My church bulletin had this great expose on singing. I'll leave out the religious references .......

WE SING BECAUSE singing does something to words that nothing else can do. It gets them into our memory and into our hearts. Singing makes a text memorable and gets into the rhythm of our living: into our heartbeat and our breathing and our walking, sitting, and standing.

The mere act of listening to music does not get the words into our hearts and minds. Singing brings our body into action which ingrains the words into our being. We use our lungs, diaphragm, the vocal cavity, our vocal cords, and even our back, our legs and our arms if we are going to sing well.

Such singing, such complete and total involvement was commended by the ancient teachers. There is an old proverb that says : " Someone who sings well, prays twice"
(OK - ONE religious reference)

Music has the power to make words and events memorable. Studies have shown that musical memory is rooted in several parts of the brain, reaching across the left-brain and right-brain divide. That makes it hard to forget the words and music that we have learned. Such rooting also helps to explain why we keep recalling certain tunes, even when we don't want to, and why it's so hard to get such tunes out of our heads. Our own brain activity keeps running across these tunes and playing them for us.

Singing is so powerful that people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease can remember and sing the songs of their childhood, even when they've forgotten their own names or the names of their children. Singing is so powerful that stroke patients can sing a statement or request even when they can't speak.

If you've ever asked yourself, "Should I sing?" Then the answer is obviously yes! God (OK - two) gave us voices with which to sing. We may not have had the chance to develop those voices, but they are God's gift. People who study music have learned that there are very few people who cannot sing. They may not be able to sing the melody, but they are usually in harmony with it, in some way.

*** Pretty encouraging words, don't cha think?

This is really great UD, thanks for sharing it with us. This is the one instrument you keep all your life and never trade it in or sell it. I personally think that it opens more doors then playing. I do not sing but I have always been super selective and critical when hiring a vocalist as I had learned this early on.
Thanks Dave,
Bebop

I'm hoping it will give a litle "push" to those who previously thought their voice was not good enough to sing. Some of the greatest performances have been no doubt, sung in the showers !
Use your voices people ........ share your gifts, and it will all come back to you many times over.

Thanks UD.
I have always teased about my singing abilities (I feel they could be improved). I tell jokes about it like "Its not that I can't sing its just that people don't want me to."
You have a deeper message about that, that encourages me to keep trying and don't worry too much about what people say (unless I'm being paid for it).

I told those jokes for so long that my wife (who was born completely deaf) believed me. For years she thought I couldn't sing. One day I was playing the piano and singing and a friend of ours came over to her and told her how well I was singing. She came over to me and hit me. She said: "You let me think all this time you couldn't sing!" Ha.
I'll keep trying till I get enough courage to post a song for you guys for your listening "pleasure"

- Brian

Everyones voice is beautiful ...... to SOMEONE'S ears. Just because it may not be a "cash cow" for you ...... don't miss out on the joy of singing for the sheer pleasure of it !

UD:
Very insightful! Thanks for sharing these thoughts which make us feel so proud of what we do for a living as singers, and "inspire" others to become singers. Great post UD!

Which brings me to the next question. Could Rappers be considered singers?
Anyone's opinion?
Mario
.

This post was so beautiful, I sent it out to friends! Singing also puts you in a "holy" and good mood!!!
yours, Riva

I don't think that's the deal. I think they are more "poets". I was told once that the term "rap" comes from the acronym:
R hythm
A nd
P oetry

While some singers are also rappers, it is not a "lock" that all rappers are singers.

Great post Uncle Dave. Before my grandmother died she had lost all memory of her family, even who she was. But we could put on a tape of gospel music and she would sing along, remembering all the lyrics! She would also be happy during that time, which was a blessing to all concerned. I was very touched by the power of song!
Bill E

UD, we ought to name you the Synthzone Ambassador (sp?)...

Posts like this sure encourage someone like me who just started lead singing very recently, and I am still on shaky grounds and do get affected by my audience and their opinions. So far it has been an encouraging feedback, but u never know, there are always those out there who make u feel its better if u stayed home and "sang in the shower" as you put it. So thanks, for this was indeed an encouraging post

I lean forward with my hands put together for u UD MY MASTER

As Long As I'm Singing:

As long as I'm singing
There's a bell up in my brain
That's ringing
Makin' a crazy ding dong

And if this band don't desert me
Nothing in the world can hurt me
Long as I'm singin my song.

Give me trumpets legato
Put some saxes with em
Strings, pizzicato
Come on baby - give give me some rhythm

As long as I'm singing
Then the world's all right and everything's swingin
Long as I'm singing my song

Making music is more to me than a pleasure
Cause me and music
We go together like notes in a measure

As long as I'm singing
Then the world's all right and everything's swinging
Long as I'm singing my song.

You can hear my vocal/arranger keyboard rendition of this tune on the 'song demos' page of my website:
http://scottyee.com

- Scott

Please do not sing too loud, we want to hear
the keyboard. Singing is not a crime but....

If God gave you a voice, singing is a way of saying "Thank You"
If he didn't...it's a way of getting even

Sing! Sing a song.
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear.
Sing! Sing a song.

- Words and music by Joe Raposo
(from Sesame Street)

I will continue to sing. I enjoy it and that makes it all the worth while.

Scott Yee,
I downloaded your songs and have been playing them over and over this morning while I sit hear working. Very nice. I played them for my kids who liked it as well.
Thank you for sharing your talents.

Sing on. (a variation of a popular signature

- Brian

These replies really make my heart sing !