# Song in the mansion scene of "Eyes Wide Shut"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-in-the-mansion-scene-of-eyes-wide-shut/181697>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 13, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-in-the-mansion-scene-of-eyes-wide-shut/181697 "2003-06-13T23:01:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-in-the-mansion-scene-of-eyes-wide-shut/181697/1 "2003-06-13T23:01:57Z")

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What IS that? What language is it in? I’ve been wondering about this for a long time.

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**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-in-the-mansion-scene-of-eyes-wide-shut/181697/2 "2003-06-14T03:19:14Z")

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My guess is that you’re referring to the song [Masked Ball](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000JG3P/qid=1055560925/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-8284107-4188858?v=glance&s=music). (Been a long time since I’ve seen the film.) It’s by Jocelyn Pook, as for what language it is, I can’t say. It certainly sounds like the vocals are being played in the direction reverse of what they were recorded in. The liner notes on the CD offer no clues, however.

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**Author:** ![Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@Dreaming\_of\_Maria\_Callas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreaming_of_Maria_Callas)\
**Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-in-the-mansion-scene-of-eyes-wide-shut/181697/3 "2003-06-14T11:45:49Z")

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“Masked Ball”, the scene during the Black Mass, is supposedly in Latin played backwards. “Migrations”, the piece played during Dr. Hartford’s journey through the mansion, originally contained verses from Hindu scriptures played backwards. This was however removed from versions of the film in many countries, as the Hindu community was understandably less than thrilled to have their sacred writings recited over an orgy.

UnuMondo