Tag: Scenes From an Italian Restaurant

Health, music May 3, 2022May 3, 2022

Music’s Effect On Body Chemistry | Our ‘Extended Minds’

Washington (GGM) Analysis | Original article April 27, 2019| Updated with new introduction May 3, 2022 by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

After listening to LinkedIn’s The Next Big Idea podcast in which Adam Grant interviewed Annie Murphy Paul, author of The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain, I bought the book in audible when the podcast ended, and quickly downed the content. I found several chapters riveting.

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Arts, Experiences, Health, music October 1, 2019January 7, 2020

Music Catalog Meets TV Series | Oh, the Wonder

Washington (GGM) Analysis | October 1, 2019
by Noreen Wise

Two great experiences combined into one unique series is sure to net an exciting result. MGM Television is joining Universal Music Publishing Group to breath dramatic life into Billy Joel’s deep music catalog and create a TV anthology series based on Mr. Joel’s extensive repertoire of stories told through his lyrics. How brilliant!

It’s the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups concept, “two great tastes that taste great together.” I’m so in the mood for something original, especially when it’s rooted in something extremely successful — Billy Joel’s incredibly deep catalog. Nearly every single series streaming service is bloated with way too much dark horror, which I personally find depressing at the end of a dark day of current events. Isn’t entertainment supposed to be fun and uplifting, a vehicle through which the public can “f orget about life for awhile ?”

Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is landing at an ideal time, providing a unique entertainment experience for viewers. Billy Joel’s music appeals to all generations, evidenced through his Madison Square Garden monthly residency. More than 70 consecutive sold out shows, beginning January 27, 2014 and running to the present. I’ve attended several — most recently this past Friday night September 27, 2019 — and was in awe that one packed event could contain multiple generations of die hard fans. In fact, a 14 year old boy explained that his high school band plays 4 – 5 Billy Joel songs. According to this young piano player, the school’s band members love Billy Joel’s music because his songs contain so many instruments.

Kevin Fox is writing the Scenes from an Italian Restaurant series. Mr. Fox is a heavy hitter, the creator of Law & Order: SVU, so very familiar with New York City, Mr. Joel’s home turf. Mr. Joel & Mr. Fox will be the Executive Producers along with Joel’s producing partner, Steve Cohen. Mr. Cohen is Billy Joel’s co-created Billy Joel — New York State of Mind together.

The “arc-thology” — what is an arc-thology anyway, I googled and couldn’t find an answer (it appears to be a new word invented just for this series) — will be based on Billy Joel lyrics “reimagined and rearranged by Joel’s music team — with his input — and take his tunes in new directions.” I speculate that this means transformed to the present. Many of Joel’s greatest hits were released in the mid to late 70’s, before computers and smart phones were invented. Joel also mentions brands and hairstyles in his songs, some of which are now extinct. As well as years — “summer of ’75” for one — which are so last century. It’s a whole new world out there. It would make sense if we could see Joel’s universal themes that run through his songs, themes that have remained true across the centuries just like Aesop’s Fables, as well as the different generations in modern times, brought into the present. Disney does this with it’s classics. But please don’t hold me to this, I’m merely speculating absent any specific details.

What I consider the most exciting part about a unique series like Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is that so many Billy Joel songs have become the soundtracks of our lives. Listening to these faves, brings back waves of nostalgia, reminding us of “good times,” but also about American ideals, as well as our country’s history. I’ve enjoyed seeing this at the MSG concerts. Thousands of people collectively enjoying awesome memories.

Through this series, it seems like we’ll be able to create new memories too, with a whole new collection of mental images to match up to the lyrics, broadening and deepening the song’s imprint on our lives. I love it!

