Signed up to sing!

I signed up for a singing group today. And it made me feel good! I love singing - I've always loved singing - especially when it's along with other people. It's years since I've been part of any kind of formal 'group' - in fact, the last time would've been when I was still at school.

I actually cringe when I think back to some of the performances that 'The Greenfaulds Theatre Group' put on, however it was great fun, especially when the whole chorus was belting out an old favourite to an always appreciative audience (it was always solely made up of family, friends and friends of family!) For years now I've toyed with the idea of getting back into something along those lines again. Well, actually, maybe not quite along the lines of the amateur dramatics palaver as the last thing I want to do is dress up again in a hideous, smelly outfit that's been worn by hundreds of other folk in other amateur dramatic productions the length and breadth of the country; go on stage looking like a clown because of over-the-top makeup that's been applied by over-the-top 'backstage' helpers and have to learn a score-full of silly dialogue that has to be spoken in a cringe-worthy American accent! Fond, but embarrassing, memories of 'Oklahoma' and 'Showboat' are coming flooding back!

Most of my singing exploits as an adult have consisted of various sessions with a Budweisser bottle, CD player and a bunch of good mates. (Apart from this one time when some of my friends treated me to a session in a recording studio for my 40th birthday. For 3 hours I was the new singing sensation, Mamma Milne, with my pals stepping in on backing vocals. I loved that, even though I was pretty scunnered when one pal in particular called Pamela turned out to be a much better singer than me, which meant I had to sing very loudly to drown her out!)

I'm not a brilliant singer, by any manner of means, but I can usually hold a note. (Apart from this one time when we were on holiday in Kos and it seemed like a good idea to take hold of the microphone from the resident bar singer to teach him the proper Scottish version of 'She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain When She Comes'. Copious amounts of alcohol and a bundle of holiday spirit helped me to produce the most painfully, out-of-tune rendition probably ever sung of the song. That was twenty odd years ago and poor Alex has never forgiven me yet!) But, that's the beauty of singing with a group; you don't have to be a brilliant singer. It's more about getting together and just having a good sing-song - and I don't know why I've put off joining in with something locally before now.

I'm really looking forward to getting started in a few weeks, though I'm keeping my fingers crossed - for the sake of the rest of the group as well as my own - that the repertoire won't include one particular old Scottish favourite that tells a tale of physically abused grannies on public transport.....