There is a fine line between the spoken word and the musical tone. The more a phrase is repeated the more musical it becomes. This is illustrated in the speech-to-song illusion. Repeat a phrase over and over and listen as it magically transforms into a melody. This can be accomplished much quicker with sarcasm.
Sarcasm is inherently musical. It has a childish sing-song quality when used effectively. A phrase that leans sarcastic runs the risk of turning into a melody permanently.
A recent example can be heard in “Nailed it!” (see meme above). This carpenter’s phrase means to succeed in the manner of hitting a nail on the head. Casket builders also say it when they put the final nail in their coffins. But when the non-hammering public got a hold of the phrase, they started to use it in nailless situations, which began to sound increasingly sarcastic and less like speech, but rather some kind of gross proto-melody.
Behold and hearken, the Major Third that is “Nailed it!”
To my ears, this phrase usually fits a Major Third interval, although I can’t find any examples. Some people may say it in a Minor Third, but this is less sarcastic and might even imply success. The Major Third is probably the most sarcastic interval. I don’t know why. Maybe because it’s like an old-timey doorbell, where gags were expected at the door, whether a pail of water above or a bag of shit below.
Readers of this blog will recall the Major Third’s popularity can be traced back to Big Ben and its bell song. Perhaps the familiarity with this musical interval bred a kind of working-class resentment that expressed itself in a sarcastic phrase-melody. After all, the “Westminster Quarters” are played every quarter, four times an hour, twenty four times a day. That’s a lot of Major Thirds! English hammerers obviously got fed up with bells and nails.
So, what have we learned today? Repetitive speech can lead to sarcasm and music. Music and sarcasm are closely related and scientists are baffled. China doesn’t have these issues. They’re always speaking that Sprechgesang.
