Why I Take Photos

I am no Ansel Adams but I guess the one thing the Pink Insider is known for is the almost obsessive photography, and now videography, of all Pink Singers’ events. Over the years, I’ve had a couple of friendly gibes sent my way about it, and this week Joanna came round for dinner, and asked me why I’m so fastidious about capturing every event, so I thought I’d put my thoughts down on this subject. Why does the Pink Insider take so many photos?

I can tell you what precipitated it: about 4 years ago when the Pinkies’ website was being redesigned I remember looking for new photos to fill the pages. Sadly, at the time we were hamstrung my rather oppressive guidelines regarding photography and privacy, and that meant we had a grand total of a dozen photos which we could use. It also put people off taking any photos at all, and the ones which were taken weren’t really shared with others, so the choir didn’t really have any access to them anyway. It was then that I decided to fix the situation by at least taking some pics, principally for use on the website, but also as a memento of events we had organized or participated in.

Fast forward to today, and we live in a digital age where most phones have cameras, and sharing pics is as easy as pressing a button on Facebook. The choir itself has much clearer guidelines on the use of photography and are now striking a good balance between the privacy needs of individual members of the choir and the publicity needs of the choir as a whole. And we also have regular pro photographers taking our pictures, which helps in developing a good stock of photographs which can be used for the choir’s promotion.

On the face of it then, some of the pragmatic demands for photography have been satisfied. But at the same time, some of the more fundamental uses of photography must continue to be addressed. I hail from a former British colony, and as such, am very interested in issues to deal with culture and identity, and how they are represented in history. For that reason I love the field of post-colonialism, and am a fan of writers like Edward Said who question the foundation of historiography and its wealthy, white, straight, male bias. Certainly the views of the minority are often left out in the narrative of society, often because these views are not considered important.

In that context then, I particularly enjoy speaking to people like Philip R and Michael De because they have such fascinating stories about the Pink Singers in the early days. My fear is that unless we capture these tales, they will be lost to history. Liang has been working on a project to collate and archive all the material the Pink Singers produced in our first quarter century; being given such a window into our past is an amazing privilege. The sad thing, however, is that material from that time is both scanty and patchy, and so our early story is not a continuous one.

Recently Bill, one of our longest-standing members, decided he was going to retire from the choir. As a thank you for being such a dedicated member we created an album of his pictures over the last ten years. Thankfully when the request went out, members who had been in the choir as long as he were forthcoming about sharing their photos, but the reality is that this is only possible because these Pinkies were still in the choir. When members leave the choir they take their memories with them, and as a choir we lose a part of ourselves in the process.

So I take snaps, and I share photos, and I write about my experiences in the choir because I love the Pink Singers and I want to let people know about what my experience of being in London’s LGBT community choir is like. And it is not just the big events which are important, the small moments are as key in painting our picture. Not just for now, but for the future too.

Congratulations To All The New Pinkies!

Week 3 of the new season has now come and gone and Liang has been busy calling all the would-be Pinkies with news of whether they got through the audition or not. Congratulations to all those who did, and welcome to our little family. That said, as anachronistic as it may sound, one does not need to sing to be a Pink Singer. The Pinkies wouldn't survive without the many people who work behind the scenes making sure that the engine remains well oiled. The Pink Singers are as much about the social interaction as they are about the actual performance, and you can have the former without necessarily being part of the latter. So the invitation remains open to those who didn't get on so well in the audition - do stay and be a Pinkie! You are always welcome.

New Members' Representative

It is week two of the winter season and things are going really well. We have pretty much covered the Britten carols - it certainly helps that half of us have sung it before - and will be polishing the music from here on in.

The first three weeks are also all about welcoming new members, and it has been a hectic time. Much of the congratulations goes to Liang who has been a very proactive new members' rep. In the past few seasons we have seen something of the order of a dozen would-be Pinkies coming along at the start of the season. Since Liang took over, however, we have had that many coming each week. This is not a surprise really, as Liang has gone out of his way to keep newbies up to date about the joining process, and put a more personal touch to making sure the new members are orientated.

I've had a chance to speak to many of the would-be new members and the overwhelming response is that they think we are a friendly bunch. Of course we are, but I also think that it helps that the section leaders are very keen to get to know the new members, and that the general Pinkies are also putting much more effort into it. After the rehearsal yesterday all bar one of the new members joined us in the pub for drinks, and they weren't all seated together either, but spread out amongst the regulars.

