I used to sing in church quite often. Since my 3-year old was born, not so much. She is a scaredy-cat and clingy and since my husband is busy on Sunday mornings, I’ve stepped aside.
But today, I led the congregational singing from the piano. And during the offertory, I sang a song.
And here’s the embarrassing part.
I sang a song I composed. A simple song with a simple chord structure, involving a lot of flats. I ran through the fingering before church started. No problems. I don’t have written music for it–well, maybe I do somewhere, but generally, I just play my homemade songs without music or even a chord chart.
So today, when I got to the chorus, I suddenly began to think about my fingering and the chords and then I blanked out and zigged when I should have zagged, hit E-flat when I should have hit B-flat and actually had to sing while my fingers hovered silently over the keyboard for a second.
Second verse, no problem. Then I stumbled on the chorus again.
That’s what I get for thinking while playing.
I might still be blushing.
Actual Unretouched Photo 
Mel,
I have great thoughts and ideas and always thought I would be a fabulous speaker like many in my family…BUT even though I am not one bit afraid to do it…when I get up in front of a crowd, my mind is blank…and so are ALL of my notes… I no longer have visions of granduer… alas–maybe I have other talents…
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hmm, blogger ate my comment. I feel your pain. I sang/played a song I wrote at our wedding and did the same thing. I have yet to watch that part of our wedding in our videotape from over 20 yrs ago. It’s too painful to even think about!
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I feel your pain.
For me it was during communion on Christmas day.
I played the music to the wrong song. Two other people were depending on me NOT to blow it, but true to form, I did.
Things got crazy at my house shortly after this happened. My mom fell, 18 people came to my house for dinner… I hadn’t much time to think about it since it happened.
Geesh…thanks for reminding me! At least we can blush together!
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Mel,
I have great thoughts and ideas and always thought I would be a fabulous speaker like many in my family…BUT even though I am not one bit afraid to do it…when I get up in front of a crowd, my mind is blank…and so are ALL of my notes… I no longer have visions of granduer… alas–maybe I have other talents…
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It happens to all of us… even those of us who do music for a living. I started singing once at the farmers market (usually I just play instrumental stuff) and the whole crowd went away. And one time in a concert I dropped my hammer right before the big ending. With my trio I’ve sometimes started in the wrong key or on the wrong tune or miscounted or…
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My husband is a singer/songwriter and on more than one occasion he’s started a song and blanked on the words — to his own songs! Since it’s an a capella group, there’s no accompaniment to vamp while he remembers, either!
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hmm, blogger ate my comment. I feel your pain. I sang/played a song I wrote at our wedding and did the same thing. I have yet to watch that part of our wedding in our videotape from over 20 yrs ago. It’s too painful to even think about!
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I feel your pain.
For me it was during communion on Christmas day.
I played the music to the wrong song. Two other people were depending on me NOT to blow it, but true to form, I did.
Things got crazy at my house shortly after this happened. My mom fell, 18 people came to my house for dinner… I hadn’t much time to think about it since it happened.
Geesh…thanks for reminding me! At least we can blush together!
LikeLike
It happens to all of us… even those of us who do music for a living. I started singing once at the farmers market (usually I just play instrumental stuff) and the whole crowd went away. And one time in a concert I dropped my hammer right before the big ending. With my trio I’ve sometimes started in the wrong key or on the wrong tune or miscounted or…
LikeLike
My husband is a singer/songwriter and on more than one occasion he’s started a song and blanked on the words — to his own songs! Since it’s an a capella group, there’s no accompaniment to vamp while he remembers, either!
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oh gosh, those are the kinds of things we have nightmares about, aren’t they?
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oh gosh, those are the kinds of things we have nightmares about, aren’t they?
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I sang/played a song I wrote several years ago at my home church, and I sort of regretted it. I felt so EXPOSED, and I felt like no one really “got” my song. I haven’t really written any since then, so I’m thinking maybe I shouldn’t have decided to share it!
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I sang/played a song I wrote several years ago at my home church, and I sort of regretted it. I felt so EXPOSED, and I felt like no one really “got” my song. I haven’t really written any since then, so I’m thinking maybe I shouldn’t have decided to share it!
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Oh sheesh, I feel your pain – I’m the sole piano player for my highly-music-loving church, and the good news is they don’t even know when I make a mistake. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to make them, but it’s a lot of room for grace.
Sometimes though if I pop in a chorus on them that they don’t remember, it turns into a solo and that is uber-embarrassing. Nothing like trying to worship when 50 pairs of eyes are watching you sing a song that you are wondering ‘why aren’t they singing along?’
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Oh sheesh, I feel your pain – I’m the sole piano player for my highly-music-loving church, and the good news is they don’t even know when I make a mistake. Doesn’t mean I don’t want to make them, but it’s a lot of room for grace.
Sometimes though if I pop in a chorus on them that they don’t remember, it turns into a solo and that is uber-embarrassing. Nothing like trying to worship when 50 pairs of eyes are watching you sing a song that you are wondering ‘why aren’t they singing along?’
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