, it was the Psycube that I was thinking of. But those other ones are all a bit similar too. All very nice. Almost needing its own category now.
I think we should worry about the power of these songs. Like others, just reading their titles was enough.
— PollyNo9, Mar 23 2006
The one with the wobbly head
How much is that doooogie in the windooow?
The one with the wobbly heeaad.
"I know a drone that'll get on yer nerves,
get on yer nerves.
I know a drone that'll get on yer nerves,
get on yer nerves."
"I know a drone that'll get on yer nerves..." thud, Nov 12 2004
Just about anything sung in church these days should make this list.
— RayfordSteele, Mar 24 2006
mega[+] I had the roger miller whistle thing from the old disney robinhood movie stuck in my head for 2 1/2 years straight.
de de de de de de de de de, de de de de de de de dee, de de deee de de dee det det de de da do da de dum de da de.
I also knew a girl in high school who would revert to a thick southern drawl if anyone she talked to said 'y'all' or other deep south word with the accent. could work for people who are from another region 'dontcha know' 'paak the caah' and various other colloquialisms.
I like the idea of having it play softly at first and increasing in volume until it just becomes noticeable, then dropping off to nothing again and repeating the process. That way, the person would start humming along, then realize that they were actually hearing it, start looking for where the music is coming from, just in time for it to quit. They will assume that it is gone, they can go about their merry lives. But no, then it subtly returns...
Hide it in a little-used drawer, it could drive them insane for days at a time. [+]
— Hunter79764, Aug 24 2006
"It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small, small, world."
(pause to allow some hope to return...)
louder, in a different accent:
"It's a small world after all...
Halfbakery: Earworm Grenade
Fan Chime Orchestra
Human Whale Music
So your co-worker complains because they've got that god awful James Blunt "You're Beautiful" song stuck in his head. Excellent.
You wait a bit. Maybe they've turned on some other music. Perhaps they're distracting themselves with a videogame. They might even be doing actual work.
You sneak up, pull the pin on your Memetic Song Grenade (MSG), lob it into their office or cube and run like hell (covering your ears as you go). In five seconds, a small MP3 player pumps "You're Beautiful" out through a speaker in the grenade's housing. It cannot be turned off unless you turn it off. The song is stuck in their head again, MUAHAHAHAHAH!
The grenade would come pre-loaded with a variety of proven annoying songs, such as
"YMCA" by The Villiage People
And for serious warfare -
"My Hump" by the Black Eyed Peas
You can always load the song yourself, and there would be a "nasty loop" feature that would allow you to select a small portion of a song, like the chorus, and have it loop continuously.
You're beautiful....you're beautiful.....you're beautiful.....you're beautiful.....you're beautiful.....
— tourist, Mar 22 2006
You should add The Lion Sleeps Tonight to the list http://www.nytimes..../africa/22lion.html
...except the chorus should be "mbube" not "wimoweh" [DrCurry, Mar 22 2006]
What [sophocles] was thinking? Car_20Alarm_20Land_20Mines
[methinksnot, Mar 23 2006]
For all you sad James Blunt fans http://www.slimepie.com/mp3/gullible.mp3
An excellent parody which sums up my thoughts entirely. [Gordon Comstock, Mar 23 2006]
Oh, and here are the excellent lyrics http://www.stablesound.co.uk/gullible.php
[Gordon Comstock, Mar 23 2006]
Speaker Psychological Warfare by [DesertFox] Weapons_20of_20Mass_20Distraction
[hidden truths, Mar 23 2006]
Psycube by [Headcleaner] Cubic_20Psychologic..._20Unit_20(PsyCube)
\\snippets of Britney Spears albums at various speeds\\. The horror. Either of these what you were thinking of [soph]? [hidden truths, Mar 23 2006]
For when you don't give a crap about subtelty [methinksnot, Mar 23 2006]
I did it again... http://www.youtube....watch?v=V4WGsMplGxU
[normzone, Apr 15 2014]
Produce this, and I will slay you myself. (+)
— notmarkflynn, Mar 22 2006
We used to have a little gadget that would blast out the Macarena. ++
— DrCurry, Mar 22 2006
Very nice. It doesn't need to be that sophisticated. Or, indeed, loud. It could just play the melody, possibly chiptunes-style, at a volume on or around the fringes of audibility.
sp. Humps, surely. Unless one of the B.E.Ps is rocking mad Quasimodo styles.
