The Brain and Music

How does the brain think up music? Why do certain songs just pop into your mind at especially opportune times? Earlier today I was riding my shiny new red bike and I was thinking about a time about 20 years ago when I was doing a bike ride with the local bike club. Somehow I had missed the information that this ride would include a very, very steep hill, nick-named “The Wall.” I always hated to get off my bike and walk it up a hill and so I put it in the lowest “granny gear” and stood up to pedal up the steep, steep hill. As I slowed down to a crawl a song popped into my head and I suddenly found myself pedalling in precise rhythm to “one, little two little three little indians…” Over and over I sang this song (internally) as I made my way up this hill. It was amazing how this seemed to give me the rhythm and the purpose and the distraction that I needed. Much sooner than I expected I was at the top of the hill, ego and reputation intact. Amazing!