September 2009
Everyone can sing!
I passed a park yesterday with a band
shell sitting forlornly midst the trees
and was transported back to the days of
my youth when on a given Sunday
afternoon, there would be a band concert
with a Sing-A Long. Strangely, when I
returned from my stint in the Navy four
years later, the tradition had virtually
ended, except for the occasional event.
Way back when, in the days when radio
was in its infancy and balmy spring and
summer nights beckoned, people actually
left their respective dwellings and met
in parks and on the beaches to join in
song and listen to the local Barber Shop
Quartet. Everyone sang, with few
exceptions. At the Saturday Matinee
double feature, in addition to the
cartoon, one was often treated to a
Sing-A Long—Follow the bouncing
ball! Everyone knew all of the songs,
passed down from generation to
generation. Another reason was the book
of songs in virtually every school kid’s
desk.
This book was a collection of old songs
that were a part of “everyone’s” musical
experience. Columbia the Gem of the
Ocean, By the Light of the Silvery Moon,
America the Beautiful, In the Evening by
the Moonlight, Shine on Harvest Moon,
Abdul, the Bulbul Amir, God Bless
America … Abdul, the Bulbul Amir?
With the arrival of TV … something
lovely and vital was lost and as a
consequence millions and millions of
people never learned to sing … because
there were no Sing-A Long’s anymore! Why
is that so important, one might ask?
Because, when learning to sing in a
group, at an early age when everyone
else was doing it … it just happened!
Most people have the potential to be
natural singers and when they grow up
around others who sing all of the time …
they do as well. For those who were less
gifted or vocally challenged, the full
sound of the combined voices helped mask
the imperfections until they were swept
along with the tide.
An anecdote: I remember my third grade
teacher who was so pretty, I sat in the
first seat of my row to be near her. A
few days after our first singing
session, she moved me to the last seat
in my row. I was crushed and couldn’t
help giving evidence of such … A few
days later, she took me aside and asked
what was wrong. I managed to get out why
I was so distressed and she laughed
softly and said, “So that’s it. Richie,
I moved you back there because you are
such a strong singer, when you sing up
through the rest of the class, they all
sing better!” I still wanted to sit in
the front seat …
The sons of the prophet are hardy and
bold And quite unaccustomed to fear But
the bravest of all was a
man I am told Named Abdul, the Bulbul
Amir …
JULY 09 - PRINCE
IMRAN RAZA STATESMAN/ROCK STAR
JUNE 09 - ANOTHER
NATURAL SINGER - DAVID BURKE
MAY 09
-DISCOVERY OF VOICE
APRIL
09
- I'M SICK, BUT I HAVE TO
PERFORM TONIGHT Part 2
MARCH
09
- I'M SICK, BUT I HAVE TO
PERFORM TONIGHT
FEBRUARY
09
- SINGING IN ENGLISH
JANUARY
09
- GETTING AN AGENT AND/OR MANAGER (Part
4)
DECEMBER 08
- GETTING AN AGENT AND/OR MANAGER (Part
3)
NOVEMBER 08
-
GETTING AN AGENT AND/OR MANAGER (Part 2)
OCTOBER 08
- GETTING AN AGENT AND/OR MANAGER (Part
1)
SEPTEMBER 08
- HEAVY BREATHING ADVISED FOR JOCKS
AUGUST 08
-
THE VAGARIES OF
AUDITIONS AND AUDITIONING (Part 3)
JULY 08
-
THE VAGARIES OF AUDITIONS AND
AUDITIONING (Part 2)
JUNE 08
-
THE VAGARIES OF AUDITIONS AND AUDITIONING
(Part 1)
MAY 08
- ABSENCE OF TENSION
APRIL 08
-
THE FLAT TONGUE TECHNIQUE AND HOW DO YOU
MAKE A VOWEL
MARCH 08
-
THE VOICE COACHING THAT MADE MY
CAREER
FEBRUARY 08
- WHAT ARE YOU SINGING?
JANUARY 08
-
VIBRATO/WOBBLE
DECEMBER
07
-
BREATHING
REVISITED
NOVEMBER 07
-
HOW TO
KILL A COLD IN FIVE DAYS
OCTOBER 07
- A BIT MORE
SUPPORT
SEPTEMBER
07
- MORE SUPPORT
AUGUST 07
-
INTRO &
BREATHING/SUPPORT