So what did you call earworms before they were called earworms? I don’t recall a name for the songs in my adolescent head back in the eighties. All I wanted to do was play them again and again in my bedroom and make C60, C90, C120 compilation tapes for me and my pals. Vinyl singles played to death by me included Strawberry Switchblade’s Sibelius tribute, Since Yesterday, This Charming Man by The Smiths and I’m in Love with a German Film Star by The Passions.

I work part-time in a care home and this explains why I’ve had The Gypsy Rover in my head for the past fortnight. Thing is, different versions have been popping into my head without warning. This means I’ve had The Clancy Brothers, The Highwaymen and The Seekers serenading me. I’ve just discovered a horribly catchy version of the song by The Wiggles. Click on this link if you dare but beware, this song may never leave your head.

I once had the theme tune of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em in my head for what felt the entire school summer holidays. I can’t remember what I did to dislodge it. I think I played Run DMC’s Raising Hell over and over. I reckon I’ll have to play Knives by Therapy? to dislodge The Wiggles.

Ladyflash by The Go! Team has been a regular earworm for years. I never knew what it was called and had to type “duh duh duh di di di duh duh + Go! Team” into a search engine to find the answer. This song is now inextricably linked to Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House and organic red wine following a perfectly lovely evening home alone last month, finishing the novel and discovering Ladyflash’s name.

Let’s hear it for great music, classic books, sulphite-free wine and late night online research. Don’t you dare look at me like that. I know you do it too.