Sing while we wander
As this season takes on closer importance, I am struck by one thing that does not happen around here. Call it karaoke at your doorstep. I cannot speak to how it was in olden times but apparently people used to go from door to door singing festive music. Simple seasonal songs. Why, even I became involved at one point a long time ago. Everything comes down to culture and in my culture, we will go to church on Christmas Eve and sing those songs, but I had friends who believed it was their duty to bring joy to all their friends and neighbours. By standing in their driveway yelling out music in a major key. I will not go so far as to refer to it as musical, but we were young and what did we know. I can speak out now because some of those involved in my wander are now gone. No chance of being arrested for breaking the peace. We all learn those seasonal pieces of music. Songs that can be given to people with little musical background knowing that the major key will save them. I have actually found someone on YouTube who has reworked those same songs in minor keys, and I find the effort fascinating. Well, I sit around and sing those songs this year? That would surprise me and anyone else in the house. Will they play them in the background as a soundtrack to my life? Probably because there’s not much else available that everyone knows common songs for the common person. No need to go and learn voice techniques to sing Jingle Bells which I insist is not a seasonal song at all. And did you know that almost any child who has been in band club class class will be able to play these songs after several months of training? Wonderful. You may notice sarcasm in my voice. Remember keep it simple. No harmony involved. Altogether in unison let us sing in unison.
