|
08 Jan 03 - 11:07 AM (#861537) Subject: BS: Superstition: death-causing songs From: Rapparee Some years ago I noticed that whenever I sang the song "Isn't It Grand, Boys" some relative, by blood or marriage, died (not from my singing, they were too far away) shortly thereafter. Now I don't sing the song at all and get slightly queasy when I hear it. Anyone else have such a superstition? Or heard of something like it? Or have I slipped my tether completely? |
|
08 Jan 03 - 12:04 PM (#861617) Subject: RE: BS: Superstition: death-causing songs From: SharonA I know someone who hosts several open mikes per week. A couple of years ago, a friend of his came to one of his open mikes, borrowed the host's guitar, got up on stage and sat, sang a couple of songs, then slumped over the guitar. He'd had a massive heart attack and had died immediately, right there on stage. I don't know what he sang before he died, though... ...but I've made a mental note not to borrow that particular open-mike host's guitar! |
|
08 Jan 03 - 01:26 PM (#861703) Subject: RE: BS: Superstition: death-causing songs From: Amos Well some folks live their lives by phallusie, And some just wanta act like Pharisees; But everybody's got a fallacy, Ta make them feel at home. Raising these critters is an art -- They're one-thir4d asshole and two-thirds heart; And when you take them on, don't plan to part, 'Cuz they won't leave you alone! Cho: Fallacies, they ain't worth much A brain-fart bolted to a crutch But they won't support you in the clutch As reality slips away! Better lose those pups today! (Further verses left as an exercise for the student....) A |
|
08 Jan 03 - 09:51 PM (#862182) Subject: RE: BS: Superstition: death-causing songs From: Neighmond Every time I hear "Rock of Ages" on the radio or live somebody dies soon thereafter A week before thanksgiving 1993 I heard it on the radio in the car one morning on the way to school and My Grandfather died the next night. June 30th 1997 I had a minister call me from the phone in the office of his church and the choir was singing it. That night my mother told me my eldest brother was found in the river in Iowa City. February 6th 2000 I went to a house of a friend of a friend and they asked me to play it on the piano, with which they sang. It sure was pretty as they all had good clear voices. On Februrary 8th, my Grandmother died in Mankato Minnesota. (By the way, the right hand mainspring broke in my clock and took 78 teeth from the great wheel, an event which occured at 8:48 pm, when I was in Estherville on a service call. Grandma was 78 and died around ten to nine on the eithth-FWIW) |
|
08 Jan 03 - 10:55 PM (#862215) Subject: RE: BS: Superstition: death-causing songs From: ddw Rapaire, A few years ago I hosted a musical get-together at my house and left a tape running all evening to catch what I could. We had sing-arounds and sing-alongs and generally had a fine time, hitting a high point with a rousing version of the same song. A little less than a year later, my harp-playing partner died. In the days that followed, several of his family told me they were really sorry they didn't have a single recording of him playing, so I offered to go through my tapes and cull out his best tracks. His best? You guessed it. I didn't have the heart to include it on the tapes I handed out. cheers, david |
|
08 Jan 03 - 11:09 PM (#862219) Subject: RE: BS: Superstition: death-causing songs From: michaelr Oooh, superstition... People die in droves anytime a song is sung anywhere. Both of these things occur simultaneously thousands of times a day. "Superstition ain't the way" (Stevie Wonder) Cheers, Michael |
|
09 Jan 03 - 09:37 AM (#862532) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: GUEST,Puffenkinty A song called "Gloomy Sunday" was banned by many radio stations because whenever it was broadcast people commited suicide. The singer in the song has lost his love and is stating his intention to kill himself. One part goes,"Death is no foe and in death I'm caressing you, With the last breath of my soul Ill be blessing you. Gloomy Sunday!" A bundle of chuckles, no? |
|
09 Jan 03 - 12:56 PM (#862783) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: sharyn Tom Savage of Ireland maintained that the song "Pretty Girl Milking the Cow" or "Cailin Deas Cruite na Mbo" was unlucky to sing or, possibly, to hear. He drowned in a boating accident a few years back. |
|
