Choir girl…
I always loved to sing while growing up- my father would sing to us most nights and as we got older we sang with him. I played the piano and had lessons from age 3 to age 18 (don`t get any funny ideas- I used to be an okay player but literally have not played in years) and I also learnt the violin for about three years in highschool. During highschool, until my senior years, I also did music class at school and the teacher at the time asked me to try out for a choir that was just starting that would have 22 students from grades 9 -12(I was grade 9) that would meet twice a week for rehersal and would perform for school functions etc.
I tried out and made it in (Still have no idea how?!) – I also took singing lessons at this time privately and jointly with another girl at school in which we were taught to sing properly including proper breathing tecniques which I know longer use at all when I sing around the house!!! I was also in the large school choir that met once a week that had about 50 students…
Don`t get the wrong idea- I really can not sing well but I guess my previous music training helped seeing as I could read music and play two instruments already and so I knew how to hold a tune even though I was a poor singer compared to the other girls in the special choir.
Anyone who know me now in real life will probably laugh at the fact i was a choir girl- I know I do not seem the type at all. While I went to a religious school we sang mainly jazz and pop in the special choir with just some religious songs that we had to sing on special occasions for school. Singing jazz was always the most fun…
I am no longer musical at all unless you count singing along with the radio- I am not even sure I would be able to read music that well anymore especially piano music and it has been almost 7 years since I picked up a violin and played and almost as long since i sat down at a piano. I have been thinking about getting back into it recently though and would love a keyboard to play around on. When I go to karaoke I mainly choose songs that you get to “scream” out so that I dont actually have to try and sing properly!!!
My brother is still quite musical- while he is doing his degree in civil engineering and graduating later this year I know he contemplated studying music at university which is something I even considered when I was younger. My brother hated music lessons growing up and quit piano after two years but quite enjoyed fiddling around on mum`s old guitar. It was a right handed guitar but my brother is a leftie so he taught himself to play upside down before my parents purchased him a proper left handed acoustic guitar. He took lessons for most of highschool but mostly he was self-taught. I think he owns about 3 guitars now including an electric guitar, plus a bass, a keyboard and my old piano is in our garage at home and he often uses that. While he hated piano when he was younger he went back to it later on but again is mainly selt taught. He plays around with friends a lot and has “jam” sessions and I think he might even be a co-owner of a drum set. Not to mention he has some bongo drums and a harmonica among other instruments littering my mother`s garage.
This is a two part post- listening to itunes today got me thinking about singing and in particular singing to goma-chan.
Goma-chan`s hearing skills will kick in over the next few weeks and already I catch myself talking to him/her and I know that I will eventually start singing to him/her more regulary. I sometimes sing “There`s a kind of hush” to goma-chan at night (my father sang it to us when we were little, it is a Herman`s Hermits song an old British pop band that was around in the 60s- I do not think this band wrote it though) but so far that is the extent of my singing to the bub.
Shun will sing Japanese songs to goma-chan but only if I ask. I know goma-chan can`t hear much, if anything yet but it is still fun.
Other songs that I remember my dad singing to me were “On the Wings of a Snow White Dove”, “Blowin in the wind”, “Oh when the saints”, “Imagine”, “Years may come, years may go” (Another Hermans Hermits hit). One other song my father would often sing was an Italian song called “Ti Amor” that he had a extremely old record of and would put it on when we were little – my father`s best friend is an Aussie Italian guy who came to the wedding and I made sure this song was played so firstly dad and I could dance to it but also so that Joe, dad`s friend also had a dance with me.
There is another song my mum would sing, that was more of a traditional children`s song, that her father had sung to her. which I can not remember now- but I will have to get her to write down the lyrics and re-teach it to me.
I was wondering what songs you sing to your children (or songs that were sung to you when you were a child)- whether it was before they were born or after. Is there a song that you sang that your kids remember and calms them?
I also wonder if goma-chan will turn out musical at all, or have a nice singing voice?
Popularity: 16% [?]
Similar Posts:
My girls each have “their” song. Amy’s is twinkle twinkle little star and Meg’s is Hush little baby (*Mama’s* gonna buy you a mockingbird)- hey if I’m the one singing I get to be the good guy! We must have sung them each literally thousands of times as we walked them to sleep and rocked them to sleep and patted them to sleep and soothed sore knees and sore hearts. If Amy’s really tired or sad she’ll ask me to sing ‘Amy’s twinkle twinkle song’. I really like it.
