The cure for earworms, DJ Kool Herc and the birth of hip hop, the cover of Take Five that’s not in 5/4 time, and the suspicious copyright status of Happy Birthday to You.
If you get a song stuck in your head you can get it unstuck by chewing some gum.
In 1973 DJ Kool Herc created an endless break from James Brown, British rock music, and a bongo band… and so laid one of the foundations of hip hop music.
Take Five is the most famous piece of music in 5/4 time. Tito Puente’s cover manages to convert it into 4/4 time.
For several decades a music company collected royalties on “Happy Birthday to You,” until a lawsuit found that they never owned the rights to begin with.
For facts about unusual instruments, unusual music, and unusual musicians, begin here:
The Generalist Academy 
