Stuff They Don't Want You To KnowIn 1933, a composer named Rezső Seress created one of the world's most infamous tunes -- a melancholy, mysterious piece known as 'Gloomy Sunday.' Over the following decades, this song became notorious for the sinister effects it had on anyone who listened to the song in full. Join the guys for a special end-of-the-year episode as they explore the story of the original recording -- where it came from, who wrote it, and, most disturbingly, why.
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From UFOs to psychic powers and government conspiracies. History is riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or learn the stuff they don't want you to know. M Hello, welcome back to the show. My name is Matt, my name is Noel. They call me Ben. We are joined with our super producer Paul decond to give it up for him and as always, the most important part of the show is here. You are you, and that makes this stuff they don't want you to know. It's our very last episode of the year, and we can't thank you enough, but I guess we're gonna We're gonna try, because this is not the normal episode. Finally made it through Y two K y'all seventeen times. I guess why two K or why not two k K or not too K? That is the too quick to case. So we you know that we hang out and when we're not in the studio, we're actually friends. We do things, we work on projects and secret in the dark. This is not just a gig for us, no, not at all, um. And this particular thing that you're about to listen to is a piece that was written by our very own Mr Ben Bolan, and he presented it to us, and we essentially got every single human being that works in our office and would give us the time of day to come into the studio and record apart. And it was super fun because we did like a table read where we all like, literally we have a table at work. We sat around said table and did the lines, ran lines. It was a lot of fun and we did it after hours. There was a little whiskey and pizza involved and uh, and we generated this thing what we are about to present to you. We did it for a local audio radio play festival. I guess you could call it. It's part of a It was our entry into something called the Fringe Festival. And the Fringe Festival is a theater festival that takes place around the world. Was begun in Edinburgh, but it has has a sister festival in Atlanta. And we wanted to make a radio play because we're fans of surprise, surprise, creepy stuff. And we did this outside of work completely as something called we called our outfits sorrow Bread and I can't remember why we thought that was a good idea. I think it's because it's the bread you used to sop up your tears and then yes, we were in a dark place. It had to do with a lyric from the It's from a song that plays a role in the episode or in this story from an urban legend of summer now, which some of you may recognize. And we also had a lot of help from our recurring stuff. They don't want you to know family member Lauren Vogel Ball, So you'll hear each of us and a lot of your your podcasters from other shows you enjoy hopefully enjoy popping in here and there. We do hope you enjoy this foray into fiction or is it? And we do have to note that as this was made outside of work, there are a lot of beeps that you're going to hear, a Jeff and in this there are a lot of beeps. Um and we we we want to thank personally super producer Paul for it's very raw. Yeah. Uh So we wanted to figure out some way beyond the typical thank you that we wanted that we usually try to do some way to thank you, specifically you for checking out our show and sticking with us through this absolutely insane year. And we also realized that you know, we we we we could have made a whole fresh thing. But we worked hard on this and we never shared it with you guys, so we figured why not, you know, and we keeps us from staying up till five in the morning making another one of these, and it gives you something that in your feet that you haven't heard before, So it's a win win, and let us know if you like it. We sure hope you do because we have other stuff similar to it already in the works. So what follows is a present to you and we'll see you next time. Those same fifty witnesses probably saw you drive away to what Neil, Where are you? Hello? Neil? Neil isn't here, Joe, But hey, move me soon. Many people beer soup, a secret, No, no, remember, no, let me go, let me go, not again. M hm. Hi, this is Joe. I'm away from the phone right now. If you could leave your name and number, I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Hey, Joe, it's Kate. Started to call so early. Just wanted to make sure you're still on to fill in for Paul today. We're recording at the usual time and thanks again, man, you're a life saver. Hello, this is Joe. Hello, Hello, DoD Okay, well, at least I can still grab a few more minutes of sleep. And it looks like you gotta go, baby, Yeah, I love you. I'll call you later. And that's the way it was until it wasn't. Good night from the witless news. And that's a wrap on the live feed. We are good to go to the pre recorded stuff. Good guys, Hey, Kate, have you heard from Joe yet? He's supposed to be here though I called him. Well, let's give him a sec if that's okay with you, Oh sher, He's probably just running light or something, traffic, right, what