If at first you don’t succeed
I grew up in a musical environment. My mother always had a song on her lips for whatever the occasion. When she didn’t know the words, la la la would suffice. There were times when it seemed every song began like that. I suppose I take after my mother in the musical sense, I’ve always been in awe of the great song and lyric writers – Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart etc- with the gift to compose long lasting melodies.
Quite a few years ago I entered a song competition at the Lyceum ballroom in the Strand….which is now a theatre where the “Lion King” is showing. I went with a friend who also fancied himself as a crooner…..I was called up first….after singing three lines I forgot the words (of a new song “Prisoner of Love”) which I attempted to learn that very day…..the MC thanked me and suggested I learn the lines before attempting it again ….I think he said try your local pub……though I must inform you I left the stage without a tear streaming down my face.
My friend watched my predicament with a wide smile…….but, as they say revenge is sweet…..his turn came and he folded up after two lines…..we both called it a day and drowned our sorrows with a milk shake….
how times have changed.
Some years later when walking through Piccadilly with my daughter, we went into a shopping arcade which had a recording booth. She asked me to pop in and record a song to take back to Canada (where she lived) as a memento. I looked at the list of songs and chose “My Way”. Emerging from the booth there was a crowd of people applauding me – the DJ had relayed my rendition outside the booth.
From then on I entered various competitions and won a big one at “Up the Creek” club in Greenwich. Someone once asked me if I ever get nervous on stage, to which I reply – if you have confidence in your ability to do something you like doing, go for it.
