What is it about a song that gives you chills?

Question

I'm sure everyone has heard a song that gives them bumps or chills. Is it the music, the singing, the lyrics? For me, its usually the music itself.

Then again, I get the same kind of feeling watching replays of when Pujols hit that game 6 home run against Brad Lidge, but that's not a song at all...

Answer 1

Lyrics. Sometimes they just 'speak' to me. They describe what I am feeling or something/someone in my life. Some examples are:

Something I Can Never Have by nine inch nails

What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life? by johnny mathis

That Sunday, That Summer by nat king cole

Sounds Of Summer by jazzmasters

It doesn't matter the genre or if the song is fast or slow, it just speaks to me and gives me chills!

Answer 2

when the singer hits the really high notes

or when the harmony is super good

Answer 3

for me its the emotions felt from the performer or piece..like really passoniate songs give me chills all the time...even songs without words like pieces from mozart,beethoven, n pachelbel give me chills

Answer 4

When I get that feeling the first time I hear a piece or maybe for the 100th time,I know it's a classic and will probably go one long after I'm gone.There are way too many of those kinds of pieces for me to attempt to name here.But,I think it's a collaboration between the artist and the audience that really kicks it into high gear for me.I'm an eclectic so I have songs from just about every genre(except rap)

Answer 5

Either a really nice instrumental piece or lyrics that remind me of something profound in my life.

Answer 6

Physical movement has it's own music.

A song that brought me to tears recently was a high school orchestra performing a lullaby.  When the music swelled, it just seemed so sweet that it made me ache for the days I tucked my own children in with a song.

It wasn't the professionalism of the performance, it was the sincerity.

Answer 7

"He Lives In You" from The Lion King on Broadway...haha I'm a loser...both the music and the lyrics...

Answer 8

For me the melody and the unusual harmony usually give  me the chills. maybe, the singer's voice too. The lyrics kindof, but they have a lesser effect on me than the sound.

Answer 9

for me it's a combination of all three.