"The Game of Musical Chairs"

sduhf   Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:39 pm GMT
What does this expression mean?

"musical chairs"
?   Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:43 pm GMT
is it relly that hard to google?
Uriel   Sun Aug 09, 2009 7:33 am GMT
It's a children's game, where you march around and around a group of chairs that is one less in number than the amount of kids present. When the music stops, everyone rushes to sit down. The one without a seat is then out of the game. A chair is removed after each round, until there is only one left.

I think it's called something else in the UK, but it's called musical chairs in the US.
Ahab   Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:43 am GMT
Here's a tale that features the game:

http://www.whoisdavidmiscavige.com/musical-chairs-int-base-style/

It explains pretty well how it works.

With happy Summer wishes,

Achab
Robin Michael   Wed Aug 19, 2009 12:51 am GMT
,
,
The expression 'musical chairs' is idiomatic. It is a little bit like:

left holdng the baby

or

passing a hot potato



When people say it is a game of 'musical chairs' they mean that 'when the music stops' everyone has to rush to find a chair. As the number of chairs is being systematically reduced, this becomes more and more difficult.


You can imagine what this is like in a company that is 'downsizing'. One moment everyone has a job, the next moment there are five people but only four jobs. Who will find a 'chair' and who will be shown the door!