Musical parents

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Claire

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Any of you have mothers who sang constantly? Parents who played musical instruments?

This occurred to me last week because I was visiting with my ladies (ages 79 and 81), and heaven knows why, but I found myself singing, "Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do ..." to the older woman. She was tickled pink because I knew all the words, and, yes, even at 57, I'm way too young to know them. Heck, Mom is. It was her grandmother who sang it to her.

There's a saying (and I might not have it right): Luckier than me you shall never be; I had a mother who read to me.

But I think "Sang" could be right in there as well.

Now I'm going to try to see which simple songs I know or can find, just a few stanzas to sing to her. My voice sucks, but she doesn't care.
 
My mother whistled and sang all the time.

She had a "theme song" for each of us.

Mine was you belong to me, I still whistle it.
 
do you mean, "a bicycle built for two"?

it won't be a stylish marriage
for i can't afford a carriage
but you'll look sweet
upon the seat
of a bicycle built for two


my sisters learned to play piano and sing to that song. it'll be stuck in my head forever. :wacko:

same goes for "papa, won't you dance with me", and "red roses for a blue lady".

and to the original question: my mom hums or sings something all of the time, and dad played records every free minute he had.
 
Dad was the classical music fiend, always had something on the stereo or radio. Mom sings, badly off key, You Are My Sunshine, Daisy Daisy and on, lots of different tunes.
 
I come from a very musical family. My grandfather was the one who sparked my interest as early as I can remember. We used to listen to classical music together and he would have me pick out and identify every instrument I could. I do that with my kids and now and I see it as one of the greatest gifts I can pass them from my grandfather. I think the man sung more words in his life than he spoke. His sister (I think) had played piano in Carnegie Hall once before so music is in our blood.

As genes can be funny sometimes, musical ability skipped over both my parents. They did sing to me as a kid, but I am sure sure I would count that as a good memory :LOL: Even though mom can't hold a tune to save her life (but she is 100x better than dad), she loves to sing to my kids. Any word or phrase can spark a memory of a lyric that will instantly get sung.
 
Mom Eva Played Piano Wonderfully

Good question.

My mom Eva was an accomplished piano player ... she had studied all her life. She loved Broadway show tunes ... and had hoped that I would have a musical ear; however, I am the publishing journalist ... and quite creative culinary wise ... However, I cannot sing a tune, though I love music and can do a wicked Walk, Disco Dance and I love the Tango --- however, I cannot Tango ... My younger daughter took up Ballet and Tango, at her request ... The older one, had done quite a bit of theatre during her University days ... I do not play any instruments ...

Margi.
 
No one has ever accused me or my family of having any musical talent. I am not allowed to sing by SO or my children.

I enjoy music but have become the old fogey who sees no recognizable merit whatsoever in today's music. i am firmly ensconced in the 60s and earlier. (that's the 1960s)
 
My mom had a beautiful voice, and used to do recitals, until stage fright got to her. She and my grandmother sang in the church choir for many years. I have, as DH describes it, a "theatrical" voice. I did a lot of musicals in HS and college. Can belt it out and carry a tune, but it ain't pretty.

Mom also could play piano. I took lessons, but totally sucked. I did enjoy playing clarinet and bassoon in HS.
 
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My mom had a beautiful voice, and used to do recitals, until stage fright got to her. She and my grandmother sang in the church choir for many years. I have, as DH describes it, a "theatrical" voice. I did a lot of musicals in HS and college. Can belt it out and carry a tune, but it ain't pretty.

I sang in a lot of musicals, too...I got moved to lighting and makeup...:rolleyes:
 
PrincessFiona60 said:
I sang in a lot of musicals, too...I got moved to lighting and makeup...:rolleyes:

So I take it our next duet album won't be a big seller? :angel:
 
I took lessons, but totally sucked. I did enjoy playing clarinet and bassoon in HS.

i love bassoon. it's like playing a small tree. sounds great, too. bugs bunny would have been nothing without it.

i played sax (alto, tenor, & bari), and trombone, but i gave up the 'bone because i didn't like getting fish lips.
 
