not bad for an englishman

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: Bert
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 10:27 PM

...I have friends who are not fond of my singing 'their' songs in a faux accent...


I had an Irish friend who told me that "You don't need an accent to sing a song"

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 09:50 PM

Have quoted this before, but it bears repeating.

After one gig, an audient(?) said
"That was almost worth getting out of bed for"

(It was the "Almost" that got me!)

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 06:18 PM

The woman meant ,that she didnt think English people had any music in them.

Or perhaps she was thinking that English people often seem to have a considerable resistance to letting the music they have in them get out. Which, I would say, seems to be unfortunately true.

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 06:12 PM

This sounds to me like a failure to apply the old adage;

'Please Engage Brain Before Operating Mouth!'

A system I regularly forget to employ. I only open my mouth to change feet, too.

Your best tactic would have been to thank her whilst laughing helplessly.
Were you perchance singing Irish songs? I have friends who are not fond of my singing 'their' songs in a faux accent. I thought I was entertaining them, but I found I was irritating them!

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: maeve
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 06:09 PM

Consider this then: Perhaps your musical skill and courtesy have helped to revise her former opinion.

We humans can be mighty ignorant, but most of us do like to learn.

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 05:41 PM

no,with respect to all contributors.
The woman meant ,that she didnt think English people had any music in them.
I was there, I picked up her body language,the way she looked at me ,etc, etc.
I would never dream of going up to a welsh man,and saying that was not bad singing for a welsh man.
music is international,I have heard fine Japanese musicians playing Irish music,I would never say hey thats great music,considering your Japanese.

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: greg stephens
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 01:54 PM

Not a bad thread for a concertina player.

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 01:49 PM

The nature of the song and the style of singing might be relevant here.

After all, it'd be quite reasonable to make a similar comment to an Irish Morris Dancer who had demonstrated that he had mastered a foreign tradition.

But in any case ribbing people in this way is part of the way human beings relate to each other, and it is generally pretty inoffensive, except of course when it is meant to offend, or when it is particularly insensitive.

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 01:39 PM

Of course we can allow a little piss taking back. It goes to prove that, while everyone else is over sensitive and insecure about their ethnicity, we are better than them.

Dave
(Running for the door...)

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: Folkiedave
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 11:55 AM

On a morris trip to Ireland we had occasion to go to a reception where prospective TD's were also campaigning.

One of the team had just written an article about the Irish political system at the time for a learned journal and the subject came up for discussion by accident.

"You're awfully well-educated for an an Englishman" he was told.

Steve is correct - we can accept a litte pisstaking occasionally. (As a morris dancer you get used to it anyway.

And we (Sheffield City Morris)are back in Kilkenny next weekend.

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 11:47 AM

As a nation we English took the piss out of everyone else for centuries. I think we can allow a little leeway on pisstaking back nowadays.

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 11:39 AM

Dick's question still stands though and it is perfectly valid -

just wondered how Irish singers might feel,if someone came up to them in England,and said your not a bad singer for someone who is Irish

It seems perfectly acceptable for anyone to take the piss out of the Englishman but when the tables are turned and the same Englishman makes similar remarks about [Insert name of your favourite minority here] then he is acused of racism, sexism, imperialism and too many other-isms to mention.

Would anyone care to set odds on how long the thread would last ad stay civil if I started one saying that Christy Moore wasn't too bad for an Irishman?

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: Ythanside
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 10:38 AM

A compliment, backhanded and perhaps grudgingly given, but definitely well meant.

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: Betsy
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 09:32 AM

Probably a nice opening line to engage you in a bit of conversation.
Don't read any deeper than that.

Cheers Betsy

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: kendall
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 09:28 AM

That's a common sign of approval here.

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: GUEST,beachcomber
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 08:54 AM

Captain, is it within the bounds of possibility that the woman in question was merely having " a leg pull" ?

Subject: RE: not bad for an englishman
From: Rog Peek
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 08:52 AM

We regularly go set dancing when we are in Ireland. I have on a number of occasions been told I dance very well for an Englishman. I always take it as a compliment.

Rog

Subject: not bad for an englishman
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Sep 08 - 08:48 AM

when I finished a gig last night,sat sep27,a woman approached me and said I was not a bad singer for an Englishman.
just wondered how Irish singers might feel,if someone came up to them in England,and said your not a bad singer for someone who is Irish.it seems aparticular problem for asmall minority of Irish people that they cant accept that English people can be musical,or have a musical tradition.
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Dick Miles