are you guys covering today? Anyway, We're going to do music in the mind, you know, like how it affects your mood. Minor Keys. Music is torture. Torture, right, It's pretty common, even a kind of psychological warfare like picture the CIA holding a prisoner in some unmarked black site, playing the same song over and over again for hours or days, occasionally stopping to ask a question, usually the same question, over and over. Paul was pretty into it before he went on vacation or whatever. It's all he talked about right before he left. You know how he gets right. When's he supposed to be back anyway? I'm not sure next week. He was a little bit vague surprised. Yeah, weird guy, But so what kind of music are you guys talking about anyway? Like opera or mariachi or pop? I could see pop songs, something with like auto tune. Wouldn't be surprised if they gave every genre shot. The most common one, apparently, is the Barney theme song like the Purple Dinosaur. I hate that guy. There's something just sort of unsettling, kind of creepy about that whole show. Hey, guys, sorry, I'm late, dude, Choe, are you okay? I just sit down, take a breath. I was in traffic, you know that intersection by North and the Highland, the one that always gets clogged up when people are trying to make a left. So I'm sitting there and start waiting on the light and it was busted. It was just blinking head and people are honking their horns like crazy, but it's bumper to bumper. Nothing's moving right. And then this guy in the car in front of me, he gets out and just he walks out and he leaves the door open, and then the car it's still running. And he goes over to this car in front of him, and he's he's moving slow, you know, like a zombie or something. And he pulls out a gun with the I know, dude, he pulls out a gun and he shoots into the other car like point blake. And he turned and looked at me, like directly at me, and he holds the gun up to the side of his head and blaw him. And he blew his brains out right there on the street. And saw it. I saw it, Jesus, What did he do? I ran and drove off. I mean he didn't stay for the cops. I don't know, Neil, I couldn't. It wasn't I was afraid to stay there. Dude. I don't mean to be a or anything, but you know you have to call the cops. I mean, you know this, right. I can't Okay, yeah, I can't explain why. But this guy, when he looked at me, he said something like something about dreaming or not I was only dreaming or verr gay vilts something. And does this make any sense to you? Guys? I had this dream last night, and I keep having these dreams over and over. Look why don't we just record this next segment tomorrow. You should go home, call the police and let them know that you're a witness. Look, Kate, I appreciate it. I do, but right now, the only thing that I want to do is record. There has to be at least fifty other witnesses, fifty other people around you know, they don't need me. Those same fifty witnesses probably saw you drive away too. What you're right, someone had to have seen you. No, it's just what you said just now, you know, Like, can we just record the show? Guys? I will call the police, I promise. Are you sure? Yeah? Yeah, let's let's do it. Please, all right, man, whatever you got it? Okay, levels are good, Give me just one sack. There's our blinking little light and we are rolling. Welcome back to Science on the Mind. I'm Kate, and today we've got a special guest for you, Joe Campbell, who will be filling in for Paul. Hey, everybody, thanks for having me on the show. Kate, Thanks for coming. Listeners. You've probably heard Joe on a few of our other shows, but here's something you might not know about him. In addition to being great in front of and behind the mic. Joe's also a musician, and that, sir, makes you a perfect toast for today's episode. Today, we're talking about music, but not just any kind of music. We're talking about music as a weapon. Oh good, Oh sorry, guys, I have no idea what just happened? They're I never heard anything like that before. Can you talk into the mic? Real quick? Uh? Yeah? Testing? Testing? Testing? Okay, Kate, now you sure sound check? Sound check? Jeez, I have no idea. This seems everything seems okay. Just hold on one second, jesus A. Welcome to the show, everybody. I'm Kate and this is Science on the Mind. Today we're joined by a very special guest, Joe Campbell, who's filling in for Paul. Hi. Everybody, thanks for coming. Oh listeners, you've probably heard Joe on a few of our other shows, but here's something you might not know about him. Joe's also a musician, and that, sir, makes you a perfect host for today's episode. Today, we're talking about music. But this isn't some Pitchfork review, right right, No, We're talking about a different kind of music, a a use of music. You could say, we're talking about music as science. Applied science music as a tool, as a weapon even exactly. Let's start with a story, Joe, you recently sat down with Professor Hans Weissbaum, a music historian, to look at the role music plays not just in history, but in the human mind. So, Dr Weisbaum, let's start at the beginning. What do you wish more people knew about music? Good question? On sank you how to starts? Well, human beings have as vino, multiple vase of encounter our reality because these mediums senses five, Right, we