Monday, May 10, 2004

Tomorrow

They've been promoting the Broadway show, Annie quite frequently on the radio. And everytime the ad came on, they'd play the song "Tomorrow".

Last week, while I was driving around with Mae, the song came on. As it did, I responded to it like the rats in the Pied Piper of Hamlin. My eyes just glazed over and I sang along hypnotically to the tune. "The sun will come out, tomorrow, betcha bottom dollar that tomorrow we'll have sunnn......"

Mae broke out in an evil cackle. "How come you know that song?" she enquired as her laughter subsided. Why would any manly man, such as myself, know the words to that soppy little girly tune?

But yes, I do know that song. In fact, I know it all too well.

I was ten and in Standard 4 at the time. It was our school's Annual Elocution Contest. It was a time when kids would go up onstage and recite poetry. The teacher-in-charged decided to have some of us kid give a little performance while the judging was taking place. And as fate would have it, I was one of those kids picked to sing a song. And yes, you guessed it. I decided to sing "Tomorrow".

As I got up onstage that fateful day, the butterflies in my stomach were fluttering like there was... erm, no tomorrow. I took the mike, tilted it down to my mouth and started, "The sun will come out..." accompanied only by the thumping of my heart. And it was as good as can be expected. Students and teachers alike listened intently as my lone voice filled the hall. (Okay, it was a shitty little school and nobody thought to play the piano or anything!) But there I was, vowing them with my vocal. I was killin' em!

And then it happened! Since there was no instumentation backing my singing, I was pretty much left to my own devices. And thanks to my nervousnous, I had started the song on a key too high. I STARTED TOO HIGH!!!! It was too damn high!

By the time I got to the chorus of that song, the key was simply too high for my vocal range to hit. So I had no choice but to sing it falsetto!! Oh my God! I was singing like Bee Gees, except that I was not as cool (they were cool back then, okay!) and I looked pretty dopey up onstage singing like a little girl. Oh my God.

By then, chaos had swept the entire school. Everyone was pointing and laughing at that sissy boy singing falsetto up onstage! Kids were rolling all over the floor. Teachers cupped their mouths to hide their laughter. I wanted to run off the stage and never come back but I was only halfway through the chorus and my conscience deterred me from quitting. So I sang on. And the damn chorus felt like it would last forever. *sigh* Oh God.

Hahahah! That was the longest day in my childhood life. It was a day I thought tomorrow would never come. Hahahhah!!!

20 comments:

  1. reminds me of the little rascals-the movie on hbo
    i guess you can't wait for tomorrow now
    "The son will come out, tomorrow, betcha bottom dollar that tomorrow we'll have son...."
    ps i was wondering for a moment there, were you leading me to a trap, this was too obvious :lol:

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  2. it's all an experience. aren't you glad u had that experience and can laugh back and tell this great story?! :) cool blog u got here. cheers.

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  3. Sigh. Reminds me of the day when I was hurriedly picked to replace a friend, an hour prior to a story telling competition.

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  4. ^^^^ same here, but not storry telling :)

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  5. I did that at karaoke in front of my youth group. Swap Tomorrow for Angel by Robbie Williams. Shame! Oh well at least we all suffer the embarrassment together!

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  6. I suffered the same fate as you, Strizzt.
    I had to play the xylophone - it was a day practice before the concert. Luckily, my piano lessons came in handy.

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  7. :lol: How clever of you, KA!! Yes, "we'll have son" indeed!
    Thank, kev. Yah man, all the weirdest things happen to me! :)
    Ooh, Strizzt. I can totally relate to that. But that's a whole new blog altogether! :)
    Angel, Rachel. Tough song that one! :)
    Gina, I can't imagine you playing the xylophone! :lol:

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  8. james starts to sing *sing sing sing sing* *windows breaking* LOL kidding

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  9. Hilarious, James....Btw, I'll be experiencing the 70s tonight...watching Sat Nite Fever at Istana Budaya...."ooh ooh ooh ooh.." (and sing that falsetto!)

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  10. To be on the safe side, you better send your kid for singing classes. :lol:

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  11. oh james, don't be greedy now. let those weird moments happen to me too! *hehe...* :tooth:

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  12. james, i can never imagine you to be so unglam! :lol:

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  13. HAhah! I'm not that bad ok, olivia. *piakk*
    I'm so jealous, Zsarina!!! I wanna go too! :lol:
    Hahah, that might not be such a bad idea, Fly. But *piakk* anyway for even suggesting it! :lol:
    No problem, kev, but you'll have to adopt my family and come live with us! ;)

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  14. wow! the commitments i have to make to share weird moments... haha! ;)

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  15. i have ... cracked my voice in front of an audience... i just wanted a black hole to form below me right there and then and i fall through never to be seen again. but i got it covered and not many..well..a few.. well okay.. almost everyone noticed it... but!!!! but!!! but!!!! it was just a teeenny weeeeny part. :P muehehhehehhe so not too bad la hoh

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  16. j man, you should read what's on the google banner above, mentioned below just incase it has changed:
    Pro Voice Lessons on CD
    w/Renowned Coach. Guaranteed results. Free tips-listen to demo. Sing Higher.
    Full Octave
    or more guaranteed! Program by celebrity vocal coach, Bret Manning

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  17. aiseh.. mocking me.
    pffft!
    she bangs she bangs! oh babeh

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  18. Eh, not at all lah, Natasha! Seriously go audition for Malaysian Idol lah. We'll rally up plenty of votes for you! :lol:

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  19. =D reminds me of the time when i was in std3..(just a year younger than you then) and teacher picked me to sing "I Just Can't Wait To Be King".. from Lion King..! I came together with all the actions and my voice couldn't hit the high note.......... the next day 8 year olds everywhere were screeching the song at me. Never sang in public since.

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