Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..

Subject: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Pseudolus
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 11:36 AM

I mentioned this in another thread and it has brought up a question that I'd be interested to hear. On Saturday night I had a gig and at one point I started to sing "Rhymes and Reasons" by John Denver and when I got to the lines "Though the city starts to crumble, and the towers fall around us", I just stopped singing. I kept playing the guitar and frankly no one really noticed that I had stopped singing (it was an understandably preoccupied crowd). In any case, what songs will you not sing, paid gig or not, because you either can't or won't? For that matter what songs help you?

For myself, I do a lot of songs that are intended to be funny. Last Saturday, I did none of them. That won't last forever, but it certainly did affect Saturday night.

How about you?
Frank

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Bert
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 11:47 AM

Hi Frank,

Last Saturday I did exactly the same as you and cut all of my funny/silly songs, despite requests. I just didn't feel like singing them.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: GUEST,bbc at work
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 11:51 AM

We heard "Going to Heaven on an Airplane" the other night & it really made me cringe. Things have a meaning now that they never did before. Sigh.

bbc

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Pseudolus
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 11:54 AM

And the odd thing is that some of the songs I've thought about, including Rhymes and Reasons, might only have a line or a phrase that is difficult but it's hard to sing through them anyway.....

Frank

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 12:04 PM

*Singing*

"Leeeeeavin' on a jetplane... don't know when I'll be back again..."

*Ouch!*

Ummm... songs I can't bring myself to sing? Exactly the opposite... I'm singing the hell out of all the disaster songs that I can think of... played a benefit for the Hook And Ladder club last week to raise money, and did "Cold Missouri Water" by James Keelaghan! They frigg'n LOVED it! The Mary Ellen Carter is getting a hell of a lot of play...

The songs I can't bring myself to sing, are the same crap old garbage songs as I always CAN'T sing... 7 Old Ladies, 7 Drunken Nights, The Unicorn, Drunken Sailor...

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Hollowfox
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 01:24 PM

(slight thread creep) Last Sunday I decided to give my three teens a treat as a reward for a job well done, so we went to take in a movie. We saw Jackie Chan in Rush Hour 2, and it was well done for what it was. Still, the first scene (an aerial view of Hong Kong, looking *down* on all those skyscrapers) and the ffirst "action" bit (a bomb going off in the upper stories of a skyscraper as seen from the outside, with windows bursting outward, flames, smoke, etc) really creeped me out.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 01:38 PM

I find myself singing the last verse of The Evening Star over and over again trying to make sense of it.

"In how many how many homes
Far distant in country and town
A light was put out
In dread, in doubt
When the Evening Star went down?"

But there is nothing I can't sing. I think I am still too numb and confused.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 01:40 PM

I always get a creepy feeling when people sing The Titanic as a fun song.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: kendall
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 01:42 PM

Shenandoah. Too pretty for me to sing.
Star spangled banner, too damn hard to do.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Hasek
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 02:04 PM

Dear Catters, I will admit that I didn't target the " President " at all in any of my humour this weekend , although, I did include an awful lot of humour in my 2 gigs . I did this knowing , the risk, however, believing we ALL needed a break , possibly through entertainment. And I admit , I was a bit more conscious of the choice of material that I played. With that being stated , I am of this frame of mind this week and will approach my gigs with this attitude. I will play my sets, as reasonably as I can , with as much thought, concern and compassion as I can , however, a great song ( That audiences can relate to or drift away with ) ex. The Edmund Fitzgerald , Leaving on a Jet Plane, There but for Fortune , should be played because; it's your way of reaching your audience , honestly and not giving in to having your music set list dictated to you by issues you haven't any control. Each artist/performer will edit their own message that they send to the audience , however, I really believe that the majority of the Mudcat Community will rise up even more as the dust begins to settle and voice their feelings and opinions ,freely , today and in the days to come.

Mike Strobel

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Mrrzy
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 02:19 PM

O daddy don't go to the mines today, for dreams have so often come true, oh daddy dear daddy please don't go away for I never could live without you...

My daddy flies that ship in the sky... (all the way to) ...don't be afraid if it gets dark and raaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiins, my dad'll bring your daddy back home again...

Anything patriotic except My Country 'Tis of Thee... (there MUST be other god-free America songs, where are they all? And I know that MCToT has gods in it later, at least they stay out of the first verse)...

Anything religious at all, even Amazing Grace... I still think my greatest fear is of this going from The Civilized Against The Barbarians to Christians/all others against Islam.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 02:39 PM

Just think of the references to God as allegorical, Mrzzy--

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 02:48 PM

There's no God in "Star Spangled Banner". Or in This Land is Your Land". Or Yankee Doodle for that matter. Or Dixie.

I can't see why people say Star Spangled Banner is hard to sing - or rather I can't see why that's any reason for Americans to enjoy singing it. The time's it sounds best is when it's sung by people who aren't that good, but mean it - like at that Changing of the Guards.

When it sounds bloody horrible, like most songs, is when some diva squawks off at as public event overegging the pudding and the emotionalism.

My Country 'tis of Thee? That's the one with the same tune as God Save the Queen isn't it? Terrible tune, in my view.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 03:16 PM

Mother McCree

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 03:30 PM

Right now I find it hard to sing songs with simple answers. I also agree with Leaving on a Jet Plane. Also the Manning Mine Disaster.

I don't know 'bout you folks, but movie special effects will never quite fascinate me like they used to. Mostly the jumping stunts will affect me.

"Bungie jumping, anyone," she asks with a heavy heart.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: RangerSteve
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 07:24 PM

Religious songs about the end of the world. I don't mind listening to tunes like He Will Set Your Fields on Fire, or Trials, Troubles, Tribulations. But I prefer uplifting gospel songs. Outlaw ballads, and especially murder ballads are out. Ever since I got into law enforcement, it's hard to sing about the people that I have to arrest, even if they do get their just deserts. And outlaw songs where the guys are held up as heroes are especially annoying.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Joe_F
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 08:08 PM

McGrath of Harlow: There is plenty of God in the Star-Spangled Banner if you go all the way to the end:

O thus be it ever when free men shall stand Between their loved homes and the war's desolation. Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation. Then conquer we must when our cause it is just. Let this be our motto: in God is our trust, And the star-spangled banner ever shall, etc.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: GUEST,Genie
Date: 19 Sep 01 - 10:37 PM

Not folk songs, but commonly done and hard to sing now:
Sidewalks of New York
I'll Take Manhattan
Autumn In New York
New York, New York (either the more recent Frank Sinatra one or the older, "a toddlin' town," one.)
Genie

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: GUEST,Arjay
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 07:28 AM

Right now, I don't quite feel like singing some of the humorous anti-war songs, such as:
The Merry Minuet
We Will All Go Together When We Go
The Wild West Is Where I Want To Be
Let's Drop The Big One (Randy Newman)
I hope it won't be too long before I can poke fun at the foibles of war again.

Subject: Lyr.: Mary Ellen Carter
From: GUEST,Marian
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 04:57 PM

Salut!

Is there anybody who knows the lyrics to a song I heard on a "Timlin&Kane" record it's called Mary Ellen Carter. The only thing I do remember is: I saw the Mary ellen Carter rise again, rise again, rise again. Like it very much. If there's someone who knows the song, please post the lyrics !

Thanks, Marian

Subject: Ups...
From: GUEST,Marian
Date: 20 Sep 01 - 05:01 PM

Oh I thought this thread would appear not as an reply to "songs you can't..." sorry but I came thinking of the song because Clinton Hammond mentioned the song

I will post it on the forum again

Marian

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: steve in ottawa
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 05:37 PM

I had trouble supporting, in public: (Gonna Lay Down My Sword and Shield) Down By the Riverside.

I had a deliciously sinful feeling the first time I sang "Leaving on a Jet Plane" last week (but I wouldn't do that with an audience).

Everyone reacts differently. I found many songs seemed unbearably sad on the 12th. By the 14th I could sing again, but many songs will carry different emotions for a while, or forever.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 07:26 PM

Guest Marian, type Mary Ellen Carter into the Digitrad search at the top of the page.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 07:47 PM

Hmmmmm - Not sure about this. Do we now end up with a load of songs that fall into the 'Non-PC' category? Don't get me wrong. It was an awful set of events. No joke should ever be made of it. But songs with towers, airplanes, death and war existed long before 2001. I know what you are saying - these songs are now hard for you to sing. But that is why you should sing them. If you don't the terrorists are getting to you.

Going now - I'm rambling.

It will get easier

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: GUEST,Genie
Date: 21 Sep 01 - 11:41 PM

I didn't see this one coming, but I recently sang "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" at a retirement home, and I nearly choked when, pretty much on autopilot, I sang the first line, which starts
"See them tumbling down... ."
It didn't and won't keep me from singing the song, but I guess there are many lines out there that will take on a new connotation when we sing them now.
Genie

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Sep 01 - 12:16 AM

Well, these are two that seem to be very popular now, but God Bless the U.S.A. and This Is MY Country are just too jingoistic for me. Maybe we're going to have to go to war over all this, but I certainly can't find it in myself to be proud of it.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Sep 01 - 10:03 AM

I've just been trying out InOBU's song about the firefighters - and I kept on having to stop. I don't know if I'm going to be able to get through it in public without cracking up.

Subject: RE: Songs you can't bring yourself to sing..
From:
Date: 23 Sep 01 - 01:30 AM

there is nothing funny about the foibles of war. Trust me. mg