And most impressively, there’s also the positive health impact of Billy Joel’s broad eclectic collection of genres. The actual melodies and beats and the instruments themselves. I began noticing this a while ago and took a deep dive into researching how music impacts health, as well as music’s connection to our body chemistry, and was astounded. I was very aware of it personally I guess, when I discovered I could run twice as far (four miles) listening to Scenes From An Italian Restaurant over and over, versus any other song. This was so consistent that I determined there must be a scientific explanation. I’ve noticed the same type of phenomenon when driving long distances. No matter what music I used to listened to, I would eventually become groggy and terrified I’d fall asleep. The only exception was a Billy Joel soundtrack. How bizarre is that? Researching, I discovered Pythagoras’ “quantum harmonies” and how these harmonies connect humankind to the cosmos. I’m convinced that many, if not all, of Billy Joel’s compositions are quantum harmonies.

I wish it was more clear what “coming soon” means. Once an exciting series like this is hinted at, it’s must more difficult to scroll through Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime offerings and not feel disappointed. Six of Billy Joel’s thirteen albums were released in October & November, so my fingers are crossed that “soon” means real soon.

News of the Scenes from an Italian Restaurant series broke on September 25, 2019, so I’ll speculate that the pilot is complete and ready to air. (Is that wishful thinking?) And I’ll keep my fingers crossed that there’s a wise risk-taker at one of these networks that has enjoyed a few Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and can recognize brilliance when she/he sees it.

America, music April 27, 2019September 3, 2019

The Human Condition, An Ancient Heart | Billy Joel

Washington (Gallant Gold Media Hill Report | Analysis | April 27, 2019) – It was a spring Friday night in New York City at Madison Square Garden for a SOLD OUT concert. I just so happened to luck into prized dream seat. The evening promised to be one of the top experiences of American life. Just before entering MSG, I had the bright idea to stop in at Macy’s across the street on 7th Ave and have my eyes enhanced by a makeup artist. It seemed appropriate following the good fortune of finagling a 3rd row seat in section 109. I was hoping for a “glamour look” to match the event.

“You want ‘smokey eyes,'” Jessica said. “Yes, smokey eyes,” I replied. She busied herself with collecting her tools. “I recommend this color palette,” she continued, pointing to a collection of twelve bronze shades. I assessed her display, furrowed my brow, and inquired if she was sure it was the preferred choice of the two options. “Yes, for your skin, this will be best.” I didn’t necessarily agree. I had always used a palette similar to the other, although I guess the reason I was there in the first place was because I hadn’t been successful at creating the right look. I decided to be bold and trust her instinct. “Okay, you know best.”

While Jessica worked her magic, I asked for instruction, determined to learn the tricks so I could do it myself. Step-by-step she explained the process. The strength of the pigment, the math behind diffusing. Three taps of one color, one tap of another, another tap of the first, a second tap of the second. The importance of which brush to use for which strokes. “Did you learn all this in school?” I asked. Jessica shook her head. “I taught myself. I can’t afford to pay thousands of dollars for school. I’ve been doing makeup since I was five years old.”

And so it went for twenty minutes. Jessica’s artistry. Jessica’s instructions. My questions about Jessica and her family. What I marveled the most about Jessica was how real she was. A direct question from me, a straight answer from her. This was refreshing. It was rare. No mask on Jessica, the makeup artist who’s a pro at creating masks. Two daughters, one was 11, the other 4. She’d married Giovanni who used to work at Macy’s, too. Their 4 year old, Gia, was sassy, Jessica assured me rolling her eyes. “I love that name,” I said. “It’s unique.” Jessica agreed and explained how it was derived from her husband’s name. “I told my husband, no more children. He said okay, but we had to find a way to name our daughter using his name. So, Gia.”

“Do stars come in and have you do their eyes before they head over to Madison Square Garden?” I inquired. Jessica laughed. “I wish. That would be a dream come true.” She lamented about how she wished she would be discovered. She loved Macy’s, and was thankful she could work the late shift so she could be at home with her daughters in the morning, getting them ready for school. But they lived in Brooklyn. Some nights she had to work as late as 11:00 PM and then make it home across the city. It was a struggle. I could clearly see that Jessica, like millions of others, myself included, had a long series of never ending challenges. What seemed to keep her spirit afloat though was her personal dream of “one day”… maybe one day the unexpected would happen and her grueling schedule would change.