When I first joined, the Pink Singers were nowhere near as convivial and it took a couple of seasons to find my groove. I've noticed in the last couple of years that the atmosphere is changing though, and certainly for the better. It is counterintuituve, but as the choir gets bigger, there seems to be fewer and fewer factions, and more and more cohesiveness. It could be that the music is now our common focus, but I do think it reflects well on us as a community.

I have, for a long time, been worried about what will happen to that community as our group grows. At present we are 16 per section, or a total of 64 members. With the huge influx of new members and our relatively low turnover of existing members, Mladen mentioned that we could take on up to 15 newbies this season, and are now exploring going up to 18 per section, or a total of 72 members. That is more than twice the size of the choir I joined in 2002. At present, everyone still knows everyone else and we are all good friends. I imagine that 72 is probably the top end of what it is possible to cope with and still keep that great Pinkie vibe.

A Busy Weekend - Sunday

Saturday's description was posted just before this, so read that one first. this is about Sunday which was really important because it was also the proper start of the new season. In a way, the seasons are starting to bleed into one another, partly because we have gigs throughout the breaks. Still, not having rehearsals is a welcome change to the weekends, even if after a while I start to itch to get back into the swing of things.Liang, our new members' rep., has been a super busy-bee in the break. Who knows whether it is because of the promotion of choral singing by Sing London, or shows like Last Choir Standing or The Choir on TV, but there has been huge interest in joining this year. On Sunday we had nine new attendees. They all seem really friendly and according to Mladen and Michael De had good voices. It can be hard for new members to feel at home, but I think that the Pinkies generally do a good job of welcoming them. On my part I think I have to rein the friendliness in just a tad to avoid sounding a bit too leery.

This season we are singing Christmas songs which makes a significant departure for us from the usual. I know many of the pieces already, at least by ear, but singing them is quite a different story. We began with Britten's Ceremony of Carols, and I can recall when we last did this two years ago how long it took to learn the timing and notes of This Little Babe. This time everything seemed to fall into place beautifully. I'm not sure whether this causes consternation to the new members who may feel that this is how the choir always sings.

Thankfully we put that impression right by our total massacre of Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day. There was no hope in hell of us getting this right first time, especially at the pace at which it has been written, and for once the tenor line is not particularly melodic. I'd not heard the carol before, which helps in a way because I don't have a tune to forget.

Mark, our new chair, is currently away on holiday, so Ben P, the new U.K. concerts co-ordinator, gave us a little talk in the break, as did Simon our new treasurer. The atmosphere of the choir is changing because of the change in the executive committee, and I can see many Pinkies wanting to participate in how it is run. This can only be good for the choir. We're still looking for a secretary, which should hopefully be filled soon.After that it was off to the pub. As usual, we had the upstairs area to ourselves and there was a great buzz. There were many members of the choir I hadn't seen in the last two months, so there was loads of catching up to do. I also had a chance to chat with Karen, a new alto this season who is also going to be in charge of publicity for the Pinkies. I can only admire someone who we unfortunately had to space for last season, yet who stuck around till there was. Some of the newbies stayed right to the end, which is either a sign that they like being in our group, or that they're alcoholic, or both! There are allegedly another ten newbies coming next week, and the week after that. Good luck to them all!

The Super-anos

Well, I was working late on Tuesday, but instead of my usual commute home followed by crashing out on the sofa, I decided to test my brain cell a little by going to the Pinkies quiz night at the Black Cap. It was expertly organized by the sopranos, and MCed expertly by Emelda, who mixed her dry wit with some of the fairly ludicrous questions to great acclaim.

Of course I arrived late, but by the time I got there it was already fairly busy. I was roped into Mel's team with Sally Ann, Liang, Philip R and a bunch of Mel's friends. They were actaully rather good, and despite my tardiness I think I acquitted my self nicely with my encyclopaedic knowledge of Star Wars, Star Trek and Nintendo video games. Er... perhaps I shouldn't be too proud of that! In the end my team actually won, oh novelty! Of course Gill P's team of just three people were neck and neck with us all the way, and probably should have won if it weren't for the fact that my team was nearly three times their numbers!

