Musical chairs, also known as Trip to Jerusalem, is a game of elimination involving players, chairs, and music. It is a staple of many parties worldwide.

Gameplay

A set of chairs is arranged in a circle with one fewer chair than the number of players (i.e. nine players would use eight chairs). While music plays, the contestants walk around the set of chairs. When the music stops abruptly, all players must find their own individual chair to sit on. The player who fails to sit on a chair is eliminated. One chair is then removed for the next round, and the process repeats until only one player remains and is declared the winner. File:Jornadas WMES (MP) 2022 144.jpg, Before the game File:Jornadas WMES (MP) 2022 148.jpg, Starting the game File:Jornadas WMES (MP) 2022 152.jpg, Reducing numbers File:Jornadas WMES (MP) 2022 173.jpg, Down to the last two File:Jornadas WMES (MP) 2022 175.jpg, A winner!

History of the name

The origins of the game's name as "Trip to

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

" is disputed. However, it is known to come from its German name ''Reise nach Jerusalem'' ("The Journey to Jerusalem"). One theory suggests that the name was inspired by

the Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...

, wherein several heavy losses were incurred. Another theory suggests that it was inspired by the

Aliyah ''Aliyah'' (, ; ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine (region), Palestine region, which is today chiefly represented by the Israel ...

, the immigration of Jews from the

diaspora A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of birth, place of origin. The word is used in reference to people who identify with a specific geographic location, but currently resi ...

to the Land of Israel, wherein it is stated that spaces on ships taking the Jews to the said land were limited. None of these theories have been officially confirmed.

As metaphor

The term "playing musical chairs" is also a

metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide, or obscure, clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are usually meant to cr ...

for describing any activity where items or people are repeatedly and usually pointlessly shuffled among various locations or positions. It can also refer to a condition where people have to expend time searching for a resource, such as having to travel from one gasoline station to another when there is a shortage. It may also refer to political situations where one leader replaces another, only to be rapidly replaced due to the instability of the governing system (see cabinet reshuffle).

In popular culture

The game is featured in the original incarnation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, ''Evita'', during the number ''"The Art of the Possible"'', wherein it serves as a symbolic metaphor of

Juan Perón Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine military officer and Statesman (politician), statesman who served as the History of Argentina (1946-1955), 29th president of Argentina from 1946 to Revolución Libertad ...

's rise to power. In this sequence, Peron and a number of military officers play the game, which the former wins. The game is used on the lenten special of '' Sunday PinaSaya'' entitled "Trip to Jerusalem" aired on

GMA Network GMA Network (an acronym of its legal name, Global Media Arts and commonly known as GMA) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine commercial broadcast network, serving as the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network (company), ...

in April 9, 2017. It featured the young girl Jessie (played by Barbie Forteza).

References

{{Party games Party games Children's games

Culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

Metaphors Outdoor games

Chairs A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. It may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or Upholstery, upholstered ...

Gameplay

History of the name

As metaphor

In popular culture

See also

References