I ran across an interesting story recently that I had to share. Titled "Turn It Up: What Do You Listen To While Having Sex" is from the "Detroit Free Press" by Korina Lopez. It gives the low down - pun intended - on one of the more useful scientific studies ever conducted. Music psychologist Daniel Mullensiefen of the UK studied 2000 people to rate the "Science Behind The Song." Participants ranged from ages 19-91 with the genders represented almost equally.
The study resulted in lists of the top 20 songs for many activities and it studied people's attitude and feelings about music. As the title of this piece indicated, 1 in 3 people identified Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" as a song that is better than sex. Would Freddie Mercury have agreed, I wonder? Perhaps..... or, perhaps not.
Mostly, I wonder who these people are having sex with, because 40% of them said that music playing in the background was more likely to turn them on than the touch of their partner. (Seriously?)
The study determined that the most arousing music to play while having sex is the soundtrack from the movie "Dirty Dancing." That soundtrack was No 1 with both men and women. Mullensiefen, the psychologist conducting the study, felt that result showed "that men are more willing to adjust their tastes in music in order to ensure "greater success in the bedroom." It sounds like Mullensienefen is a pretty smart guy, right? He should be - he's the co-director of the Master Program in Music, Mind and Brain and is also a senior lecturer in the psych department at Goldsmiths, University of London.
And what are the TOP 20 SONGS THAT PEOPLE LISTEN TO DURING SEX? ......drumroll, please:
1. "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack
2. Marvin Gaye, "Sexual Healing"
3. Ravel, "Bolero"
4. Berlin, "Take My Breath Away"
5. Barry White (anything from his collection)
6. Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get It On"
7. Righteous Brothers, "Unchained Melody"
8. Celine Dion, "Titanic" soundtrack / "My Heart Will Go On"
9. Serge Gainsbourg, "Je T`aime"
10. Whitney Houston, "I Will Always Love You"
11. Aerosmith, "I Don`t Want to Miss A Thing"
12. Kings of Leon, "Sex On Fire"
13. Rodgers & Hammerstein, "Sound of Music"
14. Tchaikovsky, "1812 Overture"
15. "Grease" soundtrack
16. Donna Summer, "I Feel Love"
17. Boyz II Men, "I'll Make Love to You"
18. Abba, "Mama Mia"
19. Tom Jones, "Sex Bomb"
20. "Star Wars" soundtrack
Well, I've got to say that it's a list I just can't take seriously. Any real list of mood music would have to be topped by Bob Segar's "Night Moves," right? Obviously, I'm right -- just ask Mr. Duck. Of course, he'd also tell you that I don't think any great music has been recorded since the 80's. That's also right, isn't it?
Or maybe, I'm just quackers.