Sunday 25 July 2010

Overheard: Safety in numbers

Hello again. It's been a long time.

Well, a week feels like a long time when I can't get online! I missed my laptop. I missed the internet. I missed telling you about the things I've overheard.

Now that order, and my hard drive, has been restored let's get on with the eavesdropping shall we?

Today's 'overheard' is something from almost two years ago now and is for anyone [like me] who is missing Glee and eagerly awaiting the next series. [I even watched the first episode of Five's Don't Stop Believing in an attempt to fulfil my need for Glee-fulness .... which didn't exactly work for me, but nevermind].

It's also a tale for those people who cannot suspend their disbelief while watching musicals and who say things like: "How come everyone around them just starts singing along?" and "As if that'd happen in real life!", when everyone on screen spontaneously starts joining in!

Because let me tell you - all you non-believers - it does happen in real life. I know, because I was there when it happened ....

I was in my usual place, secreted at the back of a Games department lecture theatre at work, waiting for the tutor to arrive and begin the lecture. And while I was minding my own business, in walked a student, through the door at the front, singing the Men in Hats song The Safety Dance:
He proceeded to walk up the steps in the auditorium continuing to sing:

“We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind."

As he reached the top of the steps near to where a group of fellow students were seated he was nearing the end of the chorus:

"'Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance ...."

..when suddenly the rest of them, spontaneously and without prompting, chimed in with the final phrase:

"Then you’re no friend of mine."

At which point everyone in the room burst into laughter. Myself included.

So, you see, it does happen in real life afterall! Unless my life is actually a version of The Trueman Show movie ... but with musical numbers thrown in that is. Not that that would be a bad thing!

So, with this image of a spontaneous group rendition in mind ... imagine my surprise when, almost two years after I experienced it in real life, the following scene appeared in an episode of Glee:


I think the whole thing can be filed under 'Art imitating life' or should that be 'Art imitating life, imitating art'? Or maybe ... oh, you know what I mean!

It was weird. And great fun. And communal singing is for life ... not just for musicals! So there.

J :D

5 comments:

  1. Fantastic tune. Don't remember that video though. Mind you, I didn't really pay much TV attention when I was 10 (shhh).
    Are you a secret Gleester then? I really liked the Safety Dance number. Almost made up for the fact that they didn't use an actor who was actually in a wheelchair though.

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  2. One of my favourite scenes from Glee. Love that show!

    Glad to have you (and your hard drive) back x

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  3. @Sarah A *secret* Gleester? No, no, no no. I'm out and proud!

    I agree, it's a shame about the non-wheelchair user aspect - otherwise it's been a pretty fair programme. All things considered.

    @Claire It's nice to be back. Especially when you're around! :)

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  4. weird!! i sang that at karoake with my husband last night??!!!

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  5. iLIke your phrase "Art imitating life, imitating art!" Wondering where else that could be applied to.:)

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