"Shout Singing..."

 

Just saw the term “shout singing” in a novel I am reading and wondered why I had never thought to write about that.  I mean – it is a thing that people do – usually when alone – especially when they are not recognized for their singing ability… like me.  It’s versatile… shout singing can be done anywhere, preferably when by oneself in a car or shower, but it can be and has been, in my experience, a fun collective effort as well -- especially in an impromptu situation.

I am a classic shout singer.  I started very young with songs like “You Are My Sunshine” and “Jesus Loves me”.  From there I moved on into the 50’s when “Hound Dog” and “Tom Dooley” were easy to pick up from the radio.  The 60’s offered “The Twist” and “It’s Now or Never” and in the 70’s, I shout sang an impressive “I’ll Be There” or “American Pie”.  Did you know that … a levy is a prom in New England?  Gives “…drove my Chevy to the levy and the levy was dry….” a whole other meaning.  And then – my 70’s fave – “Bridge Over Troubled Waters”.  Now there is a song made for shout singing from the heart.

I liked “Every Breath You Take” and “Billie Jean” in the 80’s, but then I experienced a bit of a drought in the 90’s and the early 2000’s  -- had other things on my mind and reverted to songs like “You Don’t Own Me”.  2018 brought one of my all time faves  in “Uptown Funk” and then with the confinement of the damncovid, I was moved to belt out “Rise Up”, a poignant song that was experiencing a bit of a come back at the time. Still is.

Perhaps the thing I find most interesting about shout singing is that it is multi-functional.  It works to let happiness burst forth and to release sadness, or sometimes even anger.  Like I said multi-functional.  Most useful.

Now in thinking about all those old songs, I realize I may be singing all day – at least in my head.  You?  Not sure I remember shout singing in a while.  It’s time. Actually, the whole world could use a pressure release valve.  What better than a good heart-felt song?