While I would agree with
Zach in the basic elements of his definition, I would suggest that a
true eargasm is only very rarely, if ever, an entire song, often lasting only
a few beautiful, precious seconds. I would suggest that a single song is not likely to have more than one such
passion-inspiring moment unless the song is either incredibly powerful or very long. I do agree that what inspires an eargasm is totally subjective,
in the ear of the beholder, if you will, and there is usually something rare and special about a particular musical moment which somehow claims the full attention of a specific listener, cutting him or her off from the rest of the world, and creating a vacuum in which that person is desperately and breathlessly absorbed in the
aural flow. Despite the subjective nature of the eargasm, I would also suggest that there are certain bands and musicians who are
less likely to induce an eargasm, as there is a certain... (
depth of sound is perhaps the term I'm looking for) necessary
libidinous drive required, which some music (
muzak leaps to mind here) simply lacks.
Lots of songs can leave lots of people with
cheshire grins, but for each person there are only a few phonic creations powerful enough to leave
stains.
It is important also to note that a musical eargasm cannot rely on a particular
lyrical line, though a word or line of words are often included. The feeling you get when you read or hear a particular line of words is a different kind of pleasure alltogether, far more
mental and less
animalistic than a pure eargasm.
An eargasm requires no thought at all.
To a
Pink Floyd fan,
Clare Torry's mind-melting climax of
vocal mayhem in
Great Gig in the Sky would be an excellent example of how the human voice can, without lyrics, set off a serious eargasm.
To a
Ben Harper fan, the few seconds leading into and through the opening of the final chorus of
The Woman in You, after the
leslie organ has kicked in might send you quivering to a couch or, if driving, off a road into a ditch.
To a
grunge fanatic like myself, the massive wall of
Chris Cornellian harmonies which slams the listener almost nine minutes into
Temple of the Dog's
Reach Down still gives me a
chubby after literally hundreds of plays.
To a melodic-metal-loving
Deftones freak, featured vocalist Rodleen's
seething, scathing, unbreathing, perfectly-tuned and intensely high-pitched screams at the end of
Knife Prty might leave you with a spot on your trousers.
Space rockers might find their eyes shooting from disbelieving sockets each time
Matthew Bellamy hits that
scrotum-shriveling note a minute into
Muse's operatic
Micro Cuts.
John Coltrane's eye-watering run two and a half minutes into
Giant Steps--oh yeh, you know,
that line--might be just your brand of eargasm.
Whatever your poison, realize that
such moments are yours and yours alone.
There are no words (at least, if there are, I have never heard them) for the effect such music can have on any person, and I would imagine that each person's reaction to
music is unique.
Treasure your eargasms.