Song challenge: Not so Grand piano

Subject: Song chasllenge: Not so Grand piano
From: oldhippie
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 07:51 AM

AP photo in morning paper shows a Bosendorfer grand piano (45000 pounds about $88750) fallen to the ground while being unloaded from a lorry Tuesday in Sandyway England. Piano was headed to the Two Moors festival. Photo caption "It sounds a little flat".

Is there a song here?

Subject: RE: Song chasllenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Mrrzy
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 03:38 PM

The river overflowed its banks, the town was filled with water
I cannot swim, cried Mrs. Jones in anguish to her daughter
Do you get up on the bureau, Ma, I think I've got a plan-O
And I will accompany you upon the grand piano!

(Can't recall what that ditty's from...)

Subject: RE: Song chasllenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 05:48 PM

I used to tinkle the ivories and not so long ago,
Until a sad removal man almost dropped it on his toe.
My grand piano was special and worth a lot of dough,
How he dropped it from his van, I'm sure I'll never know.

I played a lot of concerts, all over this great land,
My skills as a grand pianist, are ever in demand,
But what am I to do now my poor instrument is dead,
If I had a gun I sure would put it to my head.

Subject: RE: Song chasllenge: Not so Grand piano
From: charles92027
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 06:15 PM

It pained me so to see her cry,
my darling dear Veronica.
Her piano smashed upon the ground
If she'd only played harmonica

Subject: RE: Song chasllenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Sorcha
Date: 11 Apr 07 - 08:20 PM

oh dear. someone, or several someones, will be very un happy.

Subject: RE: Song chasllenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 04:50 AM

Veronica playing the harmonica,
Would not play harmonica as good as our Monica!

Subject: RE: Song chasllenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 10:06 AM

After delivery my Bosendorfer sounded flat,
And it kinda looked flat too;
They laughed when I sat down to play,
But what else could I do?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Song chasllenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Charley Noble
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 08:43 AM

Well, that was an easy win!

Not even an additional wimper.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Song challenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Flash Company
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 10:38 AM

Sittin at my pi-anno the other day,
My mind was all forlorn (It was lyin' upside down in a ditch at da time)
I was feelin' quite blue 'cos the moving man,
Dropped it on an April morn ( Mr Shifter, do you know the piano's on my foot?)
What a crash dat was, the black notes was playing 'Sonny Boy',
The white notes was playing 'White Christmas'
And at the same time, what do you think my foot was doing?
Turning black, there was an effin great piano on it!

So as you would guess, I am in a mess,
'cos I've gone and lost all my chords,
The concert folk say that it's no joke
Since I went and lost all dose chords,
All I did was start to unload it,
When Stanley stepped up and that blowed it,
Now it's upside down in a hole in the ground,
And I've really lost all my chords!

Stanley, that's another fine mess you've gotten me into!

Apologies to Mr Durante, The PG Tips Chimps and Laurel & Hardy.
THe show aint over 'til the fat man sings!

FC

Subject: RE: Song challenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Charley Noble
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 01:08 PM

Very nice, FC.

We could start a new thread about the joys and woes of moving pianos.

I personally find piano owners high maintenance friends to keep, and I've dropped them in favor of concertina players.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Song challenge: Not so Grand piano
From: terrier
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 05:04 PM

Many years ago, when a Liverpool music shop was moving premises (the old one was being demolished) and the lift (elevator) had already been taken out, the piano movers rigged up a block and tackle to lower the pianos down the liftshaft. When one of the hire Steinways slipped out of its cradle 3 floors up, the sound it made when it hit ground was aaawwwsome.

Subject: RE: Song challenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 13 Apr 07 - 07:08 PM

'A FLAT' piano.

Subject: RE: Song challenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Mark H.
Date: 14 Apr 07 - 04:17 AM

The boy stood on the printed page,
the headline was a banger.
"Bosendorfer, Pity's Sake"
-he'd dropped an awful clanger.

Subject: RE: Song challenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Old Grizzly
Date: 14 Apr 07 - 05:19 AM

I have moved Grand Pianos on hundreds of occasions and really feel for the Guys who dropped this one.
It is normally a 2 or at most 3 man job shifting and erecting in excess of half a ton of delicate wood and steel and while there is a good measure of 'grunt' involved, it is largely a combination of balance, planning, cunning and, above all, concentration. Looks to me like someone left his brains at home that day and didn't turn the piano on the tail lift before lowering it.... so it hooked up.... once it starts to go - just get clear - you ain't going to stop it.
I have had a few near misses but luckily no catastrophes. I also have a back full of shot discs :o) and my piano juggling days are well and truly over.

What a shame for the folks who worked so hard to raise the money for this lovely piano..... another week or two of fundraising and perhaps they could have fully insured it too ?

£45,000 - Phew! That would buy a awful lot of very nice concertinas :o)

Dave

Subject: RE: Song challenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 14 Apr 07 - 12:12 PM

One hopes that the remover firm was well insured, but even if it was, that's not the end of the story.

An instrument of that description and quality is not easily replaced even if the money is available.

I know that if my Beautiful Wife's 1922 Steinway Grand ($35,000, newly rebuilt, about ten years ago) were destroyed, and even supposing that insurance provided a realistic compensation in today's market, we would have a long and exhausting search to find even a rough equivalent, and THEN the action, touch, and sound (as well as the looks) would not likely be satisfactory to her exquisitely sensitized fingers and ears.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Song challenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Flash Company
Date: 14 Apr 07 - 12:22 PM

Having had experience of Insurance Adjusters over the years in business, they will be looking for a loophole with a 45k claim.

FC

Subject: RE: Song challenge: Not so Grand piano
From: Old Grizzly
Date: 14 Apr 07 - 12:36 PM

Reports are that it was only insured for about £26000.

I suspect this one will end up in the civil courts as a claim against the removals firm.

The luckless villagers at least have pretty good photographic evidence to hand.


Dave