Take a moment and look around you — and don’t be surprised if you see CDs, headphones, a stereo, or even some musical instruments. It’s not a coincidence, says writer, musician and neuroscientist Daniel Levitin. Humans are hard-wired for music.
Long before Beethoven and Bono, Mahler or Miley Cyrus, there was the first song. It helped early humans tell stories, find food, and warn their children of danger.
Fast forward tens of thousands of years, and we’re awash in music: it’s the age of Guitar Hero, American Idol, and the iPod. Yet Daniel Levitin says that even millions of songs later, there are just six types of song, and they help tell a story of music and human evolution.
This hour, we’re talking about music, human nature, and Daniel Levitin’s “The World in Six Songs.”
You can join the conversation. Where does the human need for song come from? Do we still sing about the same things we always have? What’s in your iPod? Share your thoughts.
-Jane Clayson, guest host
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Guests:
Joining us from Montreal is Daniel Levitin, author of the new book, “The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature.” His previous book was “This is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession.” He’s a professor at the Laboratory for Music Perception, Cognition, and Expertise at McGill University, a saxophonist, guitarist, and the former vice president of A&R for San Francisco’s “415 Records.” You can read more about his research at his website.
Joining us from New York is singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash. The daughter of Johnny Cash, she has 11 number-one hits on the Billboard Country charts. Her most recent album, “Black Cadillac,” was widely named one of the best of 2006 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana album.
For reasons unguessable, music has played a tremendously important role in my life since childhood. It’s not food, sex, sleep, oxygen… yet seems necessary to live anyway. Why?
Posted by Sean Clarke, on August 15th, 2008 at 11:51 am EDTThere’s a subculture of us who become so immersed in the music of certain musicians that we seek out the alternate versions… demos, outtakes, live versions, etc… because we can’t get enough of the artists we love from the “official” catalogues. Hearing Beatles outtakes for the first time as a teenager was tremendously moving.
Likewise, I didn’t really “feel” the effects of September 11th until I watched a church ceremony broadcast from New York a day or two later… the second the bagpipes started playing, emotions came through in a flood unexpectedly.
Pax,
Sean
I am enjoying this discussion very much. I am also blogging about this book as I listen. It is very note worthy(no pun intended). I was wondering if Daniel Levitin thinks it’s possible to Levitate to music? Or if it’s possible to raise your consciousness to a higher level by listening or producing music and hitting that high note?
It ain’t over till the fat lady sings kinda deal.
Posted by k.a.m., on August 15th, 2008 at 11:55 am EDTA fascinating show… I work in Renaissance a cappella sacred music, and I have found that, by the use of the Pythagorean scale, in an appropriate acoustical setting, religious experiences, defined as such by those experiencing them, can be produced at will. To be absolutely clear on this point: turned on and off, as if by a switch. This obviously touches in many ways upon the ideas of Pinker, Chomsky and Jung, but I have always wondered which brain centers were likely to be involved in such a multifarious mixture of the auditory, linguistic, so-called transpersonal, and social brain functions, many others [such as motor, visual, etc.]. Would anyone have any comment upon this?
Posted by paul gorbel, on August 15th, 2008 at 1:02 pm EDTI so enjoyed this discussion. I read Oliver Sacks’ Musicophilia earlier this year and look forward to reading this book for additional insight, as well as complementary information.
I grew up in a very musical household, learned several instruments, heard classical music on a daily basis, yet the music that I love is music that affects me viscerally, and can be from any genre. And at this point my preferred musical expression is through dance, which of course has to be to a piece of music I enjoy. It is certainly a more physical experience for me than purely auditory.
I look forward to reading the book and what he has to say on this subject.
Posted by hmw, on August 15th, 2008 at 3:44 pm EDTThank you for this great show! Music and singing have always been integral in my family. My daughter and I often improvise song and dance to fill random moments with fun and joy. I have also witnessed the power of music to heal tensions in my extended family.
In March 2008, I had a vision of people in all parts of the world singing for peace on the summer solstice, thus shifting the global focus to peace on the [symbolic] “longest” day of the year. With this vision, I founded Solstice Sing for Peace, an all-inclusive grassroots movement empowering local organizations and individuals to work together to create 24-hours of singing for peace in 24 time zones on the June Solstice.
Posted by Rebekah Fraser, on August 16th, 2008 at 8:42 am EDTThis June, people participated on 5 continents. I’m now planning Solstice Sing for Peace 2009, and could use help. I also invite anyone reading this to participate!
http://www.solsticesingforpeace.com
I am intrigued with this as a subject matter alone. I too have often been moved to tears and emotions so euphoric I genuinely feel deep empathy for those who don’t also experience music on such a profound level.
I’ve been an avid runner for years and have recently begun to incorporate an IPOD into the runs. This has greatly enhanced an intergrated body mind experienced that races my pulse while the hairs of my arm literally stand on end.
Posted by Bill Ramsay, on August 16th, 2008 at 4:54 pm EDTI heard only part of this show on the radio, but it sounded really interesting. I’ve been trying to find a downloadable podcast so I can listen in the car. The others are on iTunes, but this episode isn’t. Any suggestions?
Posted by Susan Todd, on August 20th, 2008 at 3:09 pm EDTTo Susan - this show includes clips of lots of songs, and I think there are legal issues with providing a downloadable podcast.
You can of course listen to it online, as I’m doing right now!
Posted by Greg, on September 10th, 2008 at 2:31 pm EDT[...] including some interesting studies on the body’s chemical reaction to music, listen to this ON POINT interview on NPR online. In it, Daniel Levitin shares findings about music and the brain. | Email This [...]
Posted by Just Six Songs | Music, Education, and Technology, on October 18th, 2008 at 4:27 pm EDTWe welcome comments from all of our listeners.
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