singing

Sometimes, I get to singing, at the top of my voice, in tune, with the lyrics, and I think to myself, Damn I'm good, if I could only relax and remember the entire song. That's my main two problems when it comes to singing: I get uptight and my voice cracks as a result, and/or I only know the refrain, or one or two of the stanzas but not the whole thing. Very frustrating. I've long wanted to learn an instrument, but of course I'm really not terribly into practicing, and so I have never gotten myself ept at music.

However, it will happen. Hans, who is musically inclined, is getting himself back into performing (he plays guitar and has one hell of a voice), and as he plays more and sings more and goes off practicing, I recall that yep, I'm reasonably good at music too and actually like to sing, and try to do more in that vein.

Tonight, the song that inspired us both (after Mack the Knife, which I do know by heart) was Under Pressure, by Freddie Mercury and David Bowie. Going over the lyrics of a song again and again forces one to really think about what those words actually mean. In this case, it seems to be about homelessness, and despair, and yet hope: how inner or physical alienation can still be overcome or resisted by paying attention to the things and people one loves. Really, a very hope-filled song, and given that Mercury was dying when this song was written and performed, an amazing piece of music. Something we should pay attention to in this day and age.