09 Jan 03 - 01:21 PM (#862809) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: Schantieman To pick up michaelr's point above, (thread creep?) so many things happen in the world that some of them are bound to coincide with each other. Think of all the times people don't die when a song is sung. It's supposed to be bad luck to play 'The Flowers of the Forest' at any time except a funeral. How do you practise it? I once, at a loss for a song to sing (NOT a common occurrence!) sang the ballad 'George Collins' - which someone said was supposed to be unlucky. I forgot the words halfway through. Bad luck? No - I hadn't practised it. Steve |
|
09 Jan 03 - 02:37 PM (#862906) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: Amos The whole complex of things "supposed to be unlucky" is an unspeakable, oppressive crock. It never ceases to amaze me when I see people -- often sensitive, bright people in other respects -- strapping their lives to such malarkey instead of taking responsibility for their own luck. It's like starting the day by climbing in to a concrete overcoat. Don't get me started on this, though ... you'd only get bored!! :>) A |
|
09 Jan 03 - 03:31 PM (#862939) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: Ebbie Yeh. In order to get myself over the knee-jerk response to certain superstitions from my childhood, I practiced doing just the opposite, i.e., when a black cat crossed in front of me, I'd tell myself: Oh, good! I'm going to have a good day! Or if I saw a ladder blocking my way, I'd go out of my way to cross under it. (Yes, I know about it being bad luck to knock the ladder down on oneself!) It worked. The old superstitions may still cross my mind at times, but I'm no longer compelled or even interested in observing them. I have often wondered- given that so many people, cultures, countries have such great variety of no-nos, how would one observe all of them? No time for anything else, I should think. |
|
09 Jan 03 - 06:52 PM (#863063) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: Malachy My sister had a Cheese plant...which out-grew her flat. She wanted it to go to a good home, and since there was room for it my house, she asked me if I would have it..so I did. About a year later she went to Ireland on holiday. I woke up on a Sunday morning to find said cheese plant lying on the floor. Later in the day I got a phone call from her saying she had fallen over the night before and dislocated her shoulder. 2 years later when she was living in France..I came home from work to find same cheese plant lying on the floor....I got a phone call later that night saying she had fallen off her bike and broken her collar bone. Spooky I thought!! But since then cheese plant has survived being left out in the garden during unexpected late summer frost, been broken in half when cat decided to climb it and crushed in a furniture van during 200 mile house move. Both my sister and plant are alive and well to this day..I'm rambling..but the point is that is so easy to let superstition etc, creep into something that is/ was purely a coincidence! Mal |
|
09 Jan 03 - 07:04 PM (#863067) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: Bat Goddess Nope, no superstitions (really) regarding songs. Said song ("Isn't It Grand, Boys") was often sung by a dear friend who passed away this past September. But he'd been singing it for years. And a young newcomer is now carrying on that song's tradition within our circle -- as we've parcelled out the repertoire of our friend so the songs (and the memory of his singing them) won't die. But I stopped singing a parody of "All Around My Hat" ("I'm Going to Kill My Cat") after my cat Peppersass died a number of years ago. Not because the singing of it caused any beloved feline's demise -- I just feel uncomfortable singing it. I DO pay attention to what earrings or other jewelry I wear in connection with events I want to happen, and dreams that I may have, and the like. But I've never had a problem with songs. Linn |
|
09 Jan 03 - 07:08 PM (#863069) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: greg stephens I shoot anyone I hear singing the Streets of London, which I suppose makes it an unlucky song for them. |
|
09 Jan 03 - 08:18 PM (#863126) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: SINSULL Burt sings that one. I will have to warn him. |
|
09 Jan 03 - 08:19 PM (#863127) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: SINSULL Would singing "The Star Spangled Banner" in downtown Kabul count? |
|
09 Jan 03 - 08:27 PM (#863136) Subject: RE: Superstition: death-causing songs From: Rapparee Depends on the audience -- anywhere! And your voice.... 8-) |