It was also great to see most of the Pink Singers out on a school night. I am presuming that most people either have a relaxed dress policy at work, or they had a chance to go home to get changed, because there were quite a number of people dressed in nothing but T-shirts and shorts in the hot weather. I love the summer, people look so much sexier and our choir is blessed with quite a few photogenic members. I'll name names if pressed!

The quiz itself was followed by the mandatory karaoke session. I love singing, and I love karaoke, but when it comes to performing on a stage in front of people I just chicken out. Thankfully there were people like the amazing Keri who took up the challenge. I already know Keri has an amazing voice - at least year's choir weekend away she dazzled us all with her range and repertoire - but it didn't stop me being impressed hearing her sing Bjork's It's So Quiet. Liang ang a song just before I left, but the sweetest moment of the night must have been when the Pink Singers got up behind Gwen, a more mature regular at the karaoke night, to sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Fun was had by all - I can't wait until the altos' event!

Pink Singers: A Hugill History

Yesterday Liang asked me to accompany him to a concert. We often go to the theatre together, but this time was rather special, because Liang was going to meet Robert Hugill. For those of you not in the know, Robert was the second musical director of the Pink Singers after Mark Bunyan, the first and founding member. Liang is working on compiling a history of the Pink Singers, and he decided to meet Robert and collect a bag full of old concert flyers and promotional material which Robert had stashed away in his attic.

The first thing to say is that Robert is an incredibly chatty and friendly man, and there was a real warmth about him. I could see the affection he had, and continues to have, for the Pink Singers in the animated way he would speak of the choir all those years ago. In many ways, although Mark created the choir, the new group was a fragile thing, and it was Robert who nutured it into the self-sustaining community we see today.

Liang and I had a quick rifle through some of the material Robert provided us with, and what a find it is! There are old concert programmes from 1985, a choir directory from the fourth European gay and lesbian choir festival (before it was called Various Voices, and before Legato was called Legato) and so many photos of Pink Singers of years gone by. It would be wonderful to get back in touch with the "choir of about 10 members who sing mainly cabaret", although Robert did mention with some sadness that several of those members are no longer with us.

As for musical material, much of Robert's body of work has been donated to the Hall-Carpenter Archives, so we now have a few leads on where to go next to find out more about the origins of the Pink Singers. One pity is that no matter how much sheet music, programmes and photos you have, the experiences and voices of the people who were there will be lost unless they are recorded. It was a real pleasure speaking to Robert about his history with the Pinkies.

So, how was the concert? Simply amazing. Robert is lucky enough to head up a choir called FifteenB (I asked him about this, and the title seems to have been a joke whick stuck for good or bad) whose main purpose is to sing works which he has composed. The works are largely sacred with some beautiful motifs, especially in a segment called Choruses from "Passion" based on a series of poems from an anthology by Carl Cook. The pieces were performed with incredible talent by a number of remarkable singers, and I want to highlight a soprano called Rowena Wells and a tenor called John Beaumont for having simply gorgeous voices. I think the Pink Singers have a good choral sound, but we have a way to go yet before we can attain that level of accomplishment!

Robert's works will be performed next on Saturday the 15th of March at Hampstead Town Hall where his piece Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night will be premiered. The choir performing will be the London Concord Singers, and it promises to be a treat!

I've added Robert's website, blog and MySpace pages to the Pinkie Friends links on the right, so do remember to check them out!

A Countdown Of Blogs: On The Seventh Day

We did not rest! The tension and excitement really is building, and instead of a relaxing Saturday a couple of Pinkies have created a fitting conclusion to the Pink Singers MySpace Blog-A-Day challenge. Yes, it is another double bill and Liang and Philip have both written about what they're looking forward to in this concert.

Philip says:

[P]eople say what is the difference between a homosexual choir and a heterosexual choir and I always reply well, strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a heterosexual choir.

Witty as ever! And there is Liang's quote:

[T]he girls were putting the finishing touches to Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend.The girls moves were so good I wish we could join in!

It is still not too late to come along and watch both Equivox and the Pink Singers wow you with our performances. Get your tickets on the door tonight! It is only £12, £10 concessions!

Let The Sunshine In

Liang has been a busy bee and uploaded a recording of Equivox and us performing Let The Sunshine In at the post-concert brunch on the Sunday. It brings back great memories of our trip to Paris and the fantastic people we met there. And what a great time it was too!

