Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. talking, esp. complaints or nagging.

a.1701		N. Ward Revels of the Gods 8: Their Tongues are more Noisy to me than a Drum; / And always make Musick where evere they come.
1878		Bismarck (ND) Weekly Trib. 24 May 2/4: ‘Get out, you young vagabones,’ says the janitor [...] ‘Vagabone yourself,’ chimed Teddy, ‘an’ no music.’.
1881		Manchester Courier 25 June 5: A Texas Mother-In-Law [addressing a policeman] Wanted to amperate my jaw, the little brassy whelp! [...] You had better find that son or thar’ll be music.
1907		D. Stewart Shadows of the Night in Illus. Police News 5 Oct. 12/2: ‘You’re too quiet, an’ I must git some music out of yer. I think this rope’ll make yer sing’.
1972		G.V. Higgins Friends of Eddie Coyle 17: Then the old lady starts the music about how I never stay home.

2. (UK Und.) a term used among highwaymen to signify that an individual is a friend and must not be hindered on their journey; usu. in phr. the music’s paid.

1652		Jonson, Fletcher & Middleton Widdow III i: You must pay your Musick, sir Where ere you come.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Musick. It makes ill Musick, of any unwelcome . . . News. . . . The Musick’s paid, the Watch-word among High-way-men, to let the Company they were to Rob, alone, in return to some Courtesy.
1725		New Canting Dict.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Musick, the watch word among highwayman, signifying the person is a friend, and must pass unmolested.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

3. (Irish) the ‘tail’ of a coin [the ‘tail’ or reverse side of an Irish halfpenny or farthing bore the image of a harp].

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1802		M. & R. Lovell Edgeworth Essays on Irish Bulls 129: ‘Music!’ says he – ‘Skull!’ says I.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1812		Spirit of Irish Wit 102: Music signified harps; (the impression on an Irish halfpence).
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1997		Share Slanguage.

4. (UK Und.) a verdict of ‘not guilty’.

1859

Matsell Vocabulum.

5. (US) amusement, fun, lively speech.

1826		Vulgarities of Speech Corrected.
1841		Sydney Herald 26 Oct. 2/4: Mr Rennie gave an immense number of examples of similar slang [...] music, for ‘fun;’ a good hand, for ‘dextrous’ or ‘expert;’ peckish, for ‘hungry;’ sticks, for ‘household furniture;’ seedy, for ‘poor;’ spliced, for ‘married’.
1859		Bartlett Dict. Americanisms (2nd edn) 285: Jim is a right clever fellow; there is a great deal of music in him .
1872		Schele De Vere Americanisms 618: Music is in many parts of the Union used as a synonym for fun or frolic, and hence, perhaps, musical means, in New England at least, humorous, funny.
1890		Century Mag. (N.Y.) 3907/3: Music, [...] diversion; sport; also, sense of the ridiculous [DA].
1936		Operator 1384 Scourge of the Desert 4: ‘I suggest a bottle of wine might be welcome.’ McCann’s grin broadened. ‘That sounds like real good music to me, Colonel’ .

6. (US) gunfire.

[1687		A. Lovell (trans. M de Thevenot) Travels I 225: With that another Volley of great and small Shot: When this Musick had lasted about an Hour, they continually Firing, and our Boys caling to them [etc.] ].
1864		C.W. Wills Army Life of an Illinois Soldier 327: Have heard no ‘music’ today [OED].
1915		D.W. King letter ? Aug. in L.M. 8046 (1927) 140: My Lord, those guns are busy. [...] They move up and down the line, concentrating, and giving each a bit of music for a while.
1937		T. Brennan Death Squads in Morocco 135: He threw an order over his shoulder. I got a bead on the spot he indicated and the music began.