(75) MUSIC AND ME (First Issue--Tia Belau Newspaper)

FASTEST WAY TO MEMORIZE A SONG

                I'M PROUD to share this ‘technique’ in memorizing a song: DO NOT MEMORIZE A SONG BY SINGING OR LISTENING TO IT REPEATEDLY but READ FIRST THE LYRICS AS IF YOU’RE READING A SHORT STORY.

                For those who don’t know yet the song “Green Green Grass Of Home” by Tom Jones, read the following lyrics as if you’re reading a short story and ‘feel’ or ‘savor’ the message of the song: THE OLD HOME TOWN LOOKS THE SAME, AS I STEPPED DOWN FROM THE TRAIN. AND THERE TO MEET ME WAS MY MAMA AND PAPA. DOWN THE ROAD I LOOKED AND THERE RUNS MARY, HAIR OF GOLD AND LIPS LIKE CHERRIES. IT’S GOOD TO TOUCH THE GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME.       YES, THEY ALL COME TO MEET ME, ARMS REACHING, SMILING SWEETLY. IT’S GOOD TO TOUCH THE GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME.       THE OLD HOUSE IS STILL STANDING, THOUGH THE PAINT IS CRACKED AND DRY. AND THERE’S THAT OLD OAK TREE THAT I USED TO PLAY ON.  DOWN THE LANE I WALK WITH MY SWEET MARY, HAIR OF GOLD AND LIPS LIKE CHERRIES, IT’S GOOD TO TOUCH THE GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME.    Narration:  Then I awake and look around me, at four gray walls that surround me. And I realize, yes, I was only dreaming. For there’s a guard and there’s sad old padre. Arm-in-arm we’ll walk at daybreak, again, I’ll touch the green, green grass of home.

                YES, THEY ALL COME TO SEE ME, IN THE SHADE OF THAT OLD OAK TREE AS THEY LAY ME, ‘NEATH THE GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME.

                To summarize that song after reading its lyrics is the fastest way to memorize it. IT’S THE STORY- TELLING OF A DREAM OF A MAN IN THE DEATH ROW BEFORE HE WAS EXECUTED.

                It’s a sad song but it’s a good start to use this ‘technique’ to memorize a song.

                Decades ago, an American guy requested me “Theme song from “Dr. Zhivago”. He can’t remember the tune, only the movie. Later, I’ve realized that it is “Somewhere My Love”, which I already know how to play at that time. It’s important also for a musician to know the theme song of a movie, the composer of the song, the singer and the year of the song.  The featured song in this issue was written in 1965 and was composed by Carl Sigman.

                ENJOY THE SONG, SING THE SONG, KNOW THE SONG!!!

Source: Tia Belau   Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez   Page 8    Volume 21   Issue  12   March 15, 2012