Indeed. I was stunned by Jessica’s artistic expression, and command thereof. All self taught. Years of experience. Pleasant and direct. Such a delightful to work with. Thomas Jefferson would have been so proud (I explained this to Jessica). After all, Jefferson was an advocate for teaching oneself new skills, and acquiring knowledge on our own. Jefferson devised a simple plan for executing self-education that he shared with future generations. Jefferson did have an excellent formal education, but he went on to become a self-taught Renaissance man.

_____

So how does Billy Joel sell out Madison Square Garden for 69 straight months, the most recent performance on Friday April 12, 2019? Nearly six straight years of packed monthly concerts, 26 years after his last pop album was released. This sensation seems to defy the laws of gravity. Paradoxically no less, Joel mistakenly predicted back at the beginning, 1974, that he “knows the game, you’ll forget my name and I won’t be here in another year if I don’t stay on the charts.”

So then what’s the science behind Billy Joel’s everlasting mojo? This stunning feat seems virtually impossible if you stop and think about it. Which I of course did, for a couple of days now. After much reflection, I’ve come up with an hypothesis: there’s sceince behind the phenomenon.

Clearly, sound is one of the most significant factors in Billy Joel’s longevity. For music itself, a collection of unique vibrations and rhythms produced by various types of instruments, create an emotional impact when layered and mixed the right way. Take “Prelude/Angry Young Man” for example, or “Two Thousand Years.” The forceful, expansive range and sequence of sounds, multiple layers of fluctuations and octaves, take listeners on emotional roller-coasters that are quite electrifying. Psychology today explained that “Music is what feelings sounds like.” The ancient Greek philosophers, Pythagoras specifically, professed that music has a “mathematical relationship with the cosmos.” Music does seem to tap into a higher power. A universal energy that connects us all. Quantum physics and music. Pythagoras’s quantum harmonies. The tie-in between music and physics is a scientific reality, that quantifies the tangible impact music has on our psyche. We’re subliminally aware of this when we replay favorite songs that cheer us when we’re blue, or motivate us when we’re exercising, and liberate us on a Friday night at Madison Square Garden for that matter. So yes, a substantial element of Billy Joel’s enduring fame is his manipulation and mastery of sound for emotional effect.

The Words. Billy Joel revealed to a New York City night school class in July, 1983 that he first writes the music, then the title, and finally the lyrics, emphasizing that words don’t necessarily matter since many fans get it wrong without ever realizing those aren’t the lyrics. He shared several hilarious examples. Here’s a list of the top 40 misheard song lyrics. Interestingly, there aren’t any Billy Joel lyrics mentioned here.

Words of course do matter. The pen is mightier than the sword, as they say. And words are another critical component of Billy Joel’s long-lasting fan-span. His words continue to resonate with the majority. His repeated use of the word “soul” in so many of his top hits, as well as a myriad of his less notable works, are what many listeners bond with. For how many of us run and hide in this dark chambers of our inner beings when we’re suffering or challenged? Billy Joel seems to reveal that the deepest recesses of the human soul is the sacred spot where he churns out his most charged inspirations. Writing from this sapience is much more difficult than it appears. In order to reach the hidden canyons of our inner beings, one has to be willing and able to dive that far. This requires awareness and humility as well as an abundance of angst, pain and suffering. The turbulent river of the human condition runs through each of us. For several decades Billy Joel seemed willing to battle the vexing currents to reach the calmer, deep layer of the sea, the spot where one can access the cosmos. Truth itself. Does he remember how he got there? Will he be able to return? I sure hope so.

Billy Joel’s ability to create unforgettable images using choice words, as well as his innate gift of weaving product brands (Chevrolet, Sears, Sesame Street, Parkway Diner), idioms, and poignant details of a particular moment in American culture have created decades of snapshots that belong in the Smithsonian American History Museum on National Mall in DC. We all appreciate the imagery as well as the time machine effect that this has on listeners, immediately transporting us back to another era.

