Flipping through the channels today, my fingers stopped on a Charlie Chaplin movie.
He is preparing for a song, helped by his girlfriend. She is sitting on a table, her legs on the chair. He does a short walk and then poses but the words don't come out. He forgets. Another try. Same result.
Then she gets an idea. She writes the words on his cuff. He gets back to his position, does the walk, looks at the cuff and sings. Moves a few steps left, looks at the cuff and then sings again. Moves right, quick look at cuff and sings. He is happy. He has cracked it. He holds her hands and thanks her. It is his turn now to go before the audience.
As he does an opening waltz, he throws his arms in the air. The cuffs leap from his wrists. Gone. He is unaware as he does a couple of more steps. Poses. Looks the cuff. Disbelief. The music goes on. The crowd starts to boo. He looks at his girlfriend. What do I do? - the thought written on his face. She says, "Sing. Never mind the words." He bats his eyelids, uncomprehending. She says it again. "Sing".
He sings. The words are gibberish. A mix of Spanish, French and languages never heard of. "Se bella giu satore Je notre so cafore Je notre si cavore Je la tu la ti la twah " He dances as he sings. He mimes about the love story he is singing about. He breaks into silences and then sings again. The audience loves it. He is a hit.
And I wonder...do I always need to know the song before I sing it? Do I? The answer is not easy. A part of me is afraid of making a mess of myself. Of being embarrassed. Of being laughed at. But you know what, if I am in the mood, it does not matter. When I talk to life, life talks to me. It always does. It is like a law. So, let me do that next time when I am in the soup. When I don't know the words. Se bella giu satore....
If you want to see the video, click here
He is preparing for a song, helped by his girlfriend. She is sitting on a table, her legs on the chair. He does a short walk and then poses but the words don't come out. He forgets. Another try. Same result.
Then she gets an idea. She writes the words on his cuff. He gets back to his position, does the walk, looks at the cuff and sings. Moves a few steps left, looks at the cuff and then sings again. Moves right, quick look at cuff and sings. He is happy. He has cracked it. He holds her hands and thanks her. It is his turn now to go before the audience.
As he does an opening waltz, he throws his arms in the air. The cuffs leap from his wrists. Gone. He is unaware as he does a couple of more steps. Poses. Looks the cuff. Disbelief. The music goes on. The crowd starts to boo. He looks at his girlfriend. What do I do? - the thought written on his face. She says, "Sing. Never mind the words." He bats his eyelids, uncomprehending. She says it again. "Sing".
He sings. The words are gibberish. A mix of Spanish, French and languages never heard of. "Se bella giu satore Je notre so cafore Je notre si cavore Je la tu la ti la twah " He dances as he sings. He mimes about the love story he is singing about. He breaks into silences and then sings again. The audience loves it. He is a hit.
And I wonder...do I always need to know the song before I sing it? Do I? The answer is not easy. A part of me is afraid of making a mess of myself. Of being embarrassed. Of being laughed at. But you know what, if I am in the mood, it does not matter. When I talk to life, life talks to me. It always does. It is like a law. So, let me do that next time when I am in the soup. When I don't know the words. Se bella giu satore....
If you want to see the video, click here