have five centers. That's a common misconception. Research proofs that we at any rate have more than five. There are five basic historical senses site, of course, the most important for current civilization on smell, on taste, so to being extraordinarily intertwined, on touch, which can be passed into multitudinous sub sences. And most importantly we have sound hearing. Yes, but didn't you say that vision was the most important sense to our current society. Yes, but remember civilization is not a constant thing. It is a fragile light on Sometimes it goes out only for a new society to arise in its place. Today, sight is the most important sense, but for the majority of human history, sound was our primary experience. It informed us in vital ways. We cannot touch a thing and know its history or future. We cannot taste a thing and immediately know if it will ah, nourish or negate us. Yes, yes, but sound, yes, sound. Early human predators hunted at night, and even now the average unaided human eye cannot see in darkness. So we listened, we heard, and as we heard, we survived. The first communication man made the si world around him for through sound. Music is a result of that. Music precedes art, music precedes language, and music at its base is only an arrangement of sound in some curated order. The oldest reserves of human knowledge were likely songs. So in a vay, you could say, is the study music is the oldest of human pursuits. Again, h long la, It's I'm sorry, you guys know what's going on today? Look, it's it's already past five, and this isn't going live until next week. And we can always roll live if we have to. Why don't we just knock off early? Joe? Uh yeah, sure, I guess. I mean I'm not going to say no to leaving early. When I meet up at the spot. Sergeant Clark denies any connection between the recent spate of murder suicides. At this time, we have no indication that the events you mentioned are related. We do, however, warnant everyone to be vigilant and alert your local authorities that you see an act of violence. We will follow up on these separate investigations and issue updates as they are available. Thank you for your time, No further questions spoken like a true want to be mayor. Sounds like you weren't the only one to see something strange. So wait, where is Paul exactly? He's on vacation, thank for two weeks. I mean, what does he just save up all year? Does he never take any normal people vacation time? Nope? Sometimes Paul just disappears super professional. I'm sure there's a reason, and I mean we we do sort of pay him to be the weird guy, you know, Uh huh? What was it last time? Are competitive eating contest and underground gun show that turned him into an n are not all over again? I forget? Maybe he has family stuff. I mean, he is a pretty private person, at least from what I hear around the office. He's an act, is what he is, and our bosses let him get away with it. Who else could just off without telling anyone for weeks at a time. Okay, Okay, he does this like maybe once a year. Janni said. He told her through a text message the Sunday before right all class that one. Wait, so he just ghosted you guys didn't record a head or anything like that. We have a few episodes in the can, but I mean, come on, we have to make a weekly show. We can't just go into reruns. He knows that, then where is he and why are you always on his side? Look, it's just convenient that he doesn't have a problem pulling a Houdini whenever he wants, and he'll stroll right back in, expecting to get all the credit for shows he didn't even make. And you guys are gonna let him. Oh, come on, Kate happens you know that. Okay. Look, I'm not as close with him as you guys are, but I remember him seeing something about the music episode. He seemed to think he'd be back in time to record it. I mean, that's why I was so surprised when you asked me aboard. I do appreciate it, though, No, of course, we appreciate it. I'm sorry, man, it's just frustrating. I mean, I'd like to take a vacation once in a while too, and I'm sure Neil feels the same way. But here we are with half a host and apparently there's a suicide epidemic or whatever. Wait, yeah about that. Maybe you think they're bad at this point? Suicide Here you go, guys, anything to eat? I'm good? But hey, Carlo, what was that on the news? Probably the suicide epidemic, that's what they're calling it. It's all over the radio, don't you guys listen to the news. We heard something. But yeah, it's like across the city people are killing each other and themselves. You seriously haven't heard about this. It's like close to eleven people or something. I gotta go. Hey, hang on, man, wait a second, Hey, harn it's me. I'm on the way back. I hope you're doing okay. Today was just look, I'll see you in a bit, ring me if you want me to pick anything up on the way home. Green light. Gotta go, love you, bye. So why had the police saying anything? Why isn't the news, the lamestream news that is covering this there's a blood bath out there, people, and don't act for a second like Uncle Sam doesn't know what's going on. But we've seen the light, while some of us have, but we've been expecting this, those of us with our eyes open, that is, for a long long time. Now, let's go to the phones. Ah, don't good, chuckles all a, Hey, where is everybody? It's like a