National Kazoo Day

Subject: National Kazoo Day
From: GUEST,Ed Silberman
Date: 28 Jan 17 - 01:10 PM

Rejoice and Glad! Today is National Kazoo Day in the USA

http://nationalkazooday.com/

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jan 17 - 01:31 PM

Given the executive order that your President has just enacted, today is not a day to 'rejoice and be glad' about the USA...

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: keberoxu
Date: 28 Jan 17 - 04:40 PM

From the Georgia State Fair to Beaufort South Carolina, eh?

One time, when we were all teenagers and all singing in the same high school chorus, we passed a kazoo around. When we were done, the kazoo was never the same. At the time I didn't know what a kazoo was made of, and had no idea why the little thing had lost its buzz.
Now that I know that it's about a strategically positioned piece of paper, it's easier to guess what happened. Either the paper was blown out of line from too much wind, or it got soggy and melted because the singing was too wet.
I personally blame it on Juanita. She had never laid eyes on a kazoo before; she came up in church, singing gospel, and when she raised her soprano voice, the walls shook. I think she killed that little kazoo without even trying.

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 28 Jan 17 - 05:54 PM

poor kazoo

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: keberoxu
Date: 28 Jan 17 - 06:15 PM

Poor kazoo, is right. It never buzzed again. When you hummed into it, all you got was a whimpering noise.

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 29 Jan 17 - 03:08 AM

...and I missed it!
RtS

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 29 Jan 17 - 05:27 AM

This instrument was known as a tommy talker here in Yorkshire and there was a tradition of Tommy Tallker bands with competitions . See the article here from Musical Traditions No 1, Mid 1983. Article MT072
http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/t_talker.htm

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: Senoufou
Date: 29 Jan 17 - 06:42 AM

When I was young (about a million years ago) we used that Izal shiny toilet paper wrapped around a comb. It made an excellent kazoo, and if the paper got soggy, you merely visited the toilet and obtained another sheet.
We had a little band with a Hohner harmonica, a melodeon, two recorders and the comb-and-paper. If we managed to sneak into the school music room during lunchtime, we also put Izal paper on the piano wires. The result was a very pleasing percussion sound, like a snare drum, when one played certain notes. We sang folk songs and hymns to this cacophony. It makes me smile now, but we really enjoyed all that at the time!

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 29 Jan 17 - 05:22 PM

one of my friends, a retired teacher used to offer workshops for young childre3n at festivals. I loved watching as the whole audience toddled or walked forward to grab a shaky or rattly instrument & join in! Even the babes in arms could participate.

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: Senoufou
Date: 29 Jan 17 - 05:34 PM

The principle is the same with a swazzle. This is a device used by Punch and Judy 'professors' to make the harsh voice of Punch. They pop it in the mouth between the tongue and the teeth, and can move it around so the voices of the other characters can be made too. It's a reed type of a thing. Sometimes the 'professor' accidentally swallows it, and attaches a piece of thread to the end so it can be retrieved to save him from choking! When Punch says, "That's the way to do it!" in that weird voice, it's because of the swazzle.

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 30 Jan 17 - 05:20 AM

Here is a link to the book "The Tommy Talker Bands Of The West Riding. The History And Development Of a Working-Class Entertainment." Paperback – 1979
by R. & Clarke, A. Wharton (Author)for sale
on Amazon for $21.88


https://www.amazon.com/Riding-History-Development-Working-Class-Entertainment/dp/B00183DFE6

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 02 Feb 17 - 09:51 PM

Ah, you poor people have obviously never experienced the World Paper and Comb Champoionships at Stonehaven Folk Festival in mid-July each year. A standard issue comb, supplied by a local barber, and "bog"-standard toilet paper, (not like the soft cushioned stuff you get these days!) One year it had "Government property" stamped on it! Usually on a theme. I have in the past been World Champion, with my rendition of "Highland Cathedral" and my friend holds the current record with her manic rampage through "Doh, a deer" from "The Sound of Music". Various past winners on YouTube too.
And I always keep one of those standard issue combs and pieces of old-fashioned toilet paper in my handbag, in case anyone sings that song by Pete Betts, "They don't write them like that any more". It refers to someone playing paper and comb in the last verse, so can duly oblige during the fial chorus!

Subject: RE: National Kazoo Day
From: meself
Date: 02 Feb 17 - 10:44 PM

"National Kazoo Day" my foot! It's obvious that the kazoo manufacturers invented this holiday just so they could sell more of their lousy product! Furthermore: everyone knows that the Acme and Ajax Kazoo Companies are owned by the same man!