Strangest request?

Subject: Strangest request?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 03 Feb 07 - 06:38 PM

I'm wondering what would be the strangest, musical request some of you have ever received. Humorous or otherwise.
When I lived in Margaree, Cape Breton, one of my neighbours came in and asked me to play a "The Hills of Margaree" for her mother who was on her death bed.
Her mother knew that she was dying and with the help of her family, put together a list of 10 things she would like before she died.
I did as she asked and while the woman lay on her bed, I played a number of her favourites including the one she had asked for.
It was a touching moment, made even more so by the fact that all the while I was playing, the grandchildren and great grandchildren filed silently through the room to say their goodbyes. It's something, I'll never forget.
As I left the house I noted that my name had been checked off on the list.
A few days later, the old woman kept her part of the bargain.
I've given up singing at funerals (I get too emotional) but this; I would do again.

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 Feb 07 - 07:07 PM

People ask me to sing to someone if they want them to suffer....

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Elaine Green
Date: 03 Feb 07 - 08:20 PM

That first post is a lovely story.

My talents probably fall more in line with the second post.

Many years ago, when I used to play publicly, I was playing in Houston. It was a combination of my delicate originals, some instrumental pieces, and a few well-chosen and tasteful covers. A grizzled deperado at one of the tables said, "PLAY SOME SKYNARD!!!!" I said I didn't know any, at which point he pulled back his coat to display a pistol (remember, this was Houston!). I played as much of 'Free Bird' as I could recall. Luckily my inept rendition seemed to satisfy the lunatic.

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Deckman
Date: 03 Feb 07 - 08:26 PM

This is a TRUE story ... I couldn't make this up if I wanted to! Some years ago, when both of my parents lived in a nursing home, I would often go over on Sundays and sing to the assembly. One Sunday, and my mother and the staff had warned me, I was seriously "hit on" by a new resident! REALLY. She kept inviting to come up to her room after the singing was through. She offered to get me anything ... I MEAN ANYTHING ... that I could possibly want. (coffee, tea or me?) It was not only embarrassing, but it was also kinda sad ... this lady was well into her eighties. She followed me out to my car as I left, but a couple of staff members helped me carry my guitars. CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Sorcha
Date: 03 Feb 07 - 08:39 PM

There was the wedding of 2 developmentally disabled young people on Main Street during the summer Town Festival.

There was the Dead Wife of the Catholic priest's 50th Wedding Anniversary party/daughters wedding reception. He'd been married, they had a daughter. Wife died. He became a priest. Daughter got married 'near' her parents anniversary, sooooo

The priest killed 2 birds with one stone. Had an anniversary party for he and his dead wife and a wedding/reception for the daughter and groom. Weird.

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: DriveForever
Date: 03 Feb 07 - 09:40 PM

Elaine,

   I don't think I've experienced anything quite like you did
in Houston, but having played some of places there I can believe it !
I got quite a laugh out of that (tho I know it probably wasn't funny at the time...)

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Scoville
Date: 03 Feb 07 - 10:04 PM

Yeah, welcome to Houston. I heard once that we were a civilized town but I don't believe it yet.

* * * * *

I once had to help sing "Nearer My God to Thee" to a recently-euthanized Cocker spaniel when I was working as a vet tech. I can barely sing and I don't know the song well, but the woman really wanted to sing to the dog so I followed her the best I could. It took me weeks to live that one down amongst the other technicians.

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 03 Feb 07 - 11:37 PM

I've had some pretty strange requests in my time.... can't remember any that involved singing though!

I did once have to sing Flanders and Swann songs I didn't know, to a group of 4-5yr olds, whilst dressed in a purple and yellow clown suit with my hair in wired plaits. There's even photographic evidence somewhere.

I now know most of the words to 'P** P** B**** B** D******' but it's taken me 25 years to learn 'em.

LTS

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Anne Lister
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 07:02 AM

I, too, have been asked to sing to a dog to heal it. Happened in Santa Cruz when I was on tour with Steafan Hannigan. He was stuck with an uillean pipes geek when I was approached by this chap who asked if I would do him a big favour ... his dog had been run over that day and was dying, but he was sure I could heal the dog by singing to it. I went out with him to his truck, laid my hands on the dog and sang to it (one of my songs, as I recall, which was what the chap wanted). As I did so the man burst into tears, so we had this little moment of hugs, and then Steafan and I went on back to stay with Martin Simpson.   Who was hugely amused, and said that it would probably be best if I hadn't succeeded in healing the dog because if I had I'd have a long line of possible patients next time I was in town. So far no long line of patients.

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Declan
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 07:11 AM

I was playing in a Pub in Dublin one night and a very elderly woman came up to me and said "Do you know I was eighteen years old?" (this was a request to sing "The Streets of New York" by the Wolf Tones, a song I don't know.

I couldn't resist replying - "I believe you missus, but thousands wouldn't"

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 08:31 AM

So the dog died then?

:-)

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 12:29 PM

I sang at my young neice's wedding party so when her husband was dying of cancer she asked if I'd sing at his funeral & that he'd always liked my singing. At the funeral I sang an adapted version of Burn's "Ane Fond Kiss" I don't know how I got through it. I hope nevr to be in that situation again, sad.

Barry

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Anne Lister
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 04:30 PM

Yes, I think the dog died. Unless, of course, you know different...

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 05:18 PM

At a ren faire, back in 1986, a very pretty young maiden asked our mandolin player to do "Stairway To Heaven." He obliged. Anyone else listening probably thought it was some strange modal Irish reel.

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 06:03 PM

I was heading out to play the matinee at Fiddlers Pub in Sydney, Cape Breton one afternoon when my car burst into flames about five minutes away from getting there. I immediately unloaded all of my gear. A passing motorist hauled it to the pub for me and an RCMP officer dropped me off some time later. I got the equipment set up in record time and started playing right on the stroke of three.
And what do you suppose was the first song requested by the joker in the audience?

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 12:26 PM

"Fire" by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown??

"Fire" by Jimi Hendrix?

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Cluin
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 12:39 PM

Playing a pub in Kingston, one slightly inebriated lady yelled out at us, "I wanna hear 'I'm an Asshole!"", meaning of course the Denis Leary song.

You can guess what we yelled back at her.

She then complained to the pub manager. But he told we were just fulfilling her request as far as he heard. The rest of the place had laughed anyway.

We didn't end up signing the song for her; after all, she had no sense of humour anyway.

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 12:41 PM

"Ring of Fire." .... Kind of killed two birds with one stone there!

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 12:57 PM

"Hills of Margaree" is a beautiful song written by Jim Brannigan who used to live in Margaree. Any chance you may be related to him Jim Lad? :-}
                                  Sandy

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 01:16 PM

Don't know if this is so strange or not - but I was once asked (Kingsville, Ontario), "Can you sing tenor? ... Ten'r eleven blocks away?"

Yeah, I thought it was funny too.

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 03:01 PM

Have a cousin "Sandy MaClean". I'm related to him.
Best one yet, looks to be the dog healer. Don't know if I could have done that.

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Gurney
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 01:48 AM

I was once asked to sing 'the Man-eating Shark' at a skindivers club night. By one of the wives.

Liz, you must be a SLOOOOW learner. Don't try to learn any ballads.
("Let's have an intellectual treat, Pee Poo Belly Bum Drawers.)




Sad, isn't it.

Subject: RE: Strangest request?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 03:33 AM

Sandy: Are you on Lake Ainslie?