The personal stories. Billy Joel’s ability to convey a powerful insight about the human condition by sharing a personal story, enables listeners to identify with a particular plight or circumstance, a technique used by journalists to elicit reader engagement with the importance and/or severity of an issue. Was Billy Joel trained on how to do this? Or is it innate? Did journalists learn from Billy Joel or did Billy Joel learn from them? He makes this look easy, using numerous first names (Brenda & Eddie, Davie, Paul, and so many others) along with a handful of poetic lines, combined with potent sound effects, to paint a vivid indelible picture.

For twenty plus years of song writing, Billy Joel followed through with keeping the faith. So it doesn’t really seem plausible that he doesn’t have any more rock-and-roll in him. On Friday night he sure did sound, and act, forever young, making it that much more confusing about why there are no more words.

Can we use science to predict the future? The human condition. An ancient heart. Quantum harmonies. Are these clues that hint that Billy Joel likely has a stash of hits buried at the bottom of the hidden caves of his soul? How do we pry these out of him? On the brink of turning 70, Billy Joel seems to be an unfinished story. With a voice so young and strong, and seemingly endless sold out shows, what gives? He’s surely composed enough musical scores across these past 26 years since his last album River of Dreams was released. Does he believe he has less words of wisdom to share at 70 than he did at 44? While watching Billy Joel in concert, it dawned on me that music can cure what ails us. An ancient heart that can tap the cosmos through quantum harmonies, and reveal many of the secrets that bind us all together… all generations, all political affiliations, and all ethnic backgrounds. The human condition is what we all have in common. There’s no escaping the cosmos. It’s the connection between every last one of us on earth. Truth never changes. Truth cannot be warped by time, nor hidden forever by darkness.

In keeping with what Billy Joel said way back when, that his song writing process begins with composing the music, then coming up with the title, before penning the lyrics, is he just stuck on an album title? Or is it the song titles? Maybe it’s more than that. Has he truly lost his way to the inner recesses of his soul? Maybe we can kick him into gear by thinking up an album title as his birthday gift? One certainly popped into mind after leaving the concert Friday night.

Happy 70th Birthday a few weeks early, Billy Joel! I hope this isn’t too much “Pressure.”

GETTING CLOSER: I went searching for the truth, But in my innocence I found, All the con men and their acrobats, Who stomped me in the ground, If I count up their percentages, I know they’re getting rich, But they haven’t taken everything, Those paybacks are a bitch.

Though I’ve lost quite a lot, I am still in control, They can keep what they’ve got, But they can’t have my soul, And if I don’t have this all worked out, Still I’m getting closer, getting closer, I still have far to go no doubt, But I’m getting closer, getting closer.

What was ripped off by professionals, Is not all that it seems, While I must live up to contracts, I did not give up my dreams, If I see it as experience, It hasn’t gone to waste, Lately all the missing pieces, Have been falling into place.

And if I could go back and start over somehow, I would not change that much, Knowing what I know now, Though there have been sins I will regret, Still I’m getting closer, getting closer, I don’t have all the answers yet, But I’m getting closer, getting closer.

I’m a mark for every shyster, From Topanga to Berlin, And I should have learned to kick them out, As soon as they crawled in, So to every bank in Switzerland, that stores my stolen youth, I’m alright because despite the laws, You cannot hide the truth.

And although you will say, I am still too naive, But I have not lost faith, In the things I believe, And if I don’t have this all worked out, Still I’m getting closer, getting closer, I still have far to go no doubt, But I’m getting closer, getting closer.

~Billy Joel, 1986

After a very, very long journey of getting closer, is Billy Joel ready for his “second wind” of lyrics writing? Speaking with Jessica before the Billy Joel concert on April 12th, and learning of her simple dream of not having to schlep across Manhattan at 11:30 PM, made me realize how clear it is that every one of us has a dream of some kind. Some dreams are bigger than others. But a dream is a dream. It’s motivation. Inspiration. A carrot. A cure. I’m surprised Billy Joel’s “Everybody Has a Dream” (released in 1977) never got much air time. I consider it one of those timeless masterpieces. Straight from the cosmos. A core sentiment in the heart of every one on earth. So, on the eve of Billy Joel’s 70th birthday, I can’t help but believe these raging conflicts across the country would be possible to overcome if we had a few new Billy Joel albums to help us vent together in concert like one big, giant American family.