My mother was a very active person, and music was her most passionate hobby. She performed at the White House with her hand bell choir, she sang practically non stop, both in groups and solo, and was amazing on the Piano. I remember as a kid, I couldn't listen to the radio in the car, as it was always my mother doing her rendition to whatever was on, to the point of annoyance, but looking back, I think she was trolling me, and she had more fun with me just wanting her to be quite, lol. My grandmother was an amazing voice, and also really comfortable behind the keys. My mother has the Baby grand that was once my babas.

My dad, he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, never played an instrument, BUT he could whistle like nobody I had ever heard. He would only whistle at working, and when he would stop, I would ask why, and he would say why what, like he never even knew he was whistling.

I can play a bunch of stuff, love music, still play, music is a passion and flows through my veins, but I couldn't whistle if I had a million dollars sitting in from of me. I Couldn't whistle to save my life.
 
No one has ever accused me or my family of having any musical talent. I am not allowed to sing by SO or my children.

I enjoy music but have become the old fogey who sees no recognizable merit whatsoever in today's music. i am firmly ensconced in the 60s and earlier. (that's the 1960s)

I used to tell my kids when they had "their" music on to hum it to me. If you cain't hum it, then it ain't music. Woudl you want that song played in the church as your wedding ceremony is starting? :ermm:
 
My father passed on the love for music to me and my sister. Every night we would harmonize love ballads as we did the dishes. We also played duets on the piano for entertainment. She had a lovely voice and had joined many choirs and community choruses. She also sang at weddings and funerals. She even sang at her own son's funeral. How she did it, I will never know. She could hit high C above high C.

She played the piano, French horn and trumpet. I played the piano and trumpet. I also sang in church choirs and later worked with the altos in choirs. I played Pomp And Circumstances by Elgar for High School graduations. I wanted to learn the flute so I could harmonize with opera singers as they sang la ha ha la ha high notes. But they needed a trumpet player for the school band. So that killed that dream. Besides, I didn't know any opera singers in the fifth grade. I can whistle and still do to this day. I love to whistle Straus Waltzes. I whistle all day long. And when I am not whistling, I am singing Latin Hymns. But not when Teddy Bear is around.

Give me a blank sheet of music manuscript, and I hear notes in my head. I wanted a career in music or medicine. But instead I chose to get married, thinking I would do it later in life.

I love Broadway musicals. My sister and I used to go to them when they came to Boston. Now my daughter and I do. I had hoped one of my kids would love music as much as I do. My youngest does. He loves classical and listened to Gregorian Chants whenever he was studying in college. And he is teaching his son how to play a sixteen note xylophone I bought for him. He does hit separate keys instead of making just noise. He can play up to the letter G. When I was at their house for Christmas, my son and I play a duet on it, and he was fascinated. My son also played the trumpet and tuba in his HS band. :)
 
I tried to sing to Sophia, my 2 year old granddaughter--she immediately pointed her finger at me, and said, "You STOP that!" :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Her mama is working on her doctorate in musical performance from Indiana University--she is a mezzo-soprano.

Her daddy (my son) sings just like me. :glare:
 
In our family, if you can't sing, we say you sing on the cracks of the keyboard. That would be my daughter and granddaughter.

I do have a grandson who plays several instruments in a Toota Toota Band with his Italian grandfather. They play at weddings. :chef:
 
No one has ever accused me or my family of having any musical talent. I am not allowed to sing by SO or my children.

I enjoy music but have become the old fogey who sees no recognizable merit whatsoever in today's music. i am firmly ensconced in the 60s and earlier. (that's the 1960s)

I sooo did not want to become the old fogey about today's music. Some of it is okay, but there doesn't seem to be anything that's special. "My music" is rock 'n roll from the '60s to the early '80s. I love a lot of '50s rock 'n roll, but it's not "my music", it's like '40s swing: I love it, but it's not my music.

I was worried that it was me, getting old, well I am. I saw Sir Elton John talk about this. He is a musician and thinks like one. He has an open mind about today's music, but is saddened by the lack of good stuff. He compared it to our musical era and asked, "Where is the Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, ...?" And his list of brilliant musicians from our era just went on and on. So Andy, it isn't just that we are getting old and crotchety. Compared with our music, this stuff sucks.
 
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