We Will Shout Aloud and Sing
George's Book
Originally uploaded by wmshc_kiwi.
We will shout aloud and sing
What does it mean to sing for someone?
As a Western Mass singer I have experienced the births, deaths, illnesses and hard times of many of my fellow singers. One of the most intensely powerful aspects of Sacred Harp is that of "singing for" each other, our friends, family, and loved ones. I have told a co-worker that we sang for her and her recently deceased mother. I sang for my grandfather when he passed away. He wasn't a Sacred Harp singer, but he loved singing and music and he would have adored Sacred Harp singing. I have sung for a friend's spouse. I have sung in memorial of far too many sons and daughters. It's hard for a non-singer to know what exactly that means, even though it has always been appreciated and understood as a kindness, but I have never felt able to adequately express what it means, and I'm not sure I can now. In trying, I am remembering the sick and shut-in lesson given by Kara Morin at the 2011 Western Mass convention, and how she could "hear us" because she knew we were singing for her in her time of need, and how powerfully that affected her.
Imagine that you are at your worst, your lowest point, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually ... and then imagine what it would feel like to know that 15 or 40 or 200 people are at that moment thinking of you, hoping you pull out of it, rooting for you, cheering for you, remembering you in your time of need. And they're not just sitting there, they are belting out a beautiful, rowdy, joyous song, maybe even one of your absolute favorites, or just the exact one you needed to hear, or one that reminds you that maybe you'll be okay after all. Even if only one or two of those singers know you personally, most of them know someone who knows you, who cares about you, who loves you & wants you to get better, be alright, recover, pull through. Your connection to that one person connects you in turn to hundreds of others who would otherwise be strangers. These would-be strangers don't need to know what your job is, where you live, who you love, what you wear, or eat, or even how you got into whatever situation you're in. They care that someone they care about cares about you. As soon as that singer you know calls a song, stands up and says, "This is for my friend who needs our support," they are connected to you in a real, physical, and very audible (if not tangible) way. You suddenly have 30 people at your back, just like that.
Maybe if you're quiet enough, listen hard enough, you can hear us. Singing for you.