Skip to main content

Thursday, May 2nd Sing-along Café Review

 The theme was Earth and Peace, and we enjoyed a few leftover la-las too. We concluded that we could attain Peace on Earth if more women gathered like us to sing and talk about love and how to care for our planet and the people on it. Renate thinks we should have more easy-to-sing la-las in songs so that everyone can sing along. Surely we can achieve harmony in the world by singing in harmony.

Here's the list of what we sang and listened to (I'm hearing that people love reading these lists!)

  • Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong (bonus for early arrival and Harold)
  • Fly Like an Eagle by Steve Miller Band
  • Havana (no rap version) by Camila Cabello
  • Rich Girl by Gwen Stefani
  • Peace Train by Cat Stevens
  • Blue Skies by Ella Fitzgerald
  • I See the Light by Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi
  • Calypso by John Denver
  • Earth Song by Michael Jackson, Video and sing-along
  • Blowin' in the Wind by Bob Dylan
  • Give Me Love by George Harrison
  • Someday at Christmas by Stevie Wonder
  • Hymn to Freedom by Oscar Peterson
  • We Shall be Free by Garth Brooks
  • Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw
  • Imagine by John Lennon
  • Dont' Worry, Be Happy by Bobby Mc Ferrin
We did more talking than usual, but we had big stuff to talk about. We had some heavy moments. We were especially heavy-hearted watching the video of Michael Jackson's song Earth Song. I've included a link to that here below. It's a beautiful song with a very satisfying la-la (oohs& ahs and a keychange), an easy and strong gospel response section, and a powerful message, but, brace yourself when you watch the video (tissues nearby). 

We talked about Mother Theresa's message of peace: "Peace and war begin at home. If we truly want peace in the world, let us begin by loving one another in our own families. If we want to spread joy, we need for every family to have joy." Everyone needs to feel loved, seen, appreciated. It's not easy right at home in our families, so it's really difficult out there in the world. A home, good food, music, a support system, health care, education, a clean environment, ...why can't everyone have peace and joy?

We shared experiences we had and our parents and grandparents had with exclusion, racism, and just ignorant shaming. We had lots of laughs too, and good memories, and we are grateful for what we have and for each other, and for this evening of loving fellowship we have every week. 

Thank God for the creative and sometimes very unusual people who make music and write lyrics to help us to feel and wonder and understand! Our culture is finally beginning to see how important diversity is. 

We had store-bought cookies, but it didn't matter at all. It was a lovely evening in lovely company.

Next week, on May 9th, ahead of Mother's Day, our theme will be Family and Home. 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thursday, April 18 Sing-along Café Review

The theme for the evening was: Songs with La-las (and other nonsense: ooh, doo-dah, na-na, scoobie-doobie, bum-ba-bum, hey!). I call all of these little non-word lyrics la-las. They're often my favourite part of a song. Everyone can sing those words, usually. With scat singing, not usually, and with yodeling, not everyone. But, think about the Beatles song Hey Jude. At the end, everyone can sing along with the na-nas and some of us even like to harmonize with them. When my daughter was writing songs, I urged her to put some nonesense la-las in her songs. Don't worry about finding beautiful, powerful words for all the verses, or all the lines of the chorus. Sometimes, the lack of words makes a melody more powerful.  Here's the list of songs we sang and listened to: Can't Get You Out of My Head   by Kylie Minogue Everything   by Michael Bublé Those Were the Days   by Mary Hopkin Hey Jude   by the Beatles Tom's Diner   by Suzanne Vega &DNA De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
Post a Comment
Read more

Thursday, April 11 Sing-along Café Review

The theme for the evening was: Songs with Instumentals that We Sing.  The easiest way to introduce this theme is "Sweet Caroline, BA-BA-BA!". Everyone sings along with the brass section, singing like trumpets. There's also a little instrumental interlude that I sing along with. I almost always sing la-las (or ba-ba, da-da, nya-nya, doo, dit, bop...) for the instrumental introductions and interludes in songs. I sing with classical instrumental music, joking that "I know all the words." I'm not the only one. You do this too. Here's the list of songs we sang: Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond A Taste of Honey by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Wipe Out by the Surfaris The Fool on the Hill by the Beatles I'll Never Fall in Love Again by Dionne Warwick Windy by The Association Careless Whisper by George Michael True by Spandau Ballet Down Under by Men at Work Feeling Good by Michael Bublé More Than a Feeling by Boston Baker Street by Gerry Raffer
Post a Comment
Read more

New Name of My Singing Night: Sing-along Café

 
Post a Comment
Read more