Friday, January 23, 2015

This One is For Kirsten (and Justin Higgs) And My Mother Who Said I was Tone Deaf

I was on mile four at the gym keeping a faster pace as I get ready for the Run For Refugees in New Haven and continue to push myself to keep in shape (well, Bryan Ripley Crandall shape). That is when the song "Evergreen" came on my iPad and I burst out laughing.

Why? Well, it's not that Justin Higgs - a student of mine in Louisville, Kentucky - was totally afraid of her. He hated her. He despised her. She creeped him out.

It was because in high school, when malls were really cool, even Shoppingtown, they opened this karaoke sound studio where people could record their voices. Kirsten, a lifelong friend, convinced me to go with her so she could record a few songs - she had a great voice. She also thought I should give the studio a try.

Um, I tried to sing when my mom played the piano. She'd wince whenever she tried to get me to harmonize, because I can't sing and am somewhat tone death.

"Sure, Kirsten. I'll give it a try."

And thumbing through the playbook, I recognize Barbara Streisand's name and, for some reason, decided to sing a song I've never heard before - Evergreen. I don't think I ever listened to myself sing before other than the fun tapes Peter Boy and I used to make in my father's garage (mamma say never never now now now now mamma say never now now now).

The ladies who ran the recording studio kept trying to coach me as I attempted to sing the song. They kept laughing as they tried to help me with my range (which is minimal). Meanwhile, Kirsten recorded an entire album without any trouble in another room.

I finished my debut and paid the ladies (who were still laughing), before Kirsten and I ran to her car to play the cassette tapes in her car. We listened to hers first and she was wonderful. She said, "Now, let's listen to yours."

I think we both pissed our pants. In fact, even while I was singing, I was cracking up.

I have no idea what happened to that tape, but if I ever hear it again I might keel over with hysterics (I'm midlife now, after all). And all of that was triggered while running at the gym simply because the song played out of nowhere.
You and I will make each night a first 
Every day a beginning 
Spirits rise and their dance is unrehearsed 
They warm and excite us' 
Cause we have the brightest love

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