Oh Paris!

In a first for me I am writing a blog post on the train on the way back from Paris. Now the weekend is over, I can look back on it with a mixture of relief and contentment but the feeling on Friday morning was quite different.

There was, first of all, the excitement of simply departing from the new Eurostar terminal at St. Pancras; and what a beauty it is. Having a coffee at the platform level and seeing the blue sky shining through the glass roof of the train shed, itself supported by sky blue ironwork was of itself an amazing experience, made better only by the wonderful and not so expensive bacon butties with tomato chutney of the Baby Betjamin café.

In contrast to the good weather in London, Paris couldn't have been damper. Clouds rolled in shortly after the tunnel crossing, and by the time we arrived at the Gare du Nord, a full storm was underway. As we arrived in the early afternoon and our host was still working, we had a couple of hours to kill. Liang, Simon and I spent it in a random brasserie: hamburgers seem to taste so much better when they are called steak haché!

Our hosts were a lovely couple called Stéphane, a long-serving tenor in Equivox, and Harald his partner (a.k.a. choir widow) originally from Vienna. Not having known anything about them before going, apart from their names, I was pleased to see that we were very similar in age and temperament. In fact, Simon and I could not have asked for more gracious hosts, and made better friends, over our time in Paris.

After settling in, we took them out to dinner at their local restaurant called La Domaine Léopold which specializes in simple rustic food from the area around Toulouse. Harald and Stéphane are obvious regulars because we were treated to free aperitifs and a wonderful starter of the most amazing warmed fois gras I have ever had. Just don't think about the duck. We were supposed to meet the other Pink Singers at the Open Café later, but as both the wine and conversation were flowing so well, we decided not to interrupt either.

The next morning was largely filled with preparations for the concert. We met Philip G and Michael for lunch at a bistro next to the town hall and were joined by Ben P, Sue, Liang and his host, also called Stéphane, so it became a rather impromptu party.

The Pinkies are very much like a large extended family, and gathering in one of the side chambers in the town hall for the warm-up was therefore akin to a family reunion. We have only been apart for six days, but you just couldn't avoid the "How've you been? What have you been up to? Where did you get that pink accessory?" type questions. To complete the picture, Liang's and Mike's cameras were out in force, as was Celso's, so I cannot be accused of being the only photo addict!

The first real contact with Equivox was when we watched them perform on stage for the first of the two concerts. Their musical director, Babette, has definitely put her mark on the choir, and their incredible stage presence, theatricality and enthusiasm reflects her own background in street performance. Watching Equivox perform is a real spectacle, and although their outfits are more restrained than previous years (their current theme being a summer party), their stage presence cannot be denied. This is as much their signature as (I hope) musical fidelity is for the Pink Singers.

A minor upset occurred after Equivox had finished their set. We were under the impression that there was to be an interval, but when the compere began doing our introduction we vacated the seats at the back of the hall and trooped on stage. It is not easy going from being unprepared to launching into Dies Irae! I was especially impressed at the comedy double act of Johanthon and Philip R who managed to get the audience laughing and applauding in their bilingual introduction, no mean feat!

The stage itself was very small and apparently has safety regulations limiting the number to a maximum of 42 at only one time on it. That explains why Equivox singers took it in turn to sing in either concert. Even with only 40 Pinkies (and Mladen) there was a bit of a squeeze and I was in the fourth of five rows when normally I am in the third of four. The cosiness meant that I was singing into Liang's right ear and Celso was singing into my left, and I have to say that it the tenors sounded pretty tight as a result. In fact, the whole choir sounded really polished, and if anything the second performance was even better than the first because we were more relaxed. The usual adrenaline rush after a concert wore off by the time I was on stage for the second time, so I must admit I also enjoyed it much more. The break between performances also gave Philip G, who was already showing off his long, toned, stockinged legs, a chance to experiment with novel decorative uses of a feather boa…

The Parisian audience really loved our attempt at the French songs Dirait'on and Hymne a l'amour and the applause and whoops were very reassuring. So I was slightly amused, and partly deflated, when Stéphane said we were very "charming with our English accents". Aww, I was trying so hard too to "parlez la Francais" [sic]. The audience were also very generous in their donations, and by the end of the night we had raised €1,500 for Sidaction, the organization fighting AIDS in France.

