Friday, May 13, 2016

Persistent earworm alert XXIV

Today's persistent earworm: Jorge Ben's "Ponta de Lanca Africano (Umbabarauma)."  Actually, this has been a recurring earworm for me since at least 1992, when I played it on KCOU.  One listen is all it takes to cement its melody in your mind.  I'm not surprised that it was used in a commercial in which animal toys came to life.  My guess would be that the toy outlet's sales went up that Christmas season, and that the recipients, as well as the buyers, of the chain's toy giraffes and elephants ended up singing the word, "Umbabarauma," reflexively, more than they realized.