Way back when I had long hair and things didn’t hurt, I was actually a pretty good musician. I played drums and saxophone, and I sang. That fell by the wayside as my military career started taking bigger and bigger chunks out of my life. There were other considerations as well, some valid and some not, that prevented me from enjoying music the way that I used to do.
Well, now I’m retired and dammit, I wanted to find some musical outlet. The ukulele groups seemed like a bunch of old cat ladies, and a lot of the things that would get me back into drums seemed to have a large portion of the population that indulges in recreational pharmaceuticals, and I don’t like being around drunk people all that much, nevermind someone who’s on the harder stuff.
And then I found a singing group. I figured I’d give it a shot. Turns out it was the local chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America, or the SPEBSQSA.
Yes, that name is tongue in cheek. They’re the Barbershop Harmony Society. When they were formed, a lot of organizations had long high-faluting names that seemed as if they got paid for every letter in the acronym. And so the Barbershop group said “Let’s see how many letters we can make up about singing!”
Well, I did sing barbershop in high school lo these many decades ago, let’s see if I can still do it.
Turns out, I can. And decent enough that I had people coming up asking me to join their quartet. I’m in two of them, one that’s for caroling and one that’s just a group having fun. On the latter, this is the next song we’ll be singing.
Up in the morning, out on the job
Work like the devil for my pay
But that lucky old sun got nothin’ to do
But roll around heaven all day
Fuss with my woman, toil for my kids
Sweat till I’m wrinkled and gray
While that lucky old sun has nothin’ to do
But roll around heaven all day
Good Lord above, can’t you know I’m pining
Tears all in my eyes
Send down that cloud with a silver lining
Lift me to Paradise
Show me that river, take me across
And wash all my troubles away
Like that lucky old sun, give me nothin’ to do
But roll around heaven all day
It’s gonna be a while before I get to be like that lucky old Sun. On my bad days, I really really feel this song. Anyways, I’m off to try to slap myself out of this foul mood. Perhaps a beer and a cigar will help.
1 comment
Dave, a beer and a cigar always helps. If necessary, add a shot or two of bourbon – fix you right up.