The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #77844 Message #1392916
Posted By: JWB
29-Jan-05 - 11:31 PM
Thread Name: Why do people do the Happy Claps?
Subject: RE: Why do people do the Happy Claps?
Barbara, I think you're on to something. My guess is that good music makes folks want to participate, and if they don't know the words, or hold themselves back from singing by telling themselves they can't sing, then clapping, banging, tapping is a way to participate.
There is an inate love of rhythm and movement build into homo sapiens, IMHO, and since our "civilized" society doesn't smile on people getting jiggy with it in public (there seem to be pretty strict norms about public displays of dancing in pubs, etc.), it may be that the tapping of objects is a way to let out that movement impulse.
Or, it could be just a commercial ploy by pub owners to sell more beer -- "bang those pint glasses and slosh away, me buckos: we've got plenty more ale where that came from!"
Jerry