ghost town. Nobody's in the office and traffic was pretty late too. Yeah. Did you did you catch the news this morning? You know, I hate listening to the news right before show. I haven't even turned on my computer. Why what's up? Hang on? Hello? Hello, Hey, Hey, what's up? Man? Dude? Hello? Ground control to major tom Ah Oh okay, yeah, yes, but well, have you seen Joe? No? No, sure, urgent? Okay, okay, okay, we'll see you. That was Paul looks like he's back in town. Sounded wasted and is Captain Mystery planning on joining us at work today. He said he needs to meet us outside of the office. Well, you guys have fun. As for both of us, he said it was urgent. Showing up for your job sounds pretty urgent to me. He sounded pretty shaken up. He's our friend, he's your friend. Fine, fine, Fine, Then he's a guy who needs help. I get it. Okay, I get it. Maybe he got fired or something. But what would you want us to do if you needed help? We're still waiting on Joe, even if apparently everyone else took the day off. He he said, Joe is not coming. How the hell would he know? Just come with me, please? Fine? Where well. We cannot respond to any inquiries regarding an ongoing investigation. We will provide updates as soon as possible. At this point, we have issued a citywide warning and allocated additional resources to local schools, government offices, and financial centers. What about state level warners? How do you respond to the news the governor's disappearance? Again, we are in the process of several unrelated investigations, and we will provide updates as they appear. At this time, we are asking citizens to use extreme caution when out late or alone in unfamiliar areas. If you see anything suspicious, please contact your local police department immediately. The most crowditive, every seamless place there he is, the prodigal podcaster returns. Get to see you, man, It's all a little worried. We what's up? It look like six pounds of a four pound bay Neil Kate. Thanks for coming. I owe you both on apology. That's all right? Sure do hey? You guys want anything now? Jamison on the rocks three? Jamison's please? Where's Carla? She hasn't been in today, sick or something. I guess I'll be right back with those drinks, guys. So what is it now, Paul? Planning to grace us with your presence at the office one of these days? Apology not accepted by the way. You guys, remember when we first tried to start this show. It seems like a bad idea. There's so much noise out there. Who the fucker we add to? But now here we are, millions of people tune in each week. And then it seemed like such a good idea. We used to toast to how lucky we were, how smart we were. But we were wrong. Everyone was wrong. All right, are you okay? Man? I mean, where have you been Hungary? Who the hell goes to Hungary? No one anymore? It'll be just like that here. Soon we have to get out of here, out of the city. It's not going to be safe here. Much longer. We have to get out of here. God, you're so melodramatic, do you know that? Okay, No, it's ridiculous. You disappeared Paul in April and everyone just pretended, Oh, he's on vacation. Now you show up drunk and you expect us to just leave the city. What does that even mean? Are you crazy? Are you Insaney? You're right, You're right, I am drunk. I had to go, Okay, I had to see to see it for myself. Just humor me, okay, please kneel, okay, okay. It was the music. When we first started prepping for this piece on music in the mind, I dug through everything I could find, interviews, archival recordings from the Congressional Library, declassified documents from interrogations at black sites, you know, the usual stuff. So one thing stayed with me, this legend, I guess you'd call it. Back in the thirties, there was this guy, a composer named Rezo Series. He's kind of a two bit, you know, just one of a hundred thousand other would be songwriters dreaming of being a European Stephen Foster or something. He moved to Paris and his life spiraled down with his parents died, he went bankrupt, but she said you went to Hungary. Yes, listen, that's where he ended up. Then his girlfriend fiance, maybe she left. He tried to kill himself, but instead he wrote a song and it was a success. You've probably heard of it. Gloomy Sunday. Uh. Yeah, that that Billie Holiday song? Right? Yeah, but that wasn't her. That was a cover song, bingo, Yes, but the one we hear, the ones we've always heard, those are all covers. But the original recording, the the original pressing the suicide started right after its release. A man jumps from a fifth story window in downtown Antwerp. A woman slits her child's wrists in a Berlin bathtub. Then she slips into the water and slices her own throat. More and more deaths, no motive, no explanation, no commonality except for this one thing, this song song that makes people kill them. Sellers, yes, but the record sells so fast that it just goes into repressing almost immediately. The song is sad, sure, blame the C minor key, I guess. But most people, most people are fine, most are especially resso he's making money hand over fist, more than he's ever made in his life, until the cops asked him to visit the morgue. His ex had joined the trend. She drank acid. Her suicide note two words, gloomy Sunday. All of a story, But it's true. I went to Hungry, all the way to that dip little town