Bullfrog Arts: In search of a song
It’s with great delight that activities are back in full swing after a brief break following the culmination of Musical Mayhem last month. Our creative Wednesdays have resumed with the Bullfrog Chorus; a follow on project where the focus is increasingly on singing with the aim to become a choir.
As an artistic team, to encourage the sense that we’re with the times and that we’re meeting the young people on their terms, we feel it’s important to select songs that are current, modern and of their era, particularly in the early sessions. Surely not a complicated task? I’ve heard of One Direction and Max can just about hum the melody line to some Bruno Mars. Jake nods his head to indicate that he’s got the chords covered for the chorus to that Rhianna tune. The chorus seems to present a message of clean living fun and we think we’re off, one in the bag until…half way into verse one the lyrics mean this song is out of bounds. Onto the next potential, the verse is going well and even the chorus has merit but the Youtube clip…has more scantily clad women shaking their assets than seems reasonable to share with a roomful of vulnerable teenagers. And so it goes each and every song in our pot of suggestions is somehow vetoed as we desperately go in search of appropriate songs to learn together.
Days are spent on long distance Youtube marathons searching for ‘the song’ and with dismay it feels there’s nothing in the 2013 charts that seems appropriate. Fun: ‘Tonight we are young, we set the world on fire’ reveals they’re trying to get higher than the Empire State, One Direction want to go crazy crazy crazy until they see the sun with a group of scantily clad lasses, Bruno thinks you’re amazing just the way you are but as a result wants to kiss those sexy lips with a little more intention than we’re comfortable with.
We’re not prudish and between us certainly not unaware of the pitfalls of modern living but when working with such vulnerable young people, many of whom have suffered physical and emotional abuse it’s our duty to protect them during the sessions, from anything that is inappropriate, disturbing or provocative. So any overt sexual lyrics are out; as are references to drink and drugs; and pain and loss are quite a heavy topic to broach with a group of children who have all been placed in care. And that seems to have ruled out pretty much all of our ‘current songs’ list.
We muse and debate ‘but maybe that’s music; this is what inspires song; pain, suffering, passion, torment, desire and darkness; sex and drugs and rock’n’roll.’ Great for personal consumption but we’re trying to lead a choir with a group of youngsters who need positive inspiration and helpful role models. We need lyrics that will inspire, give hope and strength, are affirmative and can be sung comfortably as a group and that cause no shame or embarrassment. Where are the Carpenters of our time? As the weeks go by we’ll introduce the classic feel goods; The Beatles, Abba, Bob Marley, ‘I can see clearly now’, ‘Lean on Me’ but for now we’re scratching our heads in quandary wincing at the fact that we believed Take That to be recent when we presented Rule the World at yesterdays session.
Ideas on a postcard please!