I have one resident
that barely opens her eyes
she didn't respond
as much as I tried
on her for two years
No matter what I tried
massage wouldn't work
nothing worked
for when we got
introduced to the ipods
and the families
told me the things that she liked
it was amazing
once we put the ipod on her
she started shaking her feet
she started moving her head
her son
was just amazed
okay can we stop
because now i'm
getting an aura
i'm seeing her all over again
Hi papa
huh
How you doing?
I'm alright, i'm fine.
Who am I?
I don't know
Mumbles Wait a minute, I don't know, I don't know.
okay it's Sherrie
How long has he been in the nursing home?
Ah approximately
ten years
he's having seizures
and my mother couldn't
handle him at home
of course it affected me
greatly
because he was always
you know
fun-loving
singing you know
every occasion he would come out with a song
no matter where he was
I remember
as a child
he used to walk
us down the street
me and my brother
we'd stop and do
singin' in the rain
he would have us
jumping
and swinging around poles
he was you know he was good
he was always into music
you know
always loved singing
dancing
his name is Henry Drea
ahuh
and i'm looking more or less for
religious music for him
okay
because he enjoys
music and he
always holding the bible
so i'd rather have that for him
We first see Henry
inert
maybe depressed
unresponsive
and almost unalive
Henry
yeah
Henry, yes doll
I found your music
you want your music now?
Not really, oh maybe
lets try your music
and then you tell
me if it's too loud or not
then he is given
an ipod
containing
we know his favorite music
mumbled singing
and immediately
he lights up
his face assumes
expression
his eyes open wide
he
he starts to
sing and to rock
and to move his arms
and he's being animated
by the music
and he used to always sit on the unit
with his head like this
he didn't really
talk so much to people
and then when I introduced
the music to him
this is his reaction ever since
giggle
the philosopher Kant once called music
the quickening art
and Henry is being quickened
he is being brought to life
Yeah
I'm going to take
the music just for once second okay
just to ask you a few questions okay
I'm going to give it back to you
ahuh
okay, the affect of this doesn't stop
because when the headphones
are taken off Henry
normally mute
and virtually
unable to answer
the simpliest
yes and no questions is quite
viable
Henry?
Yeah.
Do you like the ipod?
Do you like the music you're hearing?
Yes.
Tell me about your music.
Well I don't
know
I don't have none I mean.
Do you like music?
Yep, I'm crazy about music.
And you played beautiful music, beautiful
sound.
Did you play music
did you like music
when you were young?
Yes, yes.
I went to big dances and things.
What was your favorite
music when you were young?
Well I guess
Cab Calloway
was my number one fan guy
I like
mumbling
What was your favorite Cab Calloway song?
Oh,
Singing: I'll be home for Christmas
You can count plan on me
with plenty of snow
mistletoe
presents
wrapped round your tree
ouh
so in some sense
Henry is restored
to himself
he is
remembered
who he is
and he's reaquired
his identity
for a while through
the power of music
what does music do to you?
It gives me the feeling
of love
romance
I figure right now
the world needs
come into music
singing you've got
beautiful music here
beautiful
oh lovely
and I feel the band of
love of dreams
the lord came
to me and made me holy
i'm a holy man
so
he gave me these sounds
Singing: Rosalee won't you love me, Rosalee won't you
be sweet and kind.
Through this beautiful new technology
you can have all
of the music
which is significant
for you
in something as
big as a matchbox
or whatever
and I think
this may be very
very important in
helping to animate
to organize
and bring
a sense
of identity
back to people who are out of it
otherwise
music will bring you back into it.
Into their own person hood
memories
their own
autobiographies
background music