Friday, May 11, 2012

I am on Song


There is a peculiar trait that I observe in my friends. Though they used to love vocal music in the initial days of our acquaintance, they all either turn music-haters or lovers of instrumental music within days of our acquaintance. I have always been surprised by this fact but once I heard the strains of a Rafi song just as I was approaching my friend’s house. A friend loudly whispered, ‘Suresh is coming’ and, then, there was sudden silence followed by the lilting tones of Chaurasia’s flute. The mystery was solved.
I have never really been able to appreciate music unless I sang along with it. I know I have a lovely voice and can hold a tune perfectly. When my friends say things like “Put a sock in it” or “God! If I had wanted a donkey in the house I would have invited one myself” (to a chorus of ‘But you did invite one’) and things like that, I smile indulgently because I know that it is merely juvenile high spirits. This preference for instrumental music is, therefore, merely because I would not be conversing when I sing. I was immensely moved by how much my friends appreciated my scintillating conversation that they were willing to forego their favorite songs in order to ensure that they had the benefit of my words.
It is not that I sing only when someone is playing a song. I am a good enough singer to sing even without such accompaniment. Another peculiar trait that I observe in my friends – the less juvenile ones – is the way they compliment me. When I am done with singing a song, one would say, ‘Great song’ with a peculiar inflection on the second word. Another would say, “How do you manage to remember all the lyrics” and, if I did not know him well, it would have seemed very much as though he was regretting that accomplishment on my part.
It is not that I lack for people who genuinely admire my singing and express it without reservations. There is an interesting statistical fact about these admirers, however! My Tamil friends are lavish in their praise of my rendering of Hindi songs and my Hindi friends are bowled over by my rendering of Tamil songs. If I were a more suspicious character, it would seem as though that that praise was out of relief at their own favorites not being mangled coupled with a desire to keep me off their favorites for as long as possible. I am not that paranoid, however.
It is while we are traveling by road that my singing is non-stop. As I have mentioned earlier somewhere, when I am traveling by road the contents of my stomach also feel the irresistible urge to travel upwards and outwards. If that urge is mild, I try to keep my mind off the churn in my stomach by singing continuously.
There are two schools of thought that my friends pursue as an interesting means of warding off the monotony of the journey. One group argues that it would rather have me spew the contents of my stomach than sing. The other group acts as though it can see the point of that argument but feels that the singing is just a hair better than the other option. The clinching argument is produced by the second group when it says that if the vomiting were to be silent then they would prefer stink to song but, since that was unlikely, song wins over stink coupled with sound. Nice to know that you can ensure that people amuse themselves though it always amazes me that people will go to any extent to hide the fact that they enjoy your singing! When I say that they ought to be grateful to me for alleviating the monotony of the journey all of them act as though they were terribly annoyed. Great actors, my friends!
The least I can do for such wonderful friends is to keep singing and entertaining them!

34 comments:

  1. It's been a historical consideration that women sing and men make the music. So unless you were seriously joking, I would empathize with your friends for them getting disloyal to your song. Sometimes nature does strike us by surprize...

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    1. You mean that they actually don't like my singing:):)

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  2. was not prepared for the post when i clicked through, thinking, true, i too have evolved in my liking from vocal to instrumental music. laughed all the way through while reading. thanks, suresh, for brightening up a rather warm and trying summer evening.

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    1. Thanks Subhorup! Makes me want to sing with sheer happiness when I read generous stuff like this.

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  3. You should have included some audio clips here so that we readers could declare our support saying 'Now thats what I call singing' - One in Tamizh and one in Hindi :D

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    1. Alas! I am technologically challenged! Don't know the first thing about recording and putting up audio clips.

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  4. hahahah!! Awesome post!!! As Jaish said, you should put your audio clips in youtube and shar it in your blog.... We all are there to support you :)... Enjoyed every bit of it

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    1. Wish I could make use of your support..as I just replied to jaish, i am technologically challenged.

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  5. Suresh. To paraphrase Descartes (thanks google), You sing therefore you are :) You are a singer. It is unto others to decide what reasons they come up with to enjoy (or suffer as the case may be) it :) That should not (and I am sure is not) your primary concern when you sing :)

    Personally, I enjoy your singing while I am guzzling down... in the absence of a radio :) Just kidding. I prefer your singing since you honor request on demand :) I also appreciate your singing because the only way I can carry a tune is if it was handed me in an air tight container :)


    -Shiva

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    1. :):) You are right, I sing because I want to not because I think others would enjoy it:) This post is merely observational in nature and should not be taken to mean that I shall stop inflicting my vocal chords on you:)

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    2. I am weeping copiously as I read this at such an altruistic human being who is not appreciated for his musical talent. Who but a heartless human would do that especially when you are so considerate about their preferences? Sob, sob.

      Unlike Jaishree and Ruchita though, I am willing to take your word for it that you sing beautifully, without endur.....er listening to the clips :D

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    3. Ha! Ha! Ha! You got that wrong...all my friends appreciate my singing..else would they say things like, "Once you hear Suresh sing a song you can really appreciate Rafi's rendering of that song"? :):)

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  6. oh, even my friends are little jealous of the fact that i sing really well.

    i remember your vomiting post but you didn't mention that you produce lyrics with that as well. so, please, continue to sing and puke; there are always silent admirers who we never notice.

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    1. Hi Debajyoti! Actually I am a one thing at a time sort of chap...I either sing or puke:):)

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  7. He killed her softly with his words, you kill them mercilessly with your songs. They must be your true friends.

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  8. Old post? Wonder how come I have not read it. But now your views might have changed with so many fan following for your singing.

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    1. I think they like my singing becos it increases their appreciation of the original singer :)

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  9. I haven't heard you sing but I guess you are being harsh when you say that your friends would rather have you spew the contents of your stomach than sing. I am awful when comes to singing. Though I wish I could as my husband is a decent singer.

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    1. Some over-statement there :) You will get a chance to test it out in Delhi if we manage to meet :) (Now do not tell me that this is what put you off the meet :) )

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  10. That brings me to the point that I haven't yet heard you sing till now. Time to rectify that the next time we meet :). And singing is anyday preferable to vomiting, right ;-).

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    1. Well! If you keep skipping meets (giving frivolous excuses like root canals :) ) how will you get to know? :)

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  11. I am tone deaf, forget the lyrics and use music only to work out LOL

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    1. Good God! An ideal audience for me :) Though I really do not know how much I will enjoy watching you doing push-ups to my singing :)

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  12. Nice post, not sure true to what extent. In my case, I have observed that I can sing better when singing along a song than when alone.

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  13. Even I would prefer songs at questionable keys to stink! That said, you remind me of my roommate. Once he had sung a song, you would never wish to hear those words spoken ever again! You must be an angel compared to him.

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    1. I am! I am! i only make people want to go back and hear it sung properly by the original singer :)

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  14. I am still rolling around :D :D :D :D

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  15. high five!!! :) :) that's makes two to tango.....now when we have our next meet at bangalore....both of us can "entertain" the others with our "singing" !!

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    1. Hahaha! I invariably do - it is my house after all :) Next time you can join in too :)

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  16. Live feeds are the craze on FB. I think you can now enthrall (subject, inflict) your innumerable admirers/friends with this your latest talent! Looking forward (or should it be running to the hills) to this. Self aggrandizing deprec at its best!!

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    1. NOW I am oxymoronic - self-aggrandizing as well as deprecatory :)

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