Anyone who plays a musical instrument knows all about practicing. I myself have spent many unpleasant hours practicing the piano, and now I wish I had practiced more and payed more attention so that I could play without being terrified. I rehearse two hours a week with the bell choir, and sometimes I even “practice” at home. That’s quite an odd looking handbell mime, as we don’t have handbells at home, so I have to just pretend like I’m playing as I read through the hard parts on the music. Like air handbells. Yes, the kids laugh at me.
The kids are supposed to practice the piano every day, right? I’m pretty lax about it and don’t make them practice more than about 20 minutes a day (and they don’t always do every day, either), although I know they should probably practice for longer. I want them to be proficient so that they could play in church, accompany for singing and just be comfortable playing the piano in front of people. I’ve told them that lessons are mandatory until they are 16 years old. And they have to play the piano, but if they want to do another instrument, they can choose. Usually I like listening to them practicing. I can tell if they’ve finally gotten over a rough spot, and it’s fun to hear them improving.
There are times, however, when listening to them practicing is not quite so fun. Take, for instance, when Natalie decides to practice at 7am on Sunday morning. My bed is almost directly over the piano, so I can hear it pretty well. And the song she chooses to start with? Reveille. The only way it could have been more annoying would be to play it on a bugle! I don’t particularly love it when Cole blasts The Phantom of the Opera on the flute for the millionth time, but I try to go to a place farther away and just tough it out until he’s done (he doesn’t really know how to play softly). Or when Cole played his latest song, “Variations on a Sea Chanty”, which is really just this song. I really hate that song. I hate it even more than the horse with no name song; which I hate.
Why is it that we come to hate songs? Ryan hates The Little Drummer Boy. Par-ump-a-pum-pum. How can anyone hate a lovely Christmas song like that? Oh well, he just does. I’m not particularly fond of the overplayed sappy Christmas shoes song (and no, I’m not going to justify it with a link. So there!) My sister-in-law, Julene hates this song by the beach boys. I’m not sure why, and I’m sure there’s a story behind it, but all I know is whenever I hear that song now, I just think, “Oh, Julene hates this song.” Funny, huh?
Well, the reason I hate the drunken sailor song stems back to my early days as a missionary for the LDS church in Duesseldorf, Germany. I had a companion who loved to sing. Nothing wrong with that, ladies and gentlemen, as I also love to sing. But she would get a song in her head and sing it endlessly (or at least it seemed endless) while we were tracting. Between knocking on doors and hearing “Keine interesse! or Ich bin Katholisch und das reicht,” from grumpy German hausfrauen, I have to listen to this companion singing “What do we do with a drunken soldier….” ad nauseum. When she got bored with that, she translated it (poorly) into German, and would sing, “Was sollen wir tun mit ein betrunken soldatten …” (not knowing the real German word for soldier, she’d just make something up). God bless her and her enthusiasm, but now whenever I hear that song, my left eye begins to twitch and I have to Make. it. stop!
So, what are the songs you hate, and why? Is there a story behind your hating that song, or do you just not like it? Inquiring minds want to know. I want to know.
The songs that have stuck in my head have been numerous over the years but FORTUNATELY, I can’t remember any of them at this time.
Your mission story reminded me of mine because I was like your companion. One of my favorite songs was “He Hears Me” and I’d belt it out over and over again. Finally, my exasperated comp finally proclaimed, “YES, AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE.” 🙂
I hate that song “One night in Bangkok” that they play on the radio STILL. I mean, that song was spent back in 84 and they STILL play it. Everytime it comes on, I have to switch the station. Then I had a friend over and that song came on and she said, “Oh, I love this song.” WHAT???? I always thought it was about a night in Bangkok w/ a prostiute, but she says it is about a big chess tournament that took place there. Whatever – still stupid.
Also, side note: I tell my children that they can quit piano just as soon as they can play every hymn in the hymn book. Meg has figured out that it will be a while, but Eli gets all excited and says “Then I’ll go learn another hymn”. I just smile and say, “You do that, son. You do that.”
I’m bad a person – you’ll find out when I tell you that I really DISLIKE “called to serve” I guess it comes from hearing it so much on a mission.
Oh, and I hate “Tainted Love”. What a dumb song. It doesn’t even have a real melody line. Duh!
You probably don’t want to hear this, but you SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH YOUR PIANO LESSONS LONGER!! But, I know, life was soooo busy in high school and you just didn’t have time, and I know you weren’t enjoying it. There’s lots of songs I don’t like, but I can’t think of any. I also don’t have a favorite hymn, but everyone else in the world seems to.
Be sure to read Amy’s blog about her trip to Arches.
Mom
Okay, you know you’re getting old when “your” songs start being featured on those infomercials for music of those times. It is because of their latest advertisements for the best love songs ever that Samantha goes into minor convulsions whenever they start to play “Right Here Waiting” by Richard Marx. It gets stuck in her head for days!
I always have to turn off the radio for my husband when “Devil Inside,” “Another One Bites the Dust,” or “Black Velvet” come on. I really hate “Red Red Wine” because it has such a catchy tune, but I find myself singing how much I love to drink wine if I leave it on, and I hate that!
I just heard the old 60s hippie song “Hair” redone on Sesame Street as I was typing this. It was about good hygiene.
I’m gonna have to stick with Ryan and Julene. I don’t like the Little Drummer Boy and can’t stand ANY Beach Boys song anymore–almost as much as I hate any Barry Manalow song. But the WORST song on the planet that sticks in your head for days has to be the “Do do do do, do do do do, ” song that starts ” I am sitting in the morning at the diner on the corner…”
Paige – there is a VERY good reason why I hate “that Beach Boys song!” When it first came out, I was working in the Cougareat, and it was on the juke box. It was played at least once every hour, and after hearing it 8 or 9 times a day… for… oh… six months… I promise you’d feel the same way about it as I do!!
🙂