Do you believe in subliminal messages within music? (1 Viewer)

[Danny Tse]

Just wondering....I've heard ELO's "Secret Messages" album contain subliminal messages. Since I don't own the album, anyone else had experiences with it?

My only experience with subliminal messages....when played backward at the correct speed, the phrase "This is a test...." (of the Emergency Broadcast System....) is actually "sex is a sin". Wow!!

Well, about 10 years ago, when I was a DJ at my college's radio station, the station had the vinyl record that contained the "This is a test" recording. Of course, I just had to try it. Spinning the records backwards on the station's Technics SL-1200 turntable, and at the "right" speed, the message of "sex is a sin" can definitely be heard.

This is not a joke.

 

[Eric Peterson]

I believe it can be done and does exist, but that's where my belief ends.

I loathe all of the right wing idiots that think these messages cause people to kill themselves or others. It's simply something that a band does for the fun and challenge of it, because it's not a very easy thing to do and work well when played properly.

Nuff said.

 

[Tyler DJW]

Well it's not in music, but this thread reminded me. If you watch Disney's Aladdin (I think, maybe it was somewhere in Lion King) someone stirs up a cloud of dust and if you go through it slowly it definately spells, one letter at a time, S-E-X. I've watched it several times myself. Pretty lame, but amusing once you see it.

There's also some quiet dialogue, though certainly there, during aladdin while the genie is a bee and aladdin's up on the balcony. It's audible but I can't make out what they say, I heard lots of theories.

I can't say I've every picked up anything in music though.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Another Disney example I'm aware of is in one of The Rescuers movies. In one frame, you can see a (non-animated) topless chick.

I don't know of any examples of music. There have been false accusations. I wouldn't be surprised if that inspired some bands to put some silly ones in, though.

 

[Brian L]

"Paul is a dead man. Miss 'im, miss 'im, miss 'im...."

Dating myself perhaps?

Don't even recall which album that was on, but it was all part of the "Paul is dead" stuff way back when.

VW's with 28IF license plates, 3 Beatles on the back cover, Barefoot Paul....Abbey Road had a treasure trove of alledged clues that Paul was no more.

I have to say that I prefer the real Paul to his replacement/clone

BGL

 

[Rachael B]

I believe in subliminal messages in music and advertising. I just don't believe they have the intended effect, if any at all.

 

[Danny Tse]

Tyler,

The "S-E-X" scene was in "Aladdin". I saw it when they reported it on the news and it was quite obvious. The "S-E-X" message was repeated on Pepsi cans one year due to the patterns printed on them....when the right ones are arranged vertically, the word "SEX" is spelled out. Don't remember whether it was tied to any "Aladdin" promotion though.

Brian,

Wasn't it "I bury Paul"??

 

[Chet_F]

I completed a research project in college. I came to one conclusion: subliminal messages don't do jack shit.

 

[Paul_Medenwaldt]

I loathe all of the right wing idiots that think these messages cause people to kill themselves or others

This is an unnecessary comment.
---------------------------------------

Stairway to Heaven has been know to have subliminal comments when played backwards.

"My sweet Satan, no other made a path"

Paul

 

[Brian L]

Wasn't it "I bury Paul"??

I think "I bury Paul" was at the end of a song, but I don't remember which? Strawberry Fields, maybe?

IIRC, it is audible when the song is played in the normal way. I think "Paul is a dead man..." was heard when you played something backwards, but I sure don't recall which song.

No that you mention it, that would be backwards masking, not really a subliminal message.

Never mind.......

BGL

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Revolution #9...

 

[David Lawson]

Getting back to the Disney thing for a moment, Aladdin supposedly says, "Good teenager...take off your clothes!" to the princess while on the balcony. Disney's reply was something to the effect of him telling her pet tiger to "take off and go".

That explanation is lame enough to make me believe that the "take off your clothes" line is the truth. Take off and go? Come on!

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

I loathe all of the right wing idiots that think these messages cause people to kill themselves or others

Yeah, I'll second the "unnecessary" label here, partly because it was left wing "idiot" Vice President Gore's wife who headed up the Parents Music Resource Council. But mostly because there have been documented accounts of kids actually committing suicide while listening to songs about suicide encouraging the listener to "Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!"

I fail to see how people can believe advertising messages affect you but music, TV, and film messages don't. It just makes no sense.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Actually the Beatles backwards line was "turn me on, dead man". And it's not SEX, it's SFX for the special effects company that worked on the Lion King.

 

[Brian L]

Actually the Beatles backwards line was "turn me on, dead man".

I am pretty sure both are there somewhere, but I base that on memories of a TV show I watched back with the whole thing came to light. That was what, 1970?

The whole point of the show was to explore all the Paul is dead "evidence". And for that reason, I asked for and got Abbey Road as a Christmas gift when I was in all of 4th grade.

Pretty good call, eh? I asked for and got one of the best albums of all time, just because it had "clues" that Paul was dead. I had not heard a note. Guess there marketing plan worked.

I hear that the guys that put it all together went on to do New Coke

BGL

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

If I'm not mistaken, the clues to Paul's alleged death began with Sgt. Pepper, with his being elevated and backwards on the cover. After so much was made of this issue, it is sadly ironic that he is one of the only two remaining members.

 

[Carl Miller]

If I'm not mistaken, the clues to Paul's alleged death began with Sgt. Pepper, with his being elevated and backwards on the cover.

I think this is correct. Sgt Peppers has a bunch of them. The hand over Paul on the front cover, and "one he die" I believe reflected in the drum.

 

[Steve_AS]

Yeah, I'll second the "unnecessary" label here, partly because it was left wing "idiot" Vice President Gore's wife who headed up the Parents Music Resource Council. But mostly because there have been documented accounts of kids actually committing suicide while listening to songs about suicide encouraging the listener to "Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!"

First, I'd want to see the documentation, and second, I'd want to know that there weren't any *other* factors involved...like the kids being , you know, suicidal.

Anyway, AFAIK there's zero scientific support for the idea of 'backward masking' having any effects on listeners.

The 'Stairway to Heaven' rumor is particularly silly, and apparently deathless.

 

[John Watson]

I believe that if Celine sang a Dylan song, there's a good chance she wouldn't have a clue what he was talking about

 

[MartinTeller]

"I buried Paul" was people misunderstanding John singing "cranberry sauce" at the end of "Strawberry Fields Forever".