Health, music April 27, 2019January 8, 2020

Music’s Effect On Body Chemistry

Washington (Gallant Gold Media Hill Report | Perspective | April 27, 2019)
by Noreen Wise

The science of music is spellbinding. Whether we realize it or not, so much in our lives is influenced by music. The impact is usually subliminal. However, once we’re tuned in, it becomes fairly easy to identify our body chemistry responses. And once we know how our neurotransmitters will react to certain songs or music, we can be strategic. We can play specific songs at precise moments to elicit the neurotransmitter responses we need.

For example, every year on September 11, I play “Can’t Cry Hard Enough” by the Williams Brothers (1992) all day long. Over and over and over again, to make sure I never forget. And just like the song promises, I literally can’t cry hard enough. I can’t fathom that there are very many who wouldn’t cry, or feel emotionally distraught, by this heart wrenching work. Male or female. Young or old. Every ethnicity. The words and video images of Bethesda Terrace are also impactful. But it seems that it’s the music – the instruments, the melody, and the harmony – that triggers our body’s chemical reaction. Eyes dripping with tears seems as guaranteed as when peeling an onion.

The songs we choose when we exercise can make a dramatic difference. I have a running soundtrack of top rock favorites that I’ve used for years. The songs are upbeat and fast-paced. They seem ideal. While listening to these, I can run two miles every day. Two miles isn’t very far, I realize this. But running is better exercise than walking, so it seems that my exercise routine is sufficient even though I dream of running a 5K.

I recently had the good fortune of attending a Billy Joel concert in Madison Garden. It was sensational. I left feeling very inspired. A few days later, I went running and decided to listen to “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant.” Without even realizing it, I ran an extra mile. All I did was keep replaying “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” I never grew tired. Easy. Within three days of maintaining this new song choice, I reached four miles. How is this possible? Especially considering that running four miles to “Scenes from a Italian Restaurant” is easier for me and more enjoyable than running two miles to my original soundtrack. So it’s clear there has to be some sort of science going on for this improbability to occur.

There are many other examples that point to a science phenomenon taking place when we’re listening to music. Retailers have fine-tuned their soundtracks to exploit this. Wegman’s focus is on 80’s top hits, honing in on who’s carrying the wallet. I could shop in Kohl’s for hours because of their exceptional music choices. Interestingly, Barnes & Noble doesn’t have influential listening music that motivates customers to buy, but rather calming, restive instrumentals, making it easy to hang out and read. The objective is clearly to sell B&N coffee. It works.

These tangible anecdotes seem to prove that music does indeed trigger neurotransmitter responses. Test it out and see for yourself. I imagine the chemical reaction can be both positive and negative. I much prefer positive neurotransmitters – serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline – but apparently some prefer dark and twisted songs that can possibly trigger aggression through body chemicals such as acetylcholine.

The song that literally saved my life when I was under extreme stress and traumatic fear for twelve straight months, believing every single night that I wouldn’t be alive when the sun rose, was “Fantasy” by Earth, Wind & Fire. I played this song every minute of every waking hour (slight hyperbole, but not too far off the mark actually). The song kept me incredibly calm, focused and aware. Over and over and over again, maintaining a trance-like response to a sustained daily threat. It seems as if “fantasy” released the much needed GABA neurotransmitter.

After experiencing these connections, it was interesting to read tonight after Google searching, an amazing article in the The Guardian that confirms the link between music and body chemistry, The science of songs: how does music affect your body chemistry?

“Research has revealed that music holds the keys to your body’s pharmacy, and can promote or suppress the release of these chemicals.” ~John Powell, physicist and author