We all know that "music has charms," as William Congreve put it. One of those charms, besides "sooth[ing] the savage breast," is waking people from their comas. Here's a list of 11 songs that did (story, music videos): http://mentalfloss.com/article/50547/11-songs-brought-people-out-comas
And here's the origin of the quote about music, from Congreve's play The Mourning Bride (1697):
Musick has Charms to sooth a savage Breast,
To soften Rocks, or bend a knotted Oak.
I've read, that things inanimate have mov'd,
And, as with living Souls, have been inform'd,
By Magick Numbers and persuasive Sound.
What then am I? Am I more senseless grown
Than Trees, or Flint? O force of constant Woe!
'Tis not in Harmony to calm my Griefs.
Anselmo sleeps, and is at Peace; last Night
The silent Tomb receiv'd the good Old King;
He and his Sorrows now are safely lodg'd
Within its cold, but hospitable Bosom.
Why am not I at Peace?
No comments:
Post a Comment