Keep it Fresh

Sea Fog Rollin'

We recapped Sea Fog, which needed a minor reconstructive surgery!

It is important to have the right rhythm so the words fit the notes.

Do not breathe after ‘wings’ or ‘stone’

This song has long phases, so keep them going to the end, especially after ‘tomorrow’

 It is important to keep this one and all the songs we have previously done fresh in our minds, as we won’t have time to go through them all each week. Eamonn can then tweak them as he perfects them for performance.

Cloudbusting, a very challenging song, was next. Although it has a tick-tock rhythm, it is not melodic, and to make it interesting, it needs a sense of drama.

You have permission to breathe after dream, but only a quick, short breath!

Make your ‘YO, Yo’ sound like something important and top secret.

Enjoy the long notes; ‘rain’, ‘head’, ‘out’ and ‘Ooh’

Altos & Basses ensure you sing the three notes on ‘when’

There is a spacious sound to the music under ‘On top of the world’, but it doesn’t slow down (no matter how tempted you may be!)

‘Government’ is a very long note which crescendos, so sing it right through to the end, getting louder with a clear ‘t’ sound.

Sops, smile when you ‘Ooh’ to keep it bright.

With or Without You is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is on their album, The Joshua Tree, and was released as their lead single on 16 March 1987. The song was the group's most successful single at the time.

Ostensibly a song about troubled love, the track's lyrics were inspired by Bono's conflicting feelings about his life as a musician and a domestic man. While writing the lyrics, he realised that neither facet of his life defined him, but rather the tension between the two did. He explained that the final lyric is about torment and how repressing desires only strengthens them.

The rhythm is syncopated with only four chords, so you should be able to find the right note, even if it isn’t the right note for your voice part!

There is quite a long gap before singing ‘Sleight of hand…’

No chewing sound when singing ‘without you’ keep a soft ‘t’ sound so it doesn’t sound like ‘withoutchew’

Beware of the difference between singing ‘Oh’, which is more expansive, and an ‘Ooh’, which is softer.

Mark your music score accordingly so you know which one to sing.

Again, this song has long phrases, so sing them to the end without fizzling.

While learning new songs, you may be doing nothing until your part is taught. However, it is important to listen to the other parts, as a lot of the intonation, rhythms, etc., will be the same for you, so you can still learn while listening and patiently waiting.

Please listen to your parts at home.  Practice and be ready for next week.

Remember to keep all songs fresh in your minds.

Micro connections: How to feel more socially connected and happier..

The concept of social ties can be divided into two categories: strong ties and weak ties. Strong social ties are characterised by deep connections with individuals who share significant life experiences, such as family members, close friends, and work colleagues. In contrast, weak ties refer to acquaintances and familiar faces, such as friendly strangers or individuals with whom one may interact briefly. Though often overlooked, weak ties can enhance our happiness and sense of belonging. Influential sociologist Mark Granovetter highlighted the importance of these seemingly minor interactions in his research on employment networks, demonstrating that weak ties can facilitate connections to new networks, people, and information.

Research conducted by Gillian Sandstrom, a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Essex, indicates that individuals with a larger network of weak ties tend to report higher overall happiness. Her findings suggest that when participants engaged in more casual interactions with weak ties, such as baristas, neighbours, or fellow members of clubs, they experienced increased feelings of happiness and belonging. Additionally, belonging to various clubs, associations, or teams, such as choirs or book clubs, contributes to a stronger sense of security and meaning in life.

Don't Worry! Watch closely, or you may miss the brilliant Robbie Williams.