Last Thursday my friend Karen Thompson “played a gig” at the Elmcroft Assisted Living Center.  I was her roadie.

While I was there I had the privilege of watching her play piano and lead songs for a group of about 30 people – many of whom needed assistance finding the room.  She did a fabulous job engaging the residents and encouraging them to participate.

What struck me from the outset was the ability of some in the audience to sing along with the songs, remembering the words to hymns that I was struggling with.  I wasn’t surprised because they knew the words and I didn’t – what struck me was that they actually remembered them. Even though they might have trouble carrying on a conversation or remembering what they had for breakfast, they were able to recall a song they might not have sung in years.

I recently read a tweet from an unknown tweeter that said something to the effect of “I can’t decide whether I like that this song is stuck in my head or if it’s driving me crazy.”

Everyone has these moments where songs get stuck in your head.  Currently my head is filled with the chorus of “We Are Young” by the band Fun.  I can’t decide whether I like that it’s in my head or if it’s driving me crazy!

This is not an unstudied reality.  Researchers have shown that earworms (or “ohrwurms” in German) are active in our brains, specifically the auditory cortex.  Earworms attach to a host and keep themselves alive by feeding off the host’s memory.  Before you get nauseous, they are not real worms and even though they work similar to a virus, they won’t make you sick.  (Unless of course the song stuck in your head is “Love You Like a Love Song” by Selena Gomez.)

Here’s how I understand it in very non-scientific terms.  If the auditory cortex is the “brain’s iPod” then earworms serve as the skip, shuffle and repeat.

I’m not exactly sure how the residents of Elmcroft were able to remember the hymns they sang yesterday.  I’m sure the auditory cortex was at work.  I’m sure there was activity in their minds that helped them recall those songs. However, I’m also sure that another reality was the activity that has happened in their hearts.

That is, these songs were more than a simple melody stuck in their heads, these songs were a profound story stuck in the core of who they are.

The story of a rugged cross.

The story of a risen Savior.

The story of amazing grace.

They sang these stories like they’d been singing them their whole lives. Maybe not with the same skill or energy, but with a contentment that is real, and joy that cannot be taken away.

I’m sure there will be a day in my life when forgetfulness is more common than remembrance.  When that day comes I hope my “brain’s iPod” will be fully charged and the earworms are busy pushing the repeat button.  I might get to a point where I forget what I had for breakfast, but God have mercy that I might remember the story of Jesus.

That is the song I want stuck in my head.

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Out of curiosity, what is the song stuck in yours?