# Music for Psychological Warfare **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 25, 2002, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474 "2002-08-25T07:39:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/1 "2002-08-25T07:39:20Z")
Well, here’s my weird and disturbing post for the week; Can anyone suggest a good song for use in psychological warfare, like if you’re trying to get someone to come out of a building that they’ve barricaded themselves into, or if you’re launching a particularly flambouyant commando raid? I’ve come up with _O Death_ from the “O brother, where art thou?” soundtrack, and _Bodies_ by Drowning Pool. And maybe that Mexican trumpet solo mentioned in the movie _Rio Bravo_-(Or was it _El Dorado_? In any case, are there any other suggestions? Well, thanks for your time, Ranchoth ---
**Author:** ![Squish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Squish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squish)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/2 "2002-08-25T07:52:23Z")
Muzak ---
**Author:** ![Gomez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d78d45/32.png) [@Gomez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gomez)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/3 "2002-08-25T07:53:51Z")
Skiffle music. Duelling banjo’s ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/4 "2002-08-25T07:57:54Z")
I think it would depend on how good your speakers are. If it’s the sort of situation where you’re trying to cover up your tunneling activities, any heavy base rock sort of thing will do, since they lower frequencies carry better anyway. If it’s a situation where they will be able to hear the lyrics, I’d go with something that would just drive them batty. Something funny the first time, but suicidal the tenth. Maybe the ‘Countries of the World’ song by the Animaniacs, or a nice selection from They Might Be Giants. I enjoy them both, but they’d drive anyone batty after enough repetition. For me, just play country music for an hour and I’ll raid myself. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/5 "2002-08-25T08:24:54Z")
Kylie Minogue. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/6 "2002-08-25T09:21:25Z")
Lovin’ You - Minnie Ripperton (May she rest in peace) Afternoon Delight - Starlight Vocal Band Just keep switching (assuming they actually make it through the first song). ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/7 "2002-08-25T15:58:54Z")
“Twist” by Korn. 48 seconds of heavy-sounding gibberish, with guys banging on guitars and drums in the background. Play that a few hundred times and you’ll have 'em doing whatever you want. Failing that, anything by Regurgitate (look 'em up yourself if you’re not at all squeamish; their album cover probably constitutes a forbidden link) or Deicide. Make sure you’ve got decent speakers, so you can really get 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/8 "2002-08-25T16:01:28Z")
“Feelings” and NOT by Morris Albert. Get a bad cover version. Also, Rhino’s “Golden Throats” series of songs mutilated by celebrities. ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/9 "2002-08-25T16:13:44Z")
To get someone out of a barricaded building, a shorter piece would be better - more frequent repititions. Anything shrill. maybe yodeling or accordian music. Worse yet. “It’s a Small World” performed on violin by a six-year-old who’s only had one month of lessons. ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/10 "2002-08-25T16:31:42Z")
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee. One of my favorite games to play at work is to casually walk by a coworker and quietly sing “I couldn’t if I triiiiied…” and see how long it takes before the entire restaurant staff is either humming, whistling or singing, and generally cursing my name. Good times. ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/11 "2002-08-25T17:03:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DMC \* > \*\*Lovin’ You - Minnie Ripperton (May she rest in peace) > Afternoon Delight - Starlight Vocal Band > > Just keep switching (assuming they actually make it through the first song). \*\* That is cruel and unusual punishment. ☹ _waves white flag_ ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/12 "2002-08-25T17:04:43Z")
That effing Celine Dion song from Titanic. Otherwise, maybe some Mariah Carey song. Just put the “only dogs can hear it” high parts on repeat. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/13 "2002-08-25T17:14:49Z")
Several years ago some numbnut decided to hold up the adult bookstore down the street during a vice squad sting. The robbery was disrupted, and the miscreant wound up holed up in the porno store. The SWAT team cordoned off the neighborhood and set up speakers. They played local radio station KIKK full blast - it took a couple of hours, but he did come out. That was a commercial country and western station. ---
**Author:** ![MadScientistMatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@MadScientistMatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadScientistMatt)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/14 "2002-08-25T19:44:58Z")
Let’s see, anything where William Shatner attempts to sing. Annoying, get stuck in your head, kiddie music. Animaniacs tunes are good, as is “It’s a small world.” Play one song over and over and over. One word: Bagpipes. Best when you play it LOUD. I’ve got to second They Might Be Giants. “Particle Man” is probably the most notorious. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/16 "2002-08-25T21:00:32Z")
“Ride of the Valkyries” a la _Apocalypse Now_. Shouldn’t this be in **Cafe Society**? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/17 "2002-08-25T21:16:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Muffy’s Sis \* > \*\*“saftey Dance” ( i forget who sings it) but you must remember that horrid song “you can dance if you want , to can leave your friends behind, cause if they dont dance their no friends of mine” > > At least i think thats how it went \*\* **Men Without Hats** 😉 And I actually kinda like that song… ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/19 "2002-08-25T21:51:18Z")
I can’t believe it. All these posts and not one mention of a true classic. Come on, guys… _I’m Henry the Eighth I am, Hen-er-y the Eighth I am, I am…_ Five hundred and sixtieth verse, same as the first… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/20 "2002-08-25T23:00:26Z")
IIRC, right after the sound bombardment of the Vatican embassy (where Manuel Noriega holed up) was successfully concluded, there was a press conference held by a senior Army PsyOps guy, and the question of music selection came up. He didn’t answer the question directly, but suggested that HE was in favor of playing “Achey Breaky Heart” repeatedly. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/21 "2002-08-25T23:06:48Z")
I’m reminded of the night in Anderson’s Fun House on the recently completed “Mole II” – one version after another of “Tiny Bubbles,” soft, loud, slow, fast, techno, reggae, waltz… ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2002, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474/22 "2002-08-26T00:20:34Z")
There’s the Portsmouth Bay Symphonia Orchestra … most of the players had only a couple months practice on their instruments (total!) Of course, it might be a little weak in terms of warfare… quite a few listeners start laughing hysterically. There are MP3 files of some of their “hits” online… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-for-psychological-warfare/125474.md?page=2)