Guilty pleasure

It's lovely to read all the positive posts about singing. Time and again people have told me that they were put off singing at school, and were convinced that they had terrible voices. It makes me so sad to think of the pleasure they have missed as a result.

I have sung in many choirs, over the years, though my voice is nothing special. Due to a bad chest infection I have missed three weeks of rehearsals. When I finally got back to singing, last Wednesday, I was almost in tears at the joy of being back with everyone, making beautiful music.

Singing isn't just fun. It gives your body and mind a complete workout. It takes away your worries and sadness. It keeps your brain active, and the deep breathing is good for your body. When we started a local Community choir, everyone who turned up at the first meeting said that they couldn't sing, and that we would throw them out once we heard them. Within a few weeks they were singing loudly and joyfully (even the one lady who DID have problems with pitch)

Join a choir, if you can. You won't regret it!

I was completely put off about singing in public because when I was 10 I had a teacher who made me stay after class snd practice because he said I sang out of tune - I have never forgotten this??

My brother can’t sing in tune but if anyone mentions it to him, his response is, “God make the rooks as well as the nightingales.”

Made, not make. Oh for an edit button.

Singing is good for you. It's official. My Dsis was a member of a cancer support group choir and it gave her so much joy. I could cry right now remembering her being the only one in the choir who was bobbing from side to side at a concert we went to to support them.

My son sings for his job and is good. Inspired by this, I took singing lessons as a treat for a special birthday. I sent a copy of a Dusty Springfield recording I made to a friend who is a member of a well known band.

I got the message back...…

'I wet myself'



But I don't care. Tra la la.

breeze. Good for you! You are as good as you think you are. There have been some really second-rate singers who have made a good living from it. Maybe you will be a star yet!

Echo good for you breeze!!! Thank you everyone for such heartwarming stories I’ve really enjoyed reading the replies!
My mother has a good singing voice and I’d love to get a recording of her but she keeps saying she’s not very good and won’t let me. Maybe one day

Seadragon, those songs sung in the past do catch us unaware. My brother, who died two years ago, would always sing "Hernando's Hideaway", complete with actions. So of course we had to play it at his funeral - I was crying and laughing at the same time!

I wrote a longish post explaining all about the pleasure I get from our small singing group after I’ve always been told I can’t sing and then lost it, so this will have to do! If you get the chance, never mind whether you think you can sing or not, just do it! Good exercise for your lungs and chest and a pick up for your senses.

Namsnanny, to get your mother to sing to you, it might help if there's a special song you can ask her for, perhaps an old family favourite. Sometimes a shy singer finds it easier if they're focussing on the song rather than their own voice.

Nelliemoser, hats off to your choral director and your story warmed my heart. As an ex-professional musician/music teacher I maintain that there's no such thing as tone deafness and I curse those, so called, teachers who label anyone thus. Singing in tune just comes more naturally to some than others, like many other skills in life. Anyone can get there if they are well supported and guided, want to enough, and persevere.
May you enjoy many more years of music making!

I was singing along with the radio while taking DM to a doctor appointment. My DM used to sing in our church choir when I was young, but she had to have her tonsils taken out around age 30. I was 10 y/o then and knew every song at church. I stopped singing and asked my DM if she ever caught me singing when I walked home from primary school. She said yes and I saw you pick little weed flowers for me, too. I don't remember what songs I sang, but I loved to sing. I joined my church choir as an adult. I sing Alto or on a bad day Baritone, but the day we sang The Hallelujah Chorus I wept with joy.

I joined Rock Choir ( national singing group anyone can join ) 7 years ago , and can often be seen singing in the aisles of my local supermarkets... just can't resist boogie-ing , you don't have to be brilliant to join , there is no audition but it feels soooo good ! There are 26,000 Rockies ?