Last night (September 1, 2006), The Newshour with Jim Lehrer closed with what I thought was an excellent 'essay.' Richard Rodriguez mused on how, for many people in today's American culture, singing is something we only let ourselves do in private -- in the shower, or in the car, with the windows rolled up -- as long as we're sure no one can hear us. He points out that, for many of us, we're surrounded by music all the time, in background music in stores, or walking around with iPod earpieces in our ears, but that communal singing has become a lost art, and that even in many of the larger churches, the worship music is often produced concert pieces, and members of the congregation have become listeners rather than singers.

That's something I've noticed, too, and I really miss it: no one goes carolling door-to-door at Christmastime anymore (at least around here); just records of carols playing in the background at parties.

I was hoping the segment would be available online, for folks to listen to, but it's not. I was wondering if any other Mudcatter caught it.