I really hope this can help someone because the "eternal apple" scared the heck out of me when i put my friends songs on my computer and got it stuck on it. ANYWAY....Almost like the other post on this but a little different.
Plug the ipod into your computer through the USB. Next Reset the ipod By holding menu and reset, now right when you see the apple logo hold the previous button and the center select button until the apple goes away and let go. It will beep and you will now be in apple diagnostics press the select key and let the ipod do its thing. go through and run all the tests. YOUR IPOD IS NOT FIXED YET, while in diagnostics mode open itunes now go to the DISKMODE and all of your songs will show up in itunes now click on the far right ipod icon in the bottom right corner of itunes this will disconnect your ipod from the computer look at your ipod if it says okay to disconnect do it and you should be good to go. I HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE.