A bunch of folks, mostly from churches, get together once a month to sing at a nursing home. Well, not at so much as with. We bring songbooks and pass them out, and any residents who wander into our gravitational pull sing along. We call the group Joyful Noise because obvs.
First, we sing some old hymns. I’m talkin’ “The Old Rugged Cross” and “In the Garden” and my grandpa’s favorite, “It Is Well With My Soul”. Then some old secular pieces, like “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” and “Home On the Range”. It’s fun!
We have ladies who play the piano with us, one who plays the flute, and one who fiddles and who punctuates our vocalizations with solo fiddle tunes.
Well, last month, she was the only instrumentalist with us. She’s very good at playing pieces written in one key into another key in which most of us can approximate most of the notes. One tune, though, she tested for highest and lowest notes in this and that key, couldn’t find one she trusted us with, got flustered, and said,
“Oh, just sing it!”
This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. If you have a one-liner, I’d encourage you to join in on the fun. You can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.
A WRITING PROMPT BASED ON MY POST: Write about poor singing that is well received.
MA
Dan Antion
March 21, 2018 at 1:54pm“Old Rugged Cross” is not a fav. I know the words, sang the verses, don’t like it. But, I’d still sing along. Not one to make a fuss about hymns. That’s a nice thing that you do.
Marian Allen
March 21, 2018 at 2:09pmWe really enjoy it. Sometimes the residents really get into it. But the best is when somebody who looks totally out of it starts singing along, and you know you’ve reached in and touched where they still respond to the world. It’s a treat for us.
Teagan R Geneviene
March 21, 2018 at 2:18pmMarian it sounds wonderful.
Many years ago I worked at this (otherwise wretched) place, and one of the guys brought in his guitar, and played during a break. A spontaneous singalong resulted. I turned to the girl across from me, noticing that she was silent and kind of sad, yet wistful.
“Michelle, why aren’t you singing?”
“Oh, nobody ever lets me sing. I can’t carry a tune,” she said resignedly.
That broke my heart.
“Michelle, isn’t the phrase make a joyful noise? The joy is what it’s about. It doesn’t have to be a concert.”
And she sang. Horribly off key. The expression on her face was beautific. She was so happy in that moment.
Keep on singing, Marian.
Marian Allen
March 22, 2018 at 8:09amOh, Teagan! Best. Story. Ever.
Teagan R Geneviene
March 22, 2018 at 8:33amLOL, the rest of the group was not happy with me (for having to hear the singing), but I didn’t care. 🙂