where Rezzo ran. When his ex died, he withered away in a piano bar. And he didn't listen to that original pressing for years. But you did listen to him. Yes, In nineteen sixty he jumped from a window, but he survived. Doesn't Hungry already have a high suicide rate In the hospital He strangled himself with a wire same night. It's true. I found it. I found one of the original pressings. Why are you still alive? Because I haven't listened to it. There's a thumb drive copy in my apartment, but the original record, it's someone took it. So you traveled halfway across the planet to find some first record and lost it on the way back. I didn't say I lost it. I said someone took it. That's what's going on. Someone else found the record and they're putting it back on the air. People don't just wake up one day and decide to kill their family. Joe Campbell didn't just didn't. What what are you even saying? Joe's dead? Oh? Come on, you don't listen to the radio, you either, Kate. We are making shows all day. Who wants to listen to more of that? No one except for Joe. When's the last time you saw him here? Actually? Yesterday? And since then? Um? I mean we texted him. Maybe he didn't get it. But listen to yourself, Paul, this is ridiculous. I know you've got a lot on your plate, but you probably should have taken a real vacation instead of of which take is that? Carla? We have to get out of here now, how are you talking about? Now? Come on, here are the closest sound proof place we can find. Get to the office. Do not turn on the radio. Those people and Carla, what was she saying? Was it the song? Yeah? Yes, I think so. They were chanting like it was a cult or something. Yeah, they must have it on the satellite radio. Now who the hell are they? I don't know. Did you see Neil got to his car? I think? But my phone isn't working mine either. Oh, they're outside here. Take this gun. I'm going out there to block the main door and look for Neil. Kate. Don't let anyone in unless you're certain it's one of us. Kate, run rue, Joe, what happened to your head? Joe? Joe? What are you? Piece of your remains here? I don't want to I don't want to hurt you up stop, I will shoot. Oh god, it should be dead. There we are. You know he was right almost your friend out there in the way. There really was a lesson. But he didn't lose the song so much as to inscribe it. It's all so long since we used human tongues at each time, the like figures another thousand languages taking its place. He wasn't talented less a, no, none of you are. But he did have unmackable language. And do you know what he did? You do you know what he did? He found us, your lessen, found the old works, the sigils. He called to us out there in the dark, And when one of who hails us, a light gleams across the chasms of the abyss a gateway, and all he wanted, all he wanted was fain. Can you imagine can you. He thought his death would end it. But the dark is long and deep and endless, and we are patient. What are you? We are our legion were the emptiness behind the stars. We are the dark and we hunger nil nil Nil is gone. You killed him, kill kill. You do not know death. You will never know death now, But you are industrious. Now. A single spell can touch millions of you. And the time for bardaining has passed. Now you and your kind shall serve a different purpose. We shall make new beverli. We shirt the light every glimmer. We shall feast until the last start the silence. Who will carry the hand into star a child? We bear the new race through the darkness. And there were giants in those days. Let me tell you the seeds based on the murder suicide epidemic. With no further news from Boston or New York, now, let's cut live to Sergeant Clark from the Atlanta Police Department or um as in barrack yarlock is he basnak vega vilagnacs. Hello, everyone, if you can hear me, I'm filling in for our usual hosts who couldn't make it today. I'm filling in for everyone. In fact, maybe you two. It's July one and I haven't seen another person for the last two weeks. Everyone's gone, all the real people anyway, without so much as a sea You next time there's something taking over. If you're hearing this and you're outside, please just listen closely. You are in danger. Go indoors, whatever you can get, whatever place you can find. If you're hearing this, then stay on this channel. The others aren't safe. I don't know how much time I've got here, but as long as that little red light keeps flickering, we're going to repeat this message. Get indoors, don't turn on the radio, and if you can hear me, listen. Something is happening to people. They're not themselves. We may be the last ones left. Stay on this dial and I'll keep you as updated as I can until that little red light was out. Let me tell you a secret. You're bar So more Wood better yet. Bobby Les Gobo yah ar Romo fo Flo whomos Who a sorrow Bread production featuring Noel Brown's Neil Lauren Voge, Obama's Kate Matt Frederick as Paul Jed Drummonds, hands by Spa Kristen Congress Sergeant Clark Joe McCormick as the news anchor, Lawrence Sprouse is Carla Christian Sager is the morning host, Jonathan Strickland as the server. Story by Zo Seras, Concept by Sorrow Bread, Sound designed by Noel Brown, Voice direction by Noel Brown and Jed Drummond. Produced by Sorrow Bread, a division of Illumination Global and Limited,
