4 ms·

I have a habit of singing publicly. I did not realise this was socially abnormal until I was about 21. I suppose it helps that I have a pretty decent singing v

I have a habit of singing publicly. I did not realise this was socially abnormal until I was about 21. I suppose it helps that I have a pretty decent singing voice (baritone), but I'm also quite loud and my voice really projects (so I'm told). I can't stop though. I made a compromise - I won't sing in public places (eg train, walking through the city), as people will think I'm mad. But I will whistle. And I'll sing at home, in my neighbourhood, local shops, people's houses, in the office - basically everywhere else. Fortunately I married someone who has the exact same habit. At home we just walk around singing, sometimes not even the same song. I understand some people are tone-deaf, and just cannot sing. But for everyone else, I genuinely don't see why you're not all walking around singing! It's fun, it's elating, it's expressive! I even sing sad songs when I'm sad, and it makes me feel better. Putting aside shyness, there's people that don't even sing alone. That I'll never understand ...

DiggyJohnson 4y ago
Thanks for sharing your experience! My living situation is changing in such a way that I’ll be able to sing to my heart’s intent very soon. The reason I’m thanking you in particular is that your story confirms a lemma in my pet theory of how human intelligence emerged. Humans are capable of interrogating their boredom, and not only observing but interjecting themselves in their subjective experience. What came first? Primitive language or rhythm? What came first? Complex language or music? It’s obfuscated by modern technology and culture, but we can sing like the birds. More expressively, in some ways. Slaves sang in the fields and workmen in the mines. It’s the original smartphone, and perhaps the original way the human animal passed the time in a way that could be experienced and shared with others. Idk, I’ve had a second glass of wine tonight, but your comment has brought me immense joy that I usually don’t find on anonymous sites, even HN. I didn’t even really explain my point in this comment, just rambled around and outline. Regardless: Keep singing, fellow baritone. Thanks for keeping the music alive. The experience of being an individual human being is all we have, and singing is one of those magical or amazing things that makes it, by all accounts, special.
bobbiechen 4y ago
To paraphrase an idea I heard whose source I forget: all kids sing, but at some point they start to feel ashamed about it. And then singing becomes an activity reserved for people who are "good at it", which becomes a cycle as the only people you hear singing are way better than you. I don't really know how I got out of it, but at some point, I figured out how to sing again, and then in front of other people again. I just performed in an amazing concert with the best choir I've ever been in - like previous groups, I'm certainly not among the best singers. But it's just a joy to be a part of it.
- ghostpepper 4y ago
  > And then singing becomes an activity reserved for people who are "good at it" I wonder how recent a phenomenon this is. I would imagine that all throughout pre-history everyone singing along was much more normal than everyone sitting quietly and watching one person sing.
- tastysandwich 4y ago
  Maybe I'm lucky in that while my dad is an OK singer, my mum is completely tone-deaf. To hear her is an experience in dissonance I can't fully describe. It's the worst you can imagine, like a caricature only seen on TV. Yet she does not care one bit, and will happily walk around belting out Mariah Carey at the top of her lungs. To the haters (her family) she says a resounding: "Whatever!" Now _that_ inspires confidence!
  - _carbyau_ 4y ago
    I lived with a housemate who was similarly tone deaf. One day as they were walking around singing a song I knew well and it was really getting on my nerves... and then I realised they are at home, singing because they are happy/content. There is no way I would be the person to dump on my housemate's happiness while they are in their own home, over something as trite as tone!
elSidCampeador 4y ago
I'm the same way. I sing all the time. To the point where when I moved out of my old apartment, my old roommates told me that their life had become 'without music' since I left. Because if I'm not singing, I'm either whistling a song or listening to a song. Back in high school, my family knew that if I started to sing while I was studying, it was because I had managed to figure out a gnarly maths problem or finally managed to grok a concept that I wasn't able to get for a while. It's my only (and honestly, best) outlet for my feelings, I feel. And like you said, when I'm down, I just belt out a couple songs and I genuinely feel much better.
krrrh 4y ago
There was (or is?) a guy in Vancouver who would stroll around his neighborhood singing opera at full volume. I’ve had lots of conversations with people who bring him up in groups and we all trade stories the first time we heard him, and we called him Opera Man. I don’t know anyone who didn’t find it delightful. Edit: I found this little piece on him. It’s so cool, I must have first encountered him 15 years prior to this being written. https://scoutmagazine.ca/2019/06/03/opera-man/ https://scoutmagazine.ca/2019/06/03/opera-man/
animuchan 4y ago
People singing in the office are my single worst nightmare, as I instantly lose the ability to concentrate on anything meaningful. Thank God for shy people.
deepGem 4y ago
I keep singing all the time. In office, while walking, while driving and especially on long flights, in a very low tone. It is super relaxing. Am not sure about all the benefits but a couple of our friends get together for drinking and we sing a LOT. This is not some random singing, my friend is a trained classical singer so it is a lot of effort to sing with her but I love the experience. On a lighter note https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HG2w0_WyOU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HG2w0_WyOU
emptyfile 4y ago
Singing in the office seems like the most obnoxious thing ever. Can't believe anyone would tolerate that.
- vonseel 4y ago
  Agree 100%, and I’ve recorded hundreds of songs myself. I’m not against singing, but it’s not something I generally walk around doing anymore (in private) unless I’m going through a heavy music phase. And I would never do it in public, even if you’re good at it that’s incredibly obnoxious and annoying.
tomcam 4y ago
> At home we just walk around singing, sometimes not even the same song. Your life is either an upcoming Pixar movie or a living nightmare