As for me? My dad barely managed Happy Birthday but my mum used to sing ’speed bonnie boat’ to us when we were little and I still love it.
What song do you want to sing to goma-chan most?
We bought a big pair of headphones when I was preggers w/ Ethan, and I’d put them on my belly, starting around the 6th month. I played him all kids of music, but his favorite was (and still is!) “100 Years” by Five for Fighting. You can by special “baby belly” music these days.
I had most of my kids in the Ally McBeal hey day, so they all had ‘theme songs’.
DD1 was Angel of the Morning, I don’t actually know if that’s what it’s called but i had a Chrissie Hind tape, and I sang that song to her over and over.
DD2, was Annie’s song, ‘you fill up my senses, like a night in the forest…’
DS1 Phil Collins, ‘True Colours’ I see your true colours and that’s why I love you’ prophetic as it turned out.
DS2, That Ronan/Ronin song form Notting Hill, When you say nothing at all.
They all still love me to play ‘their’ song in the car.
To get them to sleep though I sang, Bat Out of Hell by Meatloaf, no not a traditional lullaby I know, but really LONG and I know ALL the words. LOL
I had most of my kids in the Ally McBeal hayday, so they all had ‘theme songs’.
DD1 was Angel of the Morning, I don’t actually know if that’s what it’s called but I had a Chrissie Hind tape, and I sang that song to her over and over.
DD2, was Annie’s song, ‘you fill up my senses, like a night in the forest…’
DS1 Phil Collins, ‘True Colours’ I see your true colours and that’s why I love you’ prophetic as it turned out.
DS2, That Ronan/Ronin song form Notting Hill, When you say nothing at all.
They all still love me to play ‘their’ song in the car.
To get them to sleep though I sang, Bat Out of Hell by Meatloaf, no not a traditional lullaby I know, but really LONG and I know ALL the words. LOL
PS I am also tone deaf!
Oh I am loving these suggestions!
Brenda- I have some headphones we can use! Will wait a couple of weeks until we start that but I am looking forward to it! I have classical music on my ipod as well as a lot of calming music plus some old favourites (like, its a kind of hush!)
Miss Behaving – I love that each of your kids had their own songs! I loved Ally McBeal when it was on and I even have an old soundtrack from the show somewhere- did a quick check and it is not in my itunes but it must be somewhere!!! Might need to get my brother to chase it up!
I know the True Colours song by Cyndi Lauper and Eva Cassidy and it sounds like the same one! Great song! Lots of great covers of it too (will have to youtube the Phill Collins version!)
I did a bit of a google today seeing what other people had used- plus went through my beatles collection and I think Dear Prudence by the Beatles would be a great song- maybe not as a lullaby as it is about waking up! A couple other beatles songs I know all the words too so might do a couple of them- Yellow Submarine, Hello Goodbye anybody?
Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce is another one my dad loved- another great song!!!
Doing a disney search also brought up “baby mine” from Dumbo! I loved that song!
Bit “godly” for my tastes but Ave Maria, Amazing Grace (although reminds me of funerals) and This little light of mine are also quite good maybe?
And if Goma-chan is a boy as I suspect then John Lennon`s Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) will be a favourite I think!
I’m a firm believer that bubs can hear things from within the womb! So sing your heart out to Goma Chan and play lots of music to him/her! He/She will love it and thank you for it later! Christian songs make good lullabyes- you know? Jesus loves me this I know, Father Abraham, If I were a butterfly…I’m sure you’d remember from your own Christian upbringing in childhood. The Beatles songs are definitely at good choice! Good that Shun is singing to baby too! She/he will already be becoming billingual. You should buy some CDs with Japanese kids songs on them or put some on your i-pod so you can hum or sing along while you are out and about. Will also be good for you to learn how to sing Japanese kiddy songs! I really loved this post, Lulu! The reference to 80s songs brought back memories for me
I remember visiting Sarah back in April this year and I really wanted BG to move for me so Sarah starting singing this song that she had apparently being singing to BG for a while!! It was a really really moving experience actually. So, if you can sing, I would sing to goma chan – you never know he could just be listening!!
