A tune I have fallen in love with is Electric Light Orchestra's Mr Blue Sky which features on a recent M&S advert. Everytime that ad comes on Mr Doris hums or sings away perfectly in tune. It is so cheerful and happy and when he joins in it is like a big warm huggle.
At one point I asked him about my humming and how it sounded to him and if it was in tune and unsurprisingly he gave me one of his diplomatically positive answers and told me I had a singular style! Meaning my voice is awful and out of tune.
Over the years I have had singing lessons as I would love to sing in tune and beautifully. At one point in my twenties when I sought out yet another singing class I somehow found myself as a member of a Black Gospel Choir. I really was looking for the singing lessons and sure enough in the adult education leaflets it was billed as singing lessons but in reality it was a fully fledged choir.
Despite my continued protestations that I was looking for the singing class I was absorbed into this choir with some magnificent singers. Me, the sole white person with a terrible voice. I even did a few coach trips with them to different venues in the UK and I still don't know why I didn't get found out. After all I did stand out somewhat. To this day I can't hear Donna Summer's version of State of independence without standing tall and wanting to throw back my head and sing out loud with a big smile on my face. But I don't. At least in a choir you can follow the others and keep in tune... on my own I'm like a fish out of water. It still makes me chuckle to think I even did it.
Original Comments:
Hey you with the pretty face - welcome to the human race!
Gonna pom-ti-pom all the way to school now :-D
Thursday, November 10, 2005 3:06:00 PM
Good for you! :) Singing is good for the soul.
Thursday, November 10, 2005 8:06:00 PM
Oooh, which to sing first? ELO or Donna ...
"This truth will abound the land
The state of independence shall be!"
That was a close one!!
Thursday, November 10, 2005 10:36:00 PM
I love singing too. A friend of mine was teaching me to sing. I got the tape out recently and played it to the boys and it was so embarrassing! At the time I thought I sounded really good. I was singing Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell. I would love to be able to sing properly.
Friday, November 11, 2005 8:06:00 AM
I bet that was a great experience though to be part of the gospel choir!
I have a similar problem with the singing!
My darling hubby thinks it is hilarious to stop the cd in the car just as I'm really singing my heart out to it. Unfortunately without the CD at full volume to hide it my voice sounds very much like a cat being strangled lol. Luckily for him I see the funny side of it!
Friday, November 11, 2005 9:47:00 AM
Funnily enough the same song is being used for a directory inquiries ad over here. I like to sing, when I was teaching children English we did a lot of singing, I really miss it.
Friday, November 11, 2005 9:52:00 AM
I love Mr.Blue Sky.. But you make me feel so old now. I remember that song from when I was young and couldn't get enough of it. And eventhough I didn't speak english at the time I sure was able to hum along.
Now I wish we had that commercial here.
Friday, November 11, 2005 10:22:00 AM
Ah Doris, loud and proud, altogether now (in the words of The Beatles)
"The State of Independence shall be, the state of independence shall be..."
Thats all I can remember on this Friday morning.
Friday, November 11, 2005 12:39:00 PM
LOL You know I am grinning Red Mum!
Friday, November 11, 2005 1:25:00 PM
I totally sympathise ... I once owned a pub and didn't need to ring the bell at closing ... all I had to do was break into song to empty the pub
Honest - I'm not kidding
Friday, November 11, 2005 2:12:00 PM
Singing can bring so much joy to people. Looks like in our cases it can bring joy to us, if not everyone else, well, at least that’s something. He heh.
My sister once described my and her singing voices as such, “Our voices aren’t particularly offensive, they just aren’t something anyone would choose to listen to again.” Our family is extremely talented in the voice department it was difficult growing up as the only two frogs in a bunch of real crooners.
I loved this post Doris, and I can see you singing it loud and singing it proud, in your choir of voices.
Saturday, November 12, 2005 6:49:00 AM
I loved Mr. Blue Sky too. And you just keep on singing!!! Even if you are as out-of-tune as you think you are (which I doubt very much).
Sadly, we compare ourselves to professional singers delivered in recordings, so we sing less, so we sing less well. Break the cycle!
Sunday, November 13, 2005 12:04:00 AM