Music is the essence of life

Across Australia today, in an event organised by the Federal Government, thousands of children all sang the same song at the same time. Apparently, this initiative was prompted by a finding that large numbers of schoolchildren don't regularly experience music personally.

What struck me in the report I heard was one girl who said “music is the essence of life”.


I think music is really the most basic, the strongest, expression of human emotion.


Here's an arbitrary list of 21 pieces of music expressing a wide range of emotion. If you haven't heard any of these, let me know.


Call me – House Of Love
Unforgettable fire – U2
Last goodbye – Jeff Buckley
Famous last words – Tears For Fears
No love lost – Warsaw
Good morning how are you – Moir Sisters
Flower duet (Delibes, from Lakme) – Lesley Garret
Non, Pagliaccio non son (Leoncavallo, from Pagliacci) – Pavarotti
Miss Sarajevo – Passengers
Sketch for summer – Durutti Column
Metamorphosen (Richard Strauss) – Richard Stamp/Academy of London
Whole of the moon – Waterboys
Myrrh – The Church
Cousin/Angel – Jack Frost
Born to run – Bruce Springsteen
Surf's up – Beach Boys
She speeds – Straightjacket Fits
You don't own me – Lesley Gore or Dusty Springfield
Ship song – Nick Cave
Randolph's going home – Shayne Carter & Peter Jeffries
Theresa's sound world – Sonic Youth