Blob Thing Sings Shape Note from Shenandoah Harmony

Blob Thing so enjoyed singing from The Sacred Harp yesterday that he wanted to come out and sing again.

For the second year running the annual Newcastle Shape Note Singing Day has extended to a weekend.  On the Saturday we sing from The Sacred Harp (1991 Denson edition, for anyone who cares for specifics).  Last year a second day was added and on the Sunday we sang from Shenandoah Harmony, another book from the shape note singing tradition.  It was a success so it was repeated this year and Blob Thing went along to sing.

He really enjoyed himself again.  In general.  But at one point he got really very worried and didn't want to sing.  The song number was called and I opened the book and set it in front of Blob Thing who was sitting on my lap.

He got really excited because the song on the left was called "Amanda" and he thought he might be getting to sing a song about the person who created him.

But then he noticed the words:

Death, like an overflowing stream,

Sweeps us away; our life's a dream,

An empty tale, a morning flow'r,

Cut down and wither'd in an hour.

That seemed like normal lyrics for the song book but they didn't seem to have much to do with Amanda and Blob Thing was disappointed.

But things got far worse than that because the song called wasn't Amanda at all, it was the song on the opposite page, "Despair".

 

Blob Thing got very worried by this song in case the words were true:

O! now Amanda's dead and gone

I'll seek to live unseen, unknown;

O! unlamented let me die,

Let me die.

Steal from the world,

And not a stone tell where I lie,

And not a stone tell where I lie.

It took some time to reassure him that the words weren't true and that his maker was not dead and gone and there was no cause to despair.  Eventually he relaxed and was able to join in with the singing and started to really enjoy himself singing songs with happy titles like "Doomsday".  The wall of sound from the four parts was quite spectacular at times and the harmonies were incredible.  With these videos remember - this stuff is for singing not listening.  One singer said "I would travel a thousand miles to sing it but I wouldn't cross the road to hear it."

Apart from the scary song, Blob Thing had another excellent day out.  He's glad to be home, but he's also glad to have experienced the happiness that singing Shape Note music can bring.  He would advise anyone to try singing it if there's a group near to where they are.  You might find something you love.  If you don't, what's the worst that could happen?  You could have an experience with some nice people and then decide it's not for you.