The after-party was a mad rush through the rain to a venue called Le Tango, Paris’ (and probably France’s) only gay and lesbian dance hall. There was something somewhat surreal about getting ready for a night out in your jeans and T-shirt finery, to arrive at the venue where couples are doing the Viennese waltz around the dance floor. Clearly it is really popular, but being timorous souls and having four left feet between us, Simon and I elected to spend most of the evening nursing our beers and watching from the side. This did not stop Stéphane for whom Le Tango is virtually a second home. Where does he get the energy! I did get a chance to chat with one of the new altos, Christine, who for some reason I kept introducing to other people by a completely different name most of the evening – sorry about that Christine! Later that evening the music turned to Eurotrash (eek!) and then to 80s English pop, so not much of an improvement then!

The next morning it was with some difficulty, entirely self-induced, that we made it to the venue where the group brunch was to be held. This is where Equivox normally rehearses, and is a primary school near to where we were staying. Ah the mem’ries of small, low, tightly-packed and rather stinky urinals… Stéphane took Simon and I on an abbreviated tour of some of the arcades in Paris, these elaborate and often sealed short-cuts through the buildings between streets; by the time we got there a spread had been laid out. What was better was the chance to chat with some of the members of Equivox like Florian (Stéphane's - Liang’s host’s - partner), Karim (who is the only bloke singing in the altos) and Marc, a rather studious-looking and musically knowledgeable chap.

It is always good to hear feedback from other choirs. I am very much a perfectionist, and I always go back over my own, and the choir’s, performance with a fine-tooth comb to pick out the mistakes made and identify areas for improvement. So I can be quite a downer sometimes, and it was a timely reminder that the Pink Singers really are very good, and we do have a clean, tight and very polished sound, and one that impresses other choirs! We had a chance to whip out that sound again in a spontaneous sing off between Equivox and us, and then reprised Let The Sunshine In which metamorphosed into a conga line snaking around the hall. What fun!

All too soon it was time to get back on the Eurostar to return to London. Unlike Paris, it wasn’t raining when we got back in, thank goodness for small mercies, but for dinner I defrosted a pizza; it certainly ain’t no fois gras! Sigh…

Man, I'm Knackered!

Whew! Just got back from the basses' event South Side Story which was a treasure hunt along the South Bank. Thankfully, despite rather inclement weather in the last week, the sun decided to make a welcome appearance, and it was actually quite warm. We had a very civilized start at 11.30 a.m., met in the gardens of Southwark Cathedral and set off with a bang.

I will say that our first clue was relatively easy, but after we had spent the first hour getting to clue five (of thirteen) the busy week leading up to this event took its toll. So when a very friendly tea shop beckoned Simon, Ben, Liang, Julia and I took the chance to have a leisurely lunch. Thereafter Julia and Ben had other things to do, so our numbers were decimated, and with a full tummy and the warm sunshine, my brain had started to shut down!

The clues were progressively cryptic and while there were some lovely paths which I had not taken before, we had to drop several of the answers. Unfortunately, I didn't get to chat with Pinkies on other teams either apart from Emelda and Hester in the crypt at St. Paul's, and Andrew F on the phone. By the time we reached Oxo tower, all I wanted to do was go home have a cup of tea and a biscuit. Three hours in, we did ran into a couple of the teams outside St. Thomas' hospital, and I'm afraid my resolve just cracked and I threw in the towel. What a wuss!

Did get back for a well-deserved pint of Samuel Smith wheat beer at my local, the Yorkie Grey. A great big thanks to the basses though, for arranging an energetic afternoon out. I'm pooped!

Fun In The Sun...

...or rather the lack thereof!

Given the amazing weather we have been having, I was quite surprised at how well attended yesterday's rehearsal was, particularly since it was in the recital room, buried in the bowels of the Royal Academy of Music. At least it wasn't hot!

Then again, given that we have had a fortnight's hiatus - what with the weekend away followed in quick succession by the bank holiday - I know I certainly missed our weekly sing-song.

