Bah Humbug!

I few weeks ago I visited the church where my friend Stephen is vicar. During the service, he was appealing for members of his congregation to join him carol singing around the parish, pointing out that this is probably the only time of year when you can walk around the streets singing about Jesus without getting beaten up! This is true. Sadly, it's also the time of year when people with no musical talent can perform in public and still get paid for it. In July, you don't see people outside the tube station singing Gerswin's "Summertime" hideously out of tune, do you? Well, you might, but they're usually drunk and certainly not collecting money. But during December, it's OK to dress up in stupid costumes and sing Christmas Carols badly. Yesterday in the supermarket was a buch of schoolchildren who were carol "singing". Well, I say singing, but it was more shouting with a passing resemblence to a melody and, for some reason, they were shouting/singing in cod-American accents. This was followed by a kid playing "walking in the air" extremely badly on the Saxaphone. Most of the people who were gathered around (quite a few were parents I suspect) applauded wildly.  Of course I didn't criticise as I'm sure I'd have got beaten up by furious parents. Normally, if you dare say anything negative, the response is something like "Aww, but they're only children". So bloody what?! Go home and practice and when you're any good, then perform in public. You wouldn't get away with this at any other time of year.