"soothes the savage beast" Indeed. A news item years ago told of a woman who lingered too long as her group of hikers in the Rockies moved along without her. She came upon a mountain lion in the middle of her path. She sang to it and managed to sidle by, not turning her back until she attained safety.

Driving in central Ontario at spring thaw, I stopped to watch a deer crossing a lake, concerned for its safety although I could have done nothing had the ice given way. I just wanted to see it safely across. The Celtic music from my car caused the deer to stop and listen until the song stopped and it continued on its way.

When I am not singing to myself incessantly, I know something is wrong. When I do not hear music frequently, I start to wilt.

But when darn fool musicians play their music too loudly, my brain gets angry that it is being physically assaulted.

There is no doubt that music affects our brain waves - This is Your Brain on Music, Musicophilia, etc. And studies on the effect of Gregorian chants.