Etiquette for a Singsong

Etiquette for a Singsong

Meitheal Ceol began in my kitchen back around 2011 with Sam Carroll and myself trying to batter out a few tunes we could sing together, just for Fun. Then we decided to meet up in each other's homes on alternating weeks for a few songs and shared tea and chat around the table. Others soon joined in and the informal weekly get togethers, with the singing, learning basic chords and strumming, with arguments about timing, sharing of learning and chats on all sorts of topics over the tea breaks, passed many a winter’s night with great warmth, craic and enduring friendships. A list of common songs emerged and has grown to this present volume of popular and easy to sing songs.

Later we had sing songs in our motorhome, (we often had ‘Captured’ as against

‘Captive’ audiences), around campfires, in kitchens, pubs, Gola Island café and in the open air, even at a party for a lively 90-year-old man and his family and friends.

We spent 18 consecutive nights in October 2014 at open-mic nights around

Lancashire and Northhumberland where we were welcomed with much warmth.

Below are certain aspects of these sessions which emerged as core elements of what has worked well, according to feedback from particpants in these singsongs: -

NOTE:- These general principles transfer well onto Online Zoom (or other) SingSongs • Participation by Everyone is Key and Fun-da-Mental. Having Fun is vital and the feeling after a sing song is one of enhanced Mental Health and Folláine). There’s the feeling of freedom… of the air moving from your diaphragm through your windpipe, learning to like your own voice, sharing in the group chorus, enjoying the lovely harmonies and the richness, diversity and colour of the different voices and song interpretations. • Typically, someone takes on the role of ‘Fear’ nó ‘Bean an Tí’ (MC). They then go around the group circle one by one. At their turn, Everyone is invited to either sing a song, or suggest a song where all sing along in unison. We found that even those who either are shy to sing or don’t know the words of songs benefit from nominating a song for the group to sing. After a couple of rounds of the songs they often join in the sing along. • Each person is encouraged, assisted and commended on their contribution. Often, just getting started with a song is really daunting and yet afterwards the elation of having done it and being commended gives one a great boost in confidence. • We found that having a songbook with the words and the chords to hand is vital to provide cadence and coherence and it gives great confidence to the singer, who might otherwise be unsure of the words. If there are partners or peripheral visitors, it often helps greatly to include them by handing them a copy of the book to follow along with. • The space between songs, is where the informal chat, the craic, the jokes, (often many non-PC), the sharing of stories about the songs, playing and singing tips and general chat over the cuppa (and whatever goodies people have brought along) lubricate the communion of friendships. Even the dogs who come along enjoy the gig. • Finally…Life is short… and sometimes our choices and resources are limited. Sing along, It’s free and It’s Fun and Souper for the Soul! 14 | P a g e