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Music and lyric characteristics of popular Dutch funeral songs
Hanser,Waldie E Mark,Ruth E Vingerhoets,Ad J J M
Hanser,Waldie E
Mark,Ruth E
Vingerhoets,Ad J J M
Abstract
This study compared the characteristics of 150 songs (Dutch lyrics, N = 47, English lyrics, N = 103), popular at Dutch funerals, to an equal number of non-funeral songs. The variables explored included those linked with the music (valence, energy, danceability, acousticness, key, and tempo); and lyrics, namely: linguistics-related (first-person singular/plural, second-person pronouns; past, present, future tense; expressed emotion (positive, negative words, and the discrete emotional categories anger, anxiety, sadness); and category words (those relating to family, friends, death, religion). Funeral music was lower in valence, energy, and danceability and higher in acousticness than non-funeral music. Furthermore, English funeral music lyrics contained more second-person pronouns and were more future-focused than comparison songs. Funeral lyrics were not particularly negative, but English texts contained more words relating to sadness. In conclusion, funeral music differs in severable notable respects from general popular songs that may reflect the special purpose of this music.
Description
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Date
2023
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Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
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Keywords
CONSOLATION, LIWC, SAD, funeral music, linguistic analysis, linguistic inquiry and word count, lyrics, music characteristics
Citation
Hanser, W E, Mark, R E & Vingerhoets, A J J M 2023, 'Music and lyric characteristics of popular Dutch funeral songs', Omega: Journal of Death and Dying. https://doi.org/10.1177/00302228221075471
License
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess