Friday 4 December 2009

SuBo from below

My neighbour-from-hell under me continues to playhis 'music' loudly for several nights a week until the wee small hours of the following day. I've had to try to live with it as there's no viable alternative - my landlord being unsympathetic (probably, after my informing him of the problem, regarding me as a trouble-maker) and the neighbours in the attached house being unaccountably silent. Anyway, it was with some surprise the other day when I heard the sounds of Susan Boyle's unmistakeable voice drifting up - quite a change from his usual taste of heavy rock and Rolling Stones. It was her recently released album, which he has now played to death. Actually I shared the general amazement a few months ago on first hearing Ms Boyle's voice and even now I still find it quite extraordinary - steady, strong and, usually, accurate. (I read on a certain celebrity gossip website that she's once again started behaving bizarrely. She's clearly very vulnerable and overwhelmed by her world-celebrity status at lightening speed and is in need of good professional care and advice.) Anyway, at 4.30 this morning I heard my neighbour going to bed after I, and presumably, all others living around here, had been hearing Ms Boyle exhorting us to 'cry (me) a river' over and over again. She almost had her wish!
Regarding the singer herself I'm slightly apprehensive about being told that she's a regular church-goer, as well as being a spinster (and, some have said, a virgin, but what does that matter if she is? Are we supposed to read between the lines? - nudge, nudge.) Anyway, I'm just ever so slightly nervous that, were it not for her occasional erratic behaviour, some Christian group would be eager to claim her as their own and use her to trumpet their 'faith' - and bigotry. I bet some are already waiting to jump. Maybe needless fears - but at least for the moment, even though I don't dislike the Stones myself, I'd rather hear her voice than that of Mr Jagger.

6 comments:

  1. I'm really happy for Susan Boyle that her album is doing so well. I'm may just go buy it myself as well. I will not blast it at 4:30am however. I prefer that Greg not have justifiable cause to murder me.

    Do you have a new profile pic? I like it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yup, Larry. The 'new' pic was actually taken about 18 months ago - I think it makes me look younger than I am, or at least younger than I was then. (btw don't know why my comments to you is still accompanied by the previous pic. Maybe I'll try deleting it, logging off, then coming back and re-loading it. But it's not a big deal.)
    I too had considered buying the Susan Boyle album - but, regretfully, I've no need to now!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It appears that your neighbor can do what ever he pleases because people turn a deaf ear to it. Sorry that this is still going on. Susan Boyle's recording is one which I will not buy. However, if it were a recording by Elaine Paige, I'd be right in line.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for your comment, Paul, but I'd rather listen to SuBo than Paige. I've been wanting to write a blog on established-singer voices which I find a turn-off but when I compiled a list I realised that they were all American! Now you've supplied one who isn't so maybe I'll give it more careful thought.

    ReplyDelete
  5. No one can sing "Memory" or "As If We Never Said Goodbye" as Paige does. Can't wait to read your thoughts on one of the worlds best theatre performers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh dear! I've committed myself now, haven't I? Actually I've seen Ms Paige live in two different musicals in London. The first time was in the very original 'Cats' when she took over at short notice from Judi Dench (who had broken a leg or sprained an ankle or something equally disabling) as Grizabella and hence it was also the first time I heard 'Memory', which has become very much an iconic song representing the 1980s. The second time was in the original 'Chess', that still under-rated Abba-guys musical which, I think, bombed on Broadway but ran for two years in London.
    As for Ms Paige's actual voice, well, ever wished you hadn't said anything? But I won't forget the subject, Paul.

    ReplyDelete