Naoki really wants our baby to be musical but I am tone-deaf and I don’t even sing to myself in the car, lol!! So unless the baby gets Naoki’s genes I don’t think it has the chance. I might do what Brenda did though and put a pair of headphones on my belly!!
I’m sure it will be a good bonding season for you and bub as well
Especially if Shun joins in!!
I can’t wait to hear what songs goma chan likes/dislikes!
Hmmm I never talked or sang to Ash when he was in my belly, don’t know why, just couldn’t get into it!
I like to sing to him now though and it’s usually a commercial jungle or some cheesy smap or j-pop song! Ryota likes amazing grace so I usually sing that before bed, don’t know if it soothes him or if he’s just so sick of it he pretends to go to sleep but since I haven’t been able to go to karaoke of late I’m constantly singing now!
My college song was “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine” and I used to sing that to Joey when I was pregnant and after he was born and to this day, it is the only song that calms him when he is crying/ sick etc.. When he was a little baby I also used to sing “Close to you” by the Carpenters but “You are my sunshine” is definitely his favourite! I used to drive around alot when I was pregnant so was always listening to music in the car and I used to sing alot when teaching so it isn’t overly surprising that Joey has a good ear for music. He picks up songs very quickly and has been singing in tune since he was quite young. I know it feels silly at the time but I do believe singing along to things helped him. Also when I was pregnant, D spent alot of time playing a Dragon Quest game and Joey used to “dance” around in time to the music of the game.
PS- I was in the choir as school as well. Love music and singing.
Celine Dion put out an *awesome* lullabye CD called “Miracle” when I was prego, it’s really good, we still listen to it. I wasn’t a Celine fan until I heard that CD. “Beautiful Boy” is on it, after we found it E was a boy, that song always (and still does) got me a bit teary-eyed. Love it, love it, love it!
Interesting thoughts here. My mom didn’t really sing much to me, but she always had the radio on in the house, so I have lots of musical memories, esp of the music that was popular at that time, some I loved and some I hated.
My daughter requests for me to sing ABC, London Bridge, Row Row Row your Boat, Ring around the Rosy, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Jingle Bells & Frere Jacques (spelling?). She tries her best to sing along. She also loves to sing and dance with the Wiggles to the best of her ability.
Wee Sing & Twin Sisters Productions are two American production companies that put out tons of CDs chalk full of all those kids songs, holiday songs and campfire songs. We keep them in the car and listen to them constantly…much to my annoyance sometimes.
Haha.. a little embarrased by Nays comment! But its true – I do have a couple songs (ones my mom used to sing to me) that I sing to BG and she DOES react to them… its very cool. Haven’t done it much lately… but maybe she will remember them?
I read somewhere that babies can remember songs or sounds from when they were in the womb up to a year after they are born I think!!
I wonder if BG will be musical – Ryohei and I both are to an extent… although his is more instrumental and mine is more vocal.
BTW- we’ve still never been to karaoke… maybe we can go when I come to get Bg’s passport. Since Goma-chan will be able to hear by then you’ll be able to tell when he/she is reacting to the songs! I did karaoke a few times when BG was around 20-25 weeks and she def. had songs she prefered or hated… not really sure whether the movement was happy or pissed off lol
I haven`t been singing to the baby (though at work I do do the ABC song and a few others a lot). Honestly I hate singing, only time I used to sing back in the US was when I was driving and no one else was in the car with me. T likes to sing but he hasn`t really been talking to my belly at all. (I do tend to talk to it sometimes, and its usually something that the baby is doing so T gives me weird looks sometimes when I tell the baby to settle down so I can sleep or sit comfortably).
I also played the violin from jr high until middle of high school (perhaps 5 years), its been at least 5 years since I last picked it up. At one point in time I wasn`t so bad (never really cared for practicing though).
congrats on your wedding! i love your blog so much and it really helped me while i was in japan and since i left =) i’m so happy for you and your new life back in japan.
Laura, the song I used to sing you was called “Little Sally Walters” and the other one that I seem to remember singing was “There was a Jolly Miller”, very old old songs, I even remember my grand-dad Rist singing them to me when I was little and thats more than 50 odd years ago!!
It was lovely to read that particular blog with all your rememberings….. I will mention to your dad about it, he will get a real kick out of it.
Take Care. Love Mum. Love you.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Barbara
http://keyboardpiano.net