DiggyJohnson 4y ago

Thanks for sharing your experience! My living situation is changing in such a way that I’ll be able to sing to my heart’s intent very soon. The reason I’m thanking you in particular is that your story confirms a lemma in my pet theory of how human intelligence emerged. Humans are capable of interrogating their boredom, and not only observing but interjecting themselves in their subjective experience. What came first? Primitive language or rhythm? What came first? Complex language or music? It’s obfuscated by modern technology and culture, but we can sing like the birds. More expressively, in some ways. Slaves sang in the fields and workmen in the mines. It’s the original smartphone, and perhaps the original way the human animal passed the time in a way that could be experienced and shared with others. Idk, I’ve had a second glass of wine tonight, but your comment has brought me immense joy that I usually don’t find on anonymous sites, even HN. I didn’t even really explain my point in this comment, just rambled around and outline. Regardless: Keep singing, fellow baritone. Thanks for keeping the music alive. The experience of being an individual human being is all we have, and singing is one of those magical or amazing things that makes it, by all accounts, special.

bobbiechen 4y ago

To paraphrase an idea I heard whose source I forget: all kids sing, but at some point they start to feel ashamed about it. And then singing becomes an activity reserved for people who are "good at it", which becomes a cycle as the only people you hear singing are way better than you. I don't really know how I got out of it, but at some point, I figured out how to sing again, and then in front of other people again. I just performed in an amazing concert with the best choir I've ever been in - like previous groups, I'm certainly not among the best singers. But it's just a joy to be a part of it.

ghostpepper 4y ago
> And then singing becomes an activity reserved for people who are "good at it" I wonder how recent a phenomenon this is. I would imagine that all throughout pre-history everyone singing along was much more normal than everyone sitting quietly and watching one person sing.
tastysandwich 4y ago
Maybe I'm lucky in that while my dad is an OK singer, my mum is completely tone-deaf. To hear her is an experience in dissonance I can't fully describe. It's the worst you can imagine, like a caricature only seen on TV. Yet she does not care one bit, and will happily walk around belting out Mariah Carey at the top of her lungs. To the haters (her family) she says a resounding: "Whatever!" Now _that_ inspires confidence!
- _carbyau_ 4y ago
  I lived with a housemate who was similarly tone deaf. One day as they were walking around singing a song I knew well and it was really getting on my nerves... and then I realised they are at home, singing because they are happy/content. There is no way I would be the person to dump on my housemate's happiness while they are in their own home, over something as trite as tone!

elSidCampeador 4y ago

I'm the same way. I sing all the time. To the point where when I moved out of my old apartment, my old roommates told me that their life had become 'without music' since I left. Because if I'm not singing, I'm either whistling a song or listening to a song. Back in high school, my family knew that if I started to sing while I was studying, it was because I had managed to figure out a gnarly maths problem or finally managed to grok a concept that I wasn't able to get for a while. It's my only (and honestly, best) outlet for my feelings, I feel. And like you said, when I'm down, I just belt out a couple songs and I genuinely feel much better.

krrrh 4y ago

There was (or is?) a guy in Vancouver who would stroll around his neighborhood singing opera at full volume. I’ve had lots of conversations with people who bring him up in groups and we all trade stories the first time we heard him, and we called him Opera Man. I don’t know anyone who didn’t find it delightful. Edit: I found this little piece on him. It’s so cool, I must have first encountered him 15 years prior to this being written. https://scoutmagazine.ca/2019/06/03/opera-man/ https://scoutmagazine.ca/2019/06/03/opera-man/

animuchan 4y ago

People singing in the office are my single worst nightmare, as I instantly lose the ability to concentrate on anything meaningful. Thank God for shy people.

deepGem 4y ago

I keep singing all the time. In office, while walking, while driving and especially on long flights, in a very low tone. It is super relaxing. Am not sure about all the benefits but a couple of our friends get together for drinking and we sing a LOT. This is not some random singing, my friend is a trained classical singer so it is a lot of effort to sing with her but I love the experience. On a lighter note https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HG2w0_WyOU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HG2w0_WyOU

emptyfile 4y ago

Singing in the office seems like the most obnoxious thing ever. Can't believe anyone would tolerate that.

vonseel 4y ago
Agree 100%, and I’ve recorded hundreds of songs myself. I’m not against singing, but it’s not something I generally walk around doing anymore (in private) unless I’m going through a heavy music phase. And I would never do it in public, even if you’re good at it that’s incredibly obnoxious and annoying.

tomcam 4y ago

> At home we just walk around singing, sometimes not even the same song. Your life is either an upcoming Pixar movie or a living nightmare