Posted on 02/13/2012 10:11:22 AM PST by nuconvert
Why does Adele's 'Someone Like You' make everyone cry? Science has found the formula.
-Excerpt-
Twenty years ago, the British psychologist John Sloboda conducted a simple experiment. He asked music lovers to identify passages of songs that reliably set off a physical reaction, such as tears or goose bumps. Participants identified 20 tear-triggering passages, and when Dr. Sloboda analyzed their properties, a trend emerged: 18 contained a musical device called an "appoggiatura."
An appoggiatura is a type of ornamental note that clashes with the melody just enough to create a dissonant sound. "This generates tension in the listener," said Martin Guhn, a psychologist at the University of British Columbia who co-wrote a 2007 study on the subject. "When the notes return to the anticipated melody, the tension resolves, and it feels good."
Chills often descend on listeners at these moments of resolution. When several appoggiaturas occur next to each other in a melody, it generates a cycle of tension and release. This provokes an even stronger reaction, and that is when the tears start to flow.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Not to mention that she credited Sarah Palin for her career boost on Saturday Night Live. I heard she said that in an interview, not at last night’s Grammy’s.
Mike & The Mechanics, “The Living Years”. Everytime.
“Is this the, “we could have had it all” song?”
No, that’s “Rolling in the Deep”. I prefer that to ‘Someone Like You’
Rap music makes me cry. It also makes me reload.
lol
Ray Charles’ version of america the Beautiful is the best!! The most reverent tune I may have ever heard. It makes me wish for his version to be our National Anthem.
Can’t imagine this ssong making me cry but boy oh boy can this lady SING! What a voice...and no sleaze, blasphemy or cursing!
Ha - ya got me
If you have kids, “She’s Leaving Home” by The Beatles always chokes me up.
“Set Fire to the Rain” is a much better song, IMHO.
“Mike & The Mechanics, “The Living Years”. Everytime.”
I hated my father but that song makes me cry, too. It’s a lament for lost opportunities and it’s also a classical requiem in many ways.
” low class fat girl who looks like a 19th century streetwalker,”
Actually, I think she looks a lot like Margaret Thatcher
Laughed out loud with that one.
The video of that guy shooting his daughter’s laptop, coupled with my hatred of rap “crap’ makes me want to do the same. Same with ringtones. I already told my daughter that cell phones aren’t bulletproof, either.
John Michael Montgomery’s “The Little Girl” always chokes me up near the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvLyJs2FHh0
I refuse to watch that video right now because I have to get work done. But yes, every single time.
Ballad of the Green Beret by Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler and Robin Moore, copyright 1966 Fighting soldiers from the sky Fearless men who jump and die Men who mean just what they say The brave men of the Green Beret Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America's best One hundred men will test today But only three win the Green Beret Trained to live off nature's land Trained in combat, hand-to-hand Men who fight by night and day Courage peak from the Green Berets Silver wings upon their chest These are men, America's best One hundred men will test today But only three win the Green Beret Back at home a young wife waits Her Green Beret has met his fate He has died for those oppressed Leaving her his last request Put silver wings on my son's chest Make him one of America's best He'll be a man they'll test one day Have him win the Green Beret.
I'm not a Whitney Houston fan, but her rendition of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl was incredible as well, probably in large part because it happened during the Gulf War. I was in a combat unit, so we didn't see or hear it or the game, but we did hear about it. And when we finally boarded the planes to come home after the War, that's the first thing they popped up on the scream -- her singing the National Anthem.
Yesh, I cried.
Yes, I’m old enough to remember that playing on the transistor radio.
Speaking of Sarah McLachlan, I can’t watch “Toy Story 2” without choking up when Sarah sings “When She Loved Me”.
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