— calum, Mar 22 2006
Eeeh Macarena.
Once upon a time, I remember a HB idea similar, but highly escalated. Can't locate it. The idea was to drop a bunch of these in enemy territory as non-lethal weapons, aiming to have the enemies surrender....
— sophocles, Mar 23 2006
You are right [sophocles]. It made me think of this one from mid 2003 (link).
But this idea is much more subtle and subversive.
At last a way for those of that are hearing impaired to rule the world! Muhahahaha! You will all rue the day that you... that you... damn it, my hearing aid battery just died. Hold on, I'll 
get back to you in a second...
— NotTheSharpestSpoon, Mar 23 2006
Much as lists are proscribed here, I can't help mentioning Brown Girl in the Ring. For those of you who've read or seen Touching the Void will remember, this earworm turned out to be a real life saver.
— Gordon Comstock, Mar 23 2006
+ for using the under used term 'earworm'. Should also include Kylie's 'Can't get you out of my head' a very aptly titled song.
— oneoffdave, Mar 23 2006
Rather than going for the all-out sound blast I'd prefer a stealth attack. Place your grenade in a discreet location and pull the pin, then it starts playing your chosen song almost inaudibly at first but slowly, gradually increasing the volume so that the unsuspecting victim doesn't take fright at the sudden noise but, instead, find themselves humming along with the tune as if it had just popped into their head spontaneously.
— DrBob, Mar 23 2006
Hah, I had a friend who hated a song by B*witched. - What are you like? I'd say to him in an Irish accent. Nooooo!
Let me see if I can do it now on a massive scale....
NNNNnnnnnnnnnnnnnaaaababababa
bim bim-da-bimim-bim-dela-bim
Ba-ba-ba-bababababar! <axelF>
Just reading this idea did it for me. I hate you. +
— Shz, Mar 23 2006
Thanks! Yeah, it was the Psycube that I was thinking of. But those other ones are all a bit similar too. All very nice. Almost needing its own category now.
I think we should worry about the power of these songs. Like others, just reading their titles was enough.
— PollyNo9, Mar 23 2006
The one with the wobbly head
How much is that doooogie in the windooow?
The one with the wobbly heeaad.
"I know a drone that'll get on yer nerves,
get on yer nerves.
I know a drone that'll get on yer nerves,
get on yer nerves."
"I know a drone that'll get on yer nerves..." thud, Nov 12 2004
Just about anything sung in church these days should make this list.
— RayfordSteele, Mar 24 2006
mega[+] I had the roger miller whistle thing from the old disney robinhood movie stuck in my head for 2 1/2 years straight.
de de de de de de de de de, de de de de de de de dee, de de deee de de dee det det de de da do da de dum de da de.
I also knew a girl in high school who would revert to a thick southern drawl if anyone she talked to said 'y'all' or other deep south word with the accent. could work for people who are from another region 'dontcha know' 'paak the caah' and various other colloquialisms.
I like the idea of having it play softly at first and increasing in volume until it just becomes noticeable, then dropping off to nothing again and repeating the process. That way, the person would start humming along, then realize that they were actually hearing it, start looking for where the music is coming from, just in time for it to quit. They will assume that it is gone, they can go about their merry lives. But no, then it subtly returns...
Hide it in a little-used drawer, it could drive them insane for days at a time. [+]
— Hunter79764, Aug 24 2006
"It's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small world after all, it's a small, small, world."
(pause to allow some hope to return...)
louder, in a different accent:
"It's a small world after all...