A fun-packed evening but not for us Tenors and Basses, again but hey we're having fun. Sorry Eamonn!
Last night was the start of our winter songs that the audience will be singing along to. These songs have us all singing the tune, so simple, you might think! Well, think again!
Our range of voices is great, so Eamonn writes harmonies, not just to make the songs sound lovely and exciting but because they sit comfortably with our voice type.
I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm is a popular song copyrighted in 1937 by its composer, Irving Berlin, and first recorded by Ray Noble on 05 January 1937.
This is a challenge for the voice ranges, as it is low for many voices; however, we must ensure we sing it together at the right time. The audience can do their own thing, but we must be united!
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a popular Christmas song written in 1963 by Edward Pola and George Wyle. It was recorded and released that year by Andy Williams for his first Christmas album, The Andy Williams Christmas Album.
However, the song was not released as a promotional single by Williams' record label that year. Instead, they opted to promote his cover of White Christmas as the official promo single from the album.
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year has consistently made it onto pop singles charts worldwide in the 2010s and 2020s.
The song is a celebration and description of activities associated with the Christmas season, focusing primarily on get-togethers between friends and families. Among the activities included in the song is the telling of scary ghost stories, a Victorian Christmas tradition that has mostly fallen into disuse but survives in the seasonal popularity of numerous adaptations of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol.
Other activities include hosting parties, spontaneous visits from friends, universal social gaiety, spending time with loved ones, sledging for children, roasting marshmallows, sharing stories about previous Christmases, and singing Christmas carols in winter weather.
Although Andy Williams recorded multiple other versions throughout his life, the original 1963 version remains the most popular and well-known.
This needs to be sung with gusto! ‘Year’ needs to be sung with a smile and the emphasis on ‘Yeee..r’
There may be a piano instrumental part if the pianist is to improvise, but if not, we will sing straight into the next part. All will be revealed nearer the time!
Baby, It's Cold Outside. While the lyrics make no mention of a holiday, it is commonly regarded as a Christmas song owing to its winter theme. The song was released in eight recordings in 1949—including well-known versions by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan, Dean Martin and Marilyn Maxwell—and has been covered numerous times.
In 1944, Loesser wrote Baby, It's Cold Outside to sing with his wife, Lynn Garland, at their housewarming party in New York City at the Navarro Hotel. They sang the song to remind guests it was time to leave. After the first performance, Lynn Garland wrote, "We became instant parlour room stars. We got invited to all the best parties for years based on 'Baby.' It was our ticket to caviar and truffles. Parties were built around our being the closing act."
In 1948, after years of performing the song, Loesser sold it to MGM for the 1949 romantic comedy Neptune's Daughter. Lynn Garland was furious: "I felt it as a betrayed as if I'd caught him in bed with another woman."
According to Esther Williams, the producers of Neptune's Daughter had planned to use a different Loesser song, (I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China, but studio censors thought it was too suggestive and replaced it with "Baby."
The song won the 1950 Academy Award for Best Original Song.
The song is a call-and-response duet between two people, a host (called "Wolf" in the score, usually performed by a male singer) and a guest (called "Mouse", traditionally performed by a female).
Every line in the song features a statement from the guest followed by a response from the host. The lyrics consist of the host convincing the guest that she should stay for a romantic evening because he fears her getting too cold outside, even though she feels she should return home to her concerned family and neighbours.
In the film Neptune's Daughter, the song is first performed by Ricardo Montalbán and Esther Williams, then with a comic parody twist by Betty Garrett and Red Skelton: this time the man wants to leave and the woman wants him to stay.
Since 2009, the song has also faced criticism among some listeners for the alleged implications of its lyrics, with elements such as the line, "Say, what's in this drink?" and the "wolf’s unrelenting pressure for the "mouse" to remain despite her repeated suggestions that she should go home being described as suggestive of sexual harassment or even date rape.
However, others have noted that cultural expectations at the time of the song's writing were such that ladies were not socially permitted to spend the night with gentlemen to whom they were not married and that the woman states that she wants to stay while "What's in this drink?" was a common idiom of the period used to sidestep social expectations by blaming one's actions on the influence of alcohol.
Susan Loesser, the daughter of songwriter Frank Loesser, attributed the controversy to the song being associated with Bill Cosby after television programs such as Saturday Night Live and South Park satirically depicted it being performed by the comedian, who had been accused of sexually assaulting numerous women.
Eamonn has opted for the reverse version, with the Gents singing the bottom line and all the ladies singing the top line, encouraging the Gents to stay. It might be helpful to highlight your part in the music score as it can appear confusing.
As well as the fun of Winter songs, we went through some previous ones.
Here’s what you need to remember:
Gabriel’s Message
It should have a rich and soloistic sound
Tenors and Basses, be gentle with your ‘Glo – rias’
The dynamic pattern is the same with a louder verse and coming down to a quiet ‘Glora’
A New Year Carol
This song is never loud.
Verse 1 – All Sops
Verse 2 – Tenors and Basses
Verse 3 – Altos and Sop 2s
Everyone sings the chorus. Make this very quiet with a smile on ‘wires’ using your whole body to support the note.
Try To Remember
The clue is in the title for Tenors and Basses. They must try to remember they DO NOT SING THE TUNE. ‘… member when life…’ is all on the same note and then continues.
Think of your notes as your tune, learn it, and embed it in your brain.
Also, Tenors and Basses follow after Altos and Sops sing, ‘follow, follow, follow’
Your follow is like a little wood pigeon calling. Watch Eamonn, and he will direct you.
There is a possibility that this song may only be performed if this is corrected.
No pressure, Tenors & Basses. You know what you need to do.
Annie’s Song
Sop 2s and Basses, be bold and robust in your entry, ‘Let me love you..’ section.
Altos finish on their own with ‘again’.
All My Trials
More trials for the Basses – you have your tune again.
It is deep, and you should be able to feel the resonance. If you don’t feel it, you're singing The Tune, not Your Tune.
Time is going quickly, and the Sold Out concert will soon be upon us.
It is up to all of us to practise at home and be familiar with all the songs, keeping them fresh in our minds.
We are a choir and a great team, and we are as good as the individuals in it; if we all do our part and work together, we will make a glorious, satisfying and wonderful sound.
Be ready for anything next week!
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