# Mock weeping to violin music

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mock-weeping-to-violin-music/614674>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 3, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mock-weeping-to-violin-music/614674 "2012-03-03T21:50:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mock-weeping-to-violin-music/614674/1 "2012-03-03T21:50:58Z")

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Didn’t want to hijack [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=643830).

Why do some people mock-weep at some slow violin music . . . other than slow music on other instruments? How far back does that go? I heard it as a kid back in the '50s (I’m thinking of Jack Benny), but it probably goes back further than that.

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**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mock-weeping-to-violin-music/614674/2 "2012-03-03T22:05:08Z")

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I don’t know, I’m somewhat opposite. Every time I hear short, fast regular high-pitched notes on a violin I go upstairs and stab whoever I find in the shower. Mrs. Devil installed one of those glass sliding shower doors so it’s not the same.

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mock-weeping-to-violin-music/614674/3 "2012-03-03T22:12:13Z")

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The music most often used, by the by, is “Hearts and Flowers” [Zefren presents Hearts and Flowers - 1908 - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uS5xPWfxPY)

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**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mock-weeping-to-violin-music/614674/4 "2012-03-03T22:43:14Z")

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[This post](http://www.quora.com/What-is-the-origin-of-the-sarcastic-worlds-smallest-violin) suggests the song posted by **Eve** is more or less the origin. Silent films would use a violin playing Hearts and Flowers during the sad bits. Hence, “breaking out the violins” or “the worlds smallest violin” were sarcastic ways of mocking someones melodramatic sorrow.

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**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mock-weeping-to-violin-music/614674/5 "2012-03-04T06:20:37Z")

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I think of Snoopy wailing and crying.  
🙂  
:eek:  
☹

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mock-weeping-to-violin-music/614674/6 "2012-03-04T10:38:11Z")

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> [@Eve](#):
>
> The music most often used, by the by, is “Hearts and Flowers” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uS5xPWfxPY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uS5xPWfxPY)

Thanks. I couldn’t think of the name of it.