We attacked Big Band Bash which is one of my absolute favourite pieces we have ever sung. I remember first learning it three or four years ago, and just what a hard slog it was with the rhythms and clashing harmonies. Now we have the hang of it though, it is great to really get into the swing of it. And this time round we are doing the whole kaboodle, including Don't Get Around Much Anymore and In A Sentimental Mood which we cut last time due to our smaller soprano and alto sections back then. Yesterday the girls sounded really, really good.

The other surprise for me was how okay (we're not quite there yet) This Woman's Work sounds. Andy has worked his magic with the melodies there, but it is very hard to sing owing to the rather difficult rhythms. As Andrew D was saying, it could well become the next Angels.

Something Fishy also gave us their a capella rendition of Only You - a kind of a taster really, for their free gig at Central Station on Tuesday. Given how great they sound it should be a blast! A whole bunch of us will be heading down there. What I really love is how they have alter egos. You go Lara Montagne!

Finally, a sneak peak at Winter 2007's repertoire. It is obviously not yet fixed, but in addition to the rest of Jenkins' Requiem, Liang managed to track down an SATB version of Come What May from Moulin Rouge. He bought the sheet music from the States, and Mladen has looked at and approved it, so that's something to look forward to. A few years ago I managed to cajole Stefan into singing the duet version (AT arrangement with the 'A' transposed down to 'B' for Stefan) with me. It never materialized, and I am glad it didn't because we would have made an utter hash of it.

Simon, ever the Babs Streisand fan, has put forward People, and which may also get through. I am personally hoping that When I Fall In Love eventually gets done by the big choir, given how successful it was with the small group. Still waiting with bated breath to see what the rest of the choir suggests!

Far Better Than Expected

Well, for all two of you (okay, one of you) waiting with bated breath for my report on this weekend's shenanigans, I have to say that it really was a lot better than I anticipated. For one, the weather was superb, despite my previous misgivings. Have a look at the photo which, hard to believe, shows even better weather than the tourist brochure!

Streatley itself is a lovely rather fancy town - they have their own Bentley dealership for one! But that also means some lovely pubs, amazing riverside walks and proper tea and cakes. We went for a long stroll by the river bank, finally ending up at a pub for a well-earned lunch. The sunshine was so warm several of us (who remain nameless!) fell asleep at the table afterwards.

The evenings were spent playing mah-jong, courtesy of Annie, or Cluedo, courtesy of the youth hostel. But, for me, the pièce de résistance was Liang and his karaoke machine. Keri, Vicki, Liang, Hester and I sang into the wee hours of the morning. We have decided that with her extensive knowledge of showtunes, Keri is actually a gay man.

It was a bit of a shame more people weren't there, but those of us who did go had a fabulous time. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Bloody Hell! It's Raining!

Well wouldn't you know it. I am still at home despite having planned to set off for the choir weekend away about half an hour ago. Liang's car has broken down, probably because the battery is flat. However, the AA man is on his way, and with any luck we should be out of here by 8p.m.

Actually, that is the least of our problems. The weather, which was looking so great at the start of the week, has taken a predictable turn for the worse, with the rain now coming down in sheets outside my living room window. It isn't cold, but it is pretty dreary, which does not bode all that well for our Thames path stroll down to the pub tomorrow.

I was all excited too! For your enjoyment, I have here a picture of the pub which we will be dining at, in all its tourist brochure sunshine glory. I have also, quickly photoshopped up a version of what I think the place with actually look like when we get there. That is, if I can see through the raindrops splashing in my face.

Sigh. And to top it off I have no computer to tinker with all weekend. I guess it will do me good to get off the grid now and then.

Beautiful Is Boring?

I went for last orders with Liang last night at our local pub. Unfortunately, I missed the weekend's rehearsal due to familial obligations for Chinese New Year, so he very kindly collected the sheet music for two new songs in this season's repertoire.

The first is a TTBB arrangement of Aquarius for the blokes - had a quick look at it, and it seems the first tenors are in for a bit of a shock having to hit a high C!

The second is an SATB arrangement for the whole choir of Beautiful as originally sung by Christina Aguilera. Not having heard this particular arrangement yet, just looking at the tenor line makes me want to yawn. We seem to have four notes - okay I'm exaggerating a little - but really, as a conceited tenor, I really want to do more than sing backing vocals. And I know several tenors and basses would rather sing lead a la Christina!



That said, I felt the same way about Angels when we first sang it, and now it sounds really great. So what do I know?