Reversed songs and the scenes/emotion they convey

[Transcended Dimensions]

When I reverse some songs, they convey certain meanings to me and are catchy.  Some songs I reverse don't convey anything to me.  They just sound like stuff being played backwards.  Take note that I'm not talking about reversed lyrics here.  I'm talking about the reversed series of notes and rests in a song and what emotion it conveys.

Most people reverse songs to make out what words they think they hear when they listen to reversed lyrics. But I reverse songs to see what emotion music conveys. I'm just concerned with the power and meaning music itself conveys. Yes, lyrics are important. But I'm just not concerned with lyrics. Anyway, I'll give you an example of how a reversed song does convey a certain emotion.  

This song doesn't have lyrics to it.  It's called "The Ballad of the Goddess."  Even though it's the song Zelda's Lullaby played backwards, it still conveys meaning.  It conveys powerful heroism such as a hero embarking on a journey.  It's not just Zelda's Lullaby played backwards.  It's done in such a way that the notes sound like they're playing forward rather than having notes that sound like they've been reversed.  Here's the youtube link to this song:

https://youtu.be/v4ReyoNpyrM


Now that you know reversed songs can convey certain emotions, I'm going to share to you a song I reversed and made my own personal story out of.  It's the song "Let It Rock" reversed.  Again, forget about the reversed lyrics because that's not my focus here.  Instead, focus on the emotion of this reversed song and the scenes I've chosen for it.  Yes, do focus on the singing because the singing involves the series of notes being sung.  But just forget about the reversed lyrics. 

As for the scenes I've chosen, they've been taken from a Sonic the Hedgehog video and I personally think they match the song.  I slow some scenes down so the story matches with the music.  When you first hear the reversed song, the vibe I get from it is something you'd hear before the chorus arrives.  When you first hear songs play, it's the beginning of the song to prepare the listener for the chorus. 

The chorus conveys intense emotion and the song has to lead up to that.  Sonic the Hedgehog is preparing to transform into his super form in this video which is why I have that part of the song match this scene.  I think this portion of the song also really does express a character preparing to transform.  Not in a cinematic way.  But in a very cool way since that's the vibe it conveys to me.

Then the intense part of the song (the chorus) arrives.  This part, to me, conveys something awesome, powerful, and dangerous.  It expresses a character going through an intense mode of unleashing power and that's why I have the scene of Sonic transforming match this part of the song.  The reversed chorus is unlike the forward version because the forward version doesn't convey that emotion.  The forward version makes people want to dance and have a fun time. 

After Sonic transforms into his super form, I then have the next part of the song match the next scene.  The next part of the song is a bit more settled down which is why I have the scene of Sonic standing in his super form match this part of the song.  After that, I have the next scene match the next part of the song.  The next part of the song conveys something awesome, lethal, serious, and dangerous. 

It's not like the chorus because the chorus conveyed powerful emotion.  The scene that's used to match this part of the song would be Super Sonic unleashing his lethal moves upon a character.  So, there you have it.  There's my assessment of the reversed song Let It Rock.  It's not the full song reversed though.  I just gave you a small example.  One might say my assessment is way off and it could very well be. 

If that's the case, then it would be an irrational assessment and I would have to find a way to rationally assess somehow.  Or, maybe, my assessment was right all along and the notes of the reversed song have to sound like they're being played forward in order for that emotion I described to be conveyed.  It could also be the case I'm envisioning the reversed song being played in a different key to convey the serious, awesome, dangerous emotion I described.

Here's the link to the Sonic video with the reversed Let It Rock song:






Lastly, here's one more song reversed and the scenes it conveys to me.  It would be the song "Love Is A Battlefield" by Pat Benatar.  I don't have actual video scenes to go along with it.  So, I'll just describe the scenes that this reversed song conveys to me.  Here's the link to it:

https://youtu.be/Nh3sDkLsjqw

Starting from 0:02-0:14 in this video, this would just be the intro.  Then, from 0:15-0:31, this conveys something settled.  It would be like something slowly creeping up.  Think of a person standing there and something's about to happen.  It doesn't sound cinematic like something you'd hear in a movie though.  It's different than that. 

Then, starting from 0:32, this is a moment of shock where the person looks and notices some demonic creature about to grab him.  The tension rises as the song leads into the chorus starting from 0:40-1:17.  The chorus conveys something dramatic and horrific as the person is being dragged to hell, screaming. 

Again, in regards to the scenes I'm describing, don't think of anything cinematic because the emotion this reversed song conveys is entirely different than the type of emotion conveyed by cinematic music.  Think of it as the song Love Is A Battlefield taking on the essence of pure horror.  The same idea applies to the song Let It Rock reversed.

Think of it as that song taking on the form of something awesome and dangerous.  As you can see, when you reverse songs, they take on a whole new essence since they become whole new songs.  Anyway, the reversed chorus of this song conveys even more dramatic horror than famous horror music.  It's in a league of its own.  Pat Benatar yells while she's singing the chorus and that really adds to the dramatic horror. 

