Some people have music in their soul. All they have to do is sit down at a piano and play Beethoven’s Fifth – or at least The Third Man Theme. Others pick up an instrument and play all sorts of stuff – like The Hot Canary on the violin. There are many people who do not need a musical accompaniment, but can sing like Mario Lanza, Eddie Arnold, or whoever. As I said above, “They have music in their soul.”
Then, there are people like me whose soul or at least their DNA is apparently completely devoid of any music ability. This awareness came to me at an early date when a grade school music teacher said that, “I had the worst singing voice she ever heard”. Now I realize that being number one in various matters is considered good, and one might even get a notice in the local newspaper. However, that particular category would most likely not make it.
Since this teacher was not pleased with my voice, I was determined to take lessons on a musical instrument – the classical tonette. After a few sessions she politely inquired as to how I could be so smart in class and so stupid in music. I told her that it was most likely a gift from my ancestors. She did not particularly care for that response so I reluctantly gave up my desire to be the world’s greatest tonette player. Actually that was my best shot to be the greatest in a musical sense as there are very few tonette players lounging around. In fact, I will admit that even if I had received that accolade, they would probably still not accept me in any of The Villages’ Orchestras.
This lack of a musical soul showed up as I went through life. When I went to college, they had fraternity “Spring Sings.” The obvious point of this was to see which fraternity could wow the audience the best with their soulful singing. My fraternity took the concrete position that not only could I not join in the singing,
but I was not even to stand up with the rest of the fraternity for the fear that I might actually join in the singing. This despite the fact, mind you, that I offered to sing “Marizy Doats” in all its splendor. I made this offer as it was the only song to which I knew all the words. Regrettably, I was turned down flat.
As life went on, I ran into other comments on my music ability. I recall once being at a party and the band was playing a catchy tune. I was sitting there tapping my toe in time with the beat of the music. A woman sitting next to me laughed, and said “You are just like my husband, he can’t keep time to music either”. I could go on with other examples, but I decided some time ago that I would clap for other people and indicate that I had a sore throat if asked to join in Christmas carols or the like.
Now you are probably wondering why I am bringing this up. Well, the fact is that The Blonde in the house has been taking music lessons at a musical emporium where she purchased an organ. As a result of that not only does she get to take as many lessons as she wants, but she found out that I can too. She swears that the beginning lessons are such that I can no doubt learn something. Thus the situation in the Evans household is – will I succumb to this call to awaken my musical soul – such as it is.
I know one thing I will request before I make a move – a background check to make certain that the lady instructor is not the granddaughter or other relative of my old music teacher back in Sandy Lake, PA!
Barry Evans writes about Life in The Villages for Villages-News.com