Repetune - The Songs of our Heads

Michael Jackson - You are not Alone

Writing by richard on Friday, 12 of October , 2007 at 11:01 pm

I think this may be the first repetune we list in which the author does not actually like the song at all. This song, by Michael Jackson, was the second single off of his Greatest Hits album HIStory. Most notable about the song is that it was written by R. Kelly and was the first Billboard single to debut at No. 1.

When I think of the song, however, the image that comes to mind first is that of a nude Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley in the music video. That image may very well rank in the echelon of Things I never thought I would see for a very long time. Even now, I cannot help but laugh to myself when I think about the sheer hilarity of that image. Unfortunately, it really happened, and as I often like to think, real life will come up with things the imagination of the craziest person would never think.

One thing about the song which strikes me is the instrumentation. It’s terribly simple, as is the basis of all great repetunes. If nothing else, I can find myself humming the rhythm to You are not alone.

And more imporantly, like all great repetunes, I cannot recall any lyrics other than

But you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we’re far apart
You’re always in my heart

And of course, this is the chorus. The verses do not matter because the hook is in the chorus. I can repeat this chorus over and over, and as far as I’m concerned this is the whole song. Much like Sunshine of Your Love, a small segment is all I need to satisfy the repetune in my head.
I cannot say for sure the times when the song will popup in my head, but I do know that when it does, the song stays in my head for a while. And in a sense, I know then, that I am not alone. For there are thousands of us out there with a song stuck in our heads. The repetune that will not go away.
I have no doubt Michael Jackson will be written about again on this site, and I can hardly wait.

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Category: Michael Jackson

What is a repetune?

It has happened to us all. For any reason, and sometimes for no reason at all, some obscure song we have heard but try to avoid manages to sneak itself into our head. It does nothing but repeat in our head over and over until one day, we realize it is gone. Then it only comes back again. These are those songs. These are repetunes.