Then, from 1:17-2:02, it sounds settled and ominous.  Then, from 2:03-2:36, it sounds like something evil is brewing.  That's all the scenes I'll describe of this song because you get the idea.  If anyone disagrees with my assessment of this reversed song, then, again, maybe I'm envisioning the reversed song in a different key which would convey the scenes/emotion I described.

[Jerome]

Here's a novel idea. Why not just listen to the songs the way they were meant to be heard. Incidentally the key of a piece of music does not change simply because you are playing it backwards. If however, you change the speed it is played at, then it does. Does a movie make any sense if you watch it backwards? - no. Neither does music. Stop wasting time with this reverse rubbish. Rather invest the time listening to music naturally. It's a lot more fun and a lot more rewarding.

Funny how people who listen to music backwards always imagine demons, satanic verses and general mayhem and horror. Something wrong with the wiring there....??!!??

[Transcended Dimensions]

Here's a novel idea. Why not just listen to the songs the way they were meant to be heard. Incidentally the key of a piece of music does not change simply because you are playing it backwards. If however, you change the speed it is played at, then it does. Does a movie make any sense if you watch it backwards? - no. Neither does music. Stop wasting time with this reverse rubbish. Rather invest the time listening to music naturally. It's a lot more fun and a lot more rewarding.

Funny how people who listen to music backwards always imagine demons, satanic verses and general mayhem and horror. Something wrong with the wiring there....??!!??

I know the piece does not change key simply because you play it backwards.  I said I was perhaps envisioning the song being played backwards in a different key to convey the scenes/emotion I described.  I also said earlier that songs played backwards do make sense and do convey emotions and scenes.  An example I gave was the Ballad of the Goddess which is actually Zelda's Lullaby reversed.  As you can see, a reversed song can become a whole new song that does tell a story that makes sense.

[Jerome]

No it does not. A 'song' is something that is sung with (hopefully) intelligent and meaningful lyrics. Lyrics played backwards do not become words, so therefore cannot be a song. In fact the whole thing just becomes a complete mess. All music has three elements - melody, harmony and rhythm. If you distort one of these you are just creating sonic soup that is a complete waste of time. Just because you can do things with technology does not mean it is worthwhile. To me it just sounds stupid. But, hey, do whatever you want.

[Transcended Dimensions]

No it does not. A 'song' is something that is sung with (hopefully) intelligent and meaningful lyrics. Lyrics played backwards do not become words, so therefore cannot be a song. In fact the whole thing just becomes a complete mess. All music has three elements - melody, harmony and rhythm. If you distort one of these you are just creating sonic soup that is a complete waste of time. Just because you can do things with technology does not mean it is worthwhile. To me it just sounds stupid. But, hey, do whatever you want.

I wasn't talking about the lyrics though.  I was talking about the scenes music itself conveys when reversed.  I mean, since the reversed Zelda's Lullaby is an actual theme in Zelda and it conveys meaning, then why can't other songs convey meaning and scenes once they're reversed?

[Ruby]

I won’t be listening to any of the tracks you mention because I am not interested, but I will say this: one can read all sorts of things into pretty much anything you care to mention – hence most conspiracy theories/superstition/fundamentalist religious or traditional beliefs, etc., etc., and I believe that you are pursuing something brewed up in your own mind that is pointless to others and in the process, you are analysing a supposition to death. You want someone to climb on board with you, and the chances of that happening are slim to none, sorry to say.
 
Emotion is conveyed through music that is played exactly the way it is meant to be, whether it is a score for a horror movie, a no-holds barred rock anthem, a ballad, a dirge or a hymn – nobody cares what it sounds like reversed. Life is too short! You’re barking up the wrong tree IMHO – don’t let it become a fixation. If it already is, you may need to speak to someone about that. Seriously.

[Transcended Dimensions]

I won’t be listening to any of the tracks you mention because I am not interested, but I will say this: one can read all sorts of things into pretty much anything you care to mention – hence most conspiracy theories/superstition/fundamentalist religious or traditional beliefs, etc., etc., and I believe that you are pursuing something brewed up in your own mind that is pointless to others and in the process, you are analysing a supposition to death. You want someone to climb on board with you, and the chances of that happening are slim to none, sorry to say.
 
Emotion is conveyed through music that is played exactly the way it is meant to be, whether it is a score for a horror movie, a no-holds barred rock anthem, a ballad, a dirge or a hymn – nobody cares what it sounds like reversed. Life is too short! You’re barking up the wrong tree IMHO – don’t let it become a fixation. If it already is, you may need to speak to someone about that. Seriously.

People keep leaving out that Ballad of Goddess example I gave for whatever reason.  This example shows how music played backwards does convey emotion and scenes.  The reversed Zelda's Lullaby is an actual theme in Zelda and it does convey emotion and meaning.

[Music Head]

how do you listen to a song in reverse?

[CRAZY-HORSE]

easy...
put it on in the car,then put the car in reverse instead of drive!

[Music Head]

easy...
put it on in the car,then  put the car in reverse instead of drive!

I actually thought of that when I posted
you did me proud grasshopper