Friday, March 13, 2009

Quiet People's Day

Yesterday afternoon was a gentle one; Katy Carr came to talk to the songwriters at the University of the West and played some of her songs live, then played recorded versions, which they found intriguing.
Afterward, I played them some tracks to show them that you don't have to be a Singer in order to make music work. I played them:
Linton Kwesi Johnson- Inglan is a Bitch
A song from Facade by Edith Sitwell and William Walton
Albert and the Lion by Stanley Holloway
The Slits- Typical Girls
Laurie Anderson- O Superman
Phil Harris- Woodman Spare That Tree
Something by Soweto Kinch
I also played them Mackie Messer sung by Lotte Lenya, and a track from Les Parapluies de Cherbourg
I should have played some William Shatner and Rex Harrison's Talk to the Animals
One of the students had what the others called 'an old guitar'. He opened a battered case and took out a vintage Hofner acoustic, almost identical to the one I bought with the proceeds of my Viz Comic sale. Abracadabra!
And then we listened to their songs. Some people have not started yet and I think next week I will have a Quiet People's Day, dedicated to the people who don't speak very much.

1 comment:

Sarah said...

Andy bought a CD of William Shatner and Spock who's real name escapes me at the moment singing a selection of other people's songs and it is great.
Also he bought the album from The Flight of the Conchords which is also great, it is so funny-I am getting off the point of your post a little now!
I think a quiet people's day is an excellent idea. I think I may introduce it in the nursery.
Sarah x