Slightly off the wall but I love the kid's reactions to 'our' music from way back when...
I never paid much attention to this thread. However, today while a contractor installs shades in our house, I thought I spend time looking through this. There's a lot of interesting music here. Too bad today we see a lot of 'video not available' notices. I will keep closer tabs on this thread.
After going through this thread, I got into my teaching mode. And once I get to the lectern, I can't help myself.
The part of the above video with the first song (le Freak about 1 minute in) and the kids' reactions reminded me part of a lesson I delivered. And their reaction to the music (dancing, singing, etc.) is a great example of my lesson.
I taught adults about motor control, automation control, and variable speed drives (which change speed of a motor electronically). Most of the participants were non-technical. However, by the end of the class, I'd have them wiring electric and electronic circuits to control motors. lights and other things.
I had a portion of the lecture sequence that started with me playing this video:
Invariably, by the end of the video, I'd see tapping feet, drumming fingers, and bobbing heads. You've all experienced that phenomena. You can't seem to help yourself. You get into the song. You want to start dancing. (The video probably had that effect on you if you watched all the way through.)
Do you know why that when you hear a song you tap your feet, drum your fingers, and move your head?
The brain loves patterns. When a pattern is strong and recognizable, the brain releases dopamine; the feel good stuff. The part of your brain that does this process resides in the parabelt region of the auditory cortex.
Not only that. that section of the brain processes the various frequencies in different areas. (The cochlea is part of the inner ear and connects to the brain in the auditory cortex.)
And the more frequencies processed the happier the brain. In turn, the brain activates your nerves that in turn activates the muscles of your shoulders, legs and hands.
Hence, your brain tells you to play more music like this because it likes it. And you get more dopamine, an increase in movement and the desire to keep it up.
What has that got to do with motor control? (Well, you might not care. But I did have to tie it back to the subject I was teaching.)
I took the class into the subject of variable speed drives which varies the power frequency to a motor which changes the speed of the motor to make it dance. And control fans, conveyor belts and other processes.
I know, it stretches the connection. But no apologies. That was why people would come back years later and relate parts of my classes from the simple push button, to drives, to automation control. I could show how things tie together.
And my dopamine comes from the joy of spreading information. Thank you for your indulgence.
I resemble that remark about rivet counters. 