Tommy Collison

In Music, we’re currently making notes on the set songs for our Junior Cert. So far, we’ve done Preab san Ól, an Irish Drinking Song preaching to us to spend all our money now on drink, cos we can’t take any of it to the grave. Marks for being technically true..

The second one that we’ve done is Muss i Denn, a German folk song made famous by none other than Elvis Presley, in the form of Wooden Heart. Funnily enough, the original song is a lament about a man leaving his lover. There’s not a mention of this in Elvis’ one. Just a bit of whining about not being Pinocchio.

Why is that funnily enough? I don’t know.

Our third one (and my current favourite) is Streets of London by Ralph McTell. It was also the first one I’d heard of before. Just as well.

The teacher played it for us on piano too. “Anyone wanna try singing it?” she asks. A girl volunteers. She performs it admirably. “Any guys?” One from the back does so, again quite good. “Any other boys?”

“Tommy!” pipes up my friend beside me. Thank you, Théo… “Errrrr, ok” I mumble. Yes, I’m outgoing, yes, I’ve no problem talking in front of large groups of people. Singing in front of 30 people is a first though. Yes, I used to perform Norwegian Wood with Dad whenever my folks had friends over, but who honestly is self-conscious when they’re 6?

But I got through it. The first verse flew by, and just as I was looking forward to everybody joining in for the chorus (as had happened with previous performers) when the teacher goes “stay going for the chorus!”. Eeeep.

Ah well. I got through it and nobody hated it. An interesting experience nonetheless.

Before anyone asks (looking at you, Patrick), no, there will be no repeat performances. Not without copious amounts of alcohol on one or both of our parts