Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Monday, September 24, 2012

Right Song - Wrong Words


Okay, yes, I’m on a ‘panty’ kick.
But yesterday’s post reminded me of something . . .

For four years, I had the assignment to lead the music in the children’s organization in our church.
My dream job.
Every Sunday, I got up in front of a group of children, age three to eleven and sang with them.
Have you ever heard a group of three-year-olds singing “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam”?
If you can do it without tears, you are super . . . ummm . . . person.
There is nothing cuter in the world.
And I got to do this every Sunday!
For four years!
Sigh.
Inevitably, there were extra perks.
Because what dream job doesn’t come with unexpected bonuses. (Boni?)
Moving on . . .
Each week, we invited the child/children who was/were celebrating a birthday, to come to the front so the rest of the group could wish them well.
Musically.
Everyone enjoyed it.
The singers.
And the sing-ee.
Afterwards, I always asked the birthday child what their favourite song was.
And then all of us would sing it.
Normally, this was fairly routine.
They would pick a current favourite.
The pianist would launch in.
The children would follow.
Occasionally, we would encounter a hitch.
Perhaps a song that was a current favourite.
But some where other than the church . . .
Let’s face it, launching into ‘Stairway to Heaven’, though it sounds appropriate, would be anything but.
Ahem . . .
Sometimes, they merely got the name wrong.
Case in point:
We invited little Emily to the front of the room.
Everyone wished her a happy fourth birthday.
At the top of their voices.
She was smiling broadly by the end.
I leaned down. “Emily, what is your favourite song?”
She looked up at me. “Little Purple Panties!” she said excitedly.
“Oh, I said. “Umm . . . yes.” I looked at the pianist, who was staring back, wide-eyed.
“I think what she means is “Little Purple Pansies,” I said.
The woman’s face cleared. “Ah!” She nodded in relief.
We made it through.
Though I must confess that the temptation to sing the wrong words was very strong indeed.
And who knows, maybe a song, ‘Little Purple Panties’ is just what is needed when things get a bit . . . boring . . . in church.

12 comments:

  1. Interesting how even adults will hear something different to the words that are sung. Mostly kids though. My friend's daughter (3 going on 21 at the time) had a favorite song by Alabama. 'If you're gonna play in Texas you gotta wanna fiddle with a man.' She'd sing that at the top of her voice, and there was no way you could correct her. Now, approaching 20, she knows the proper words although I have the feeling that the original derivation will come back to haunt her, maybe at her wedding.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm . . . I think the original is better! Like Anita's national anthem . . .

      Delete
  2. Great story. Another chance for me to tell about the best America's Funniest Video clip, a little boy at the top of his lungs:
    M I C K E Y M O U S A

    ReplyDelete
  3. If you had all sung Little Purple Panties in church it would have been long remembered by the congregation - much longer than any sermon ever preached there. You could have made history.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ooooh, I totally missed my chance!!! Too late smart! :)

      Delete
  4. Sounds like the title of one of "those books" that us nice girls would NEVER read....right?

    ReplyDelete
  5. To funny and so cute Diane;) I am the opposite, I think I would have a melt down if I ever got called to primary. I am grateful for the people who serve there and are so wonderful with the children:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are so close to their Heavenly Father. I love being with them!

      Delete
  6. Hahaha! I wonder how many people who were there that day now have to think twice whenever they hear that song!!!

    ReplyDelete

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