John Smyth wrote:

>Next, practice saying, "too die for," as in "this recording is "to die
>for." I know it will be hard, but think of the masculinely safe world of
>the construction site, and say "two by four," and then change the "by,"
>to "die." It's easy, you can do it.:)

Ever the practical man, impatient w/ nonsense, Martin Crane, the father of
Frazier and Niles in the "Frazier" sitcom, says, "Your country is to die
for", not a wine or a meal, etc.

Without going into the philosophy of whether one's country is indeed worth
dying for, I think the phrase "to die for" applied to music is hyperbole
which diminishes by its excess, something like the praise of Lear's two
older daughters.

Now if the expression "Music to live for" could only gain wider
acceptance....

Walter Meyer