The Powers That Be in A-Town must be reading this blog. Someone obviously took note of my complaint about the church bells peeling non-sacred songs on a Sunday a few weeks ago and altered the regularly scheduled program. So today was Secular Saturday from on high. The sandstone spire emitted an eclectic assortment of show tunes and classic favorites above the Town Square (with a few syrupy sacred ones mixed in, perhaps to please the Saturday Catholics).
Besides noting the day of the week, I also observed the density of the recital. During the 15-20 minutes I listened, the bells banged out no fewer than 8 songs—only a verse or two of each. It was as if the programmer (and I do think it’s a programmer, not an actual player)—it was as if he wanted to cram as much corn as possible into the allotted time.
Here’s what I heard, in this order:
- “People Will Say We’re in Love,” from Oklahoma!
- “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” from Carousel
- “He Touched Me,” a Bill Gaither song made famous by Elvis Presley
- “Oh, Shenandoah,” an American folk song
- “Somewhere, My Love,” from Doctor Zhivago
- “Maria,” from West Side Story
- “Moon River,” a Henry Mancini song debuted by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- “Sunrise, Sunset,” from Fiddler on the Roof
I found it fun to “Name That Tune” while I cleaned house on a Saturday afternoon. To be honest, it made me feel mushy—and a little bit aged—because the first song recalled “the old days,” when I played the part of Ado Annie in A-Town’s 1992 production of that musical. Good times, good times, truly.
Note for next time to the Church Bell Programmer: Please add “Sentimental Journey.”
Image: Ear of corn water tower in Iowa from http://randomtravels-therandomtraveler.blogspot.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment