Lyrics of Certain Songs and Emotions

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Have you ever had certain songs that by their sound act as a trigger for certain emotional states without regard to their lyrics(words)?

oh yeah, definately. I get into this weird, mildly depressive and detached state whenever I listen to Burial's "Untrue".

some songs really cheer me up regardless of the lyrics, most songs by the Clientele have that effect on me.

I get into the state of deep relaxation when I listen to some tracks by Boards of Canada, not much lyrics there though.

there's a french hip-hop band called Saian Supa Crew which I love, it really cheers me up and gets me going. and I don't even speak a word of French ;p

music is a universal language.

This has been studied scientificly. Certain tones and frequencies can induce a response relatively easily. Combined with lyrics however, it is "possible" for some to associate the feelings.

Hmm... I rarely associate a song emotionally from the lyrics. It's mostly the melody and texture of the sound that creates emotion for me.

Yes very much. I don't understand a word of Gallic but Clannad really hit the spot for me.

There are a few monemts when it's very powerful - I'll just get mesmerised by a couple of lines or something. But the effect often wears off after a few repeats of the same record.

I also record and perform music - that's very different to listening. I can really express myself when I'm on form. Mostly it's other people's songs, but the emotions stream through me and it feels great Sometimes it's the only part of my life that makes sense.

Music will evoke certain images in my mind and I'll often start daydreaming on them. Otherwise, music or lyrics do not affect me very much emotionally, except one time. There was a country song, entitled 'Where have you been?' by Kathy Mattea (not sure of the artist name) that threw me into a sudden fit of deep depression after I heard it -- to where I cried for hours. That was not long after my Dad died and I split up with my 2nd husband. To this day I can't listen to that song.

Yes - the sound of the chorus to Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" throws me into a weird ecstasy. The song is beautiful in its meaning, too, but I don't think that's the part that affects me.

There are songs that make me feel terrified, make my skin crawl, like Nine Inch Nail's "Eraser." I can't even get past the intro to it anymore, I get this horrible creepy unclean feeling that lasts for a long while.

Yes.

"Walking In Memphis" by Marc Cohn.

The lyrics don't really mean anything to me, but the melody gives me chills and sometimes makes me start crying.