The tricky art of the serenade
There was a classic serenade set up on television last night. A hot, blue-black Spanish night, a woman on the cream stone balcony of a 12th Century castle and a group of wandering troubadours with guitars, fronted by an impassioned guy holding a rose.
It was a mock up, part of a documentary about the history of the guitar. And even then the woman looked embarrassed. In real life, away from your daydreams, away from the plots of romantic comedies, is it really possible to express your love through music? The classic example of modern times is John Cusack holding up the boombox in Say Anything. It melts most feminine hearts and he even got away with using Peter Gabriel. But Ione Sky still doesn’t get out of bed.
I actually think the serenade is nearly impossible to get right (and I have some experience, an ex tried to wake me up by sitting on the edge of the bed with an acoustic. My toes curled in agony and I feigned sleep until he got bored.) It’s an impassioned outpouring of love and sentiment designed to impress just one person. The problem is that the object of your ardour is usually totally unprepared, embarrassed and feels there is no place to hide: every blink, every half-smile, every wince is right out there and being analysed. It’s no wonder most people of a musical bent stick to the tried and tested route: the mixtape and the compilation CD.
So, indulge me, I’m dying to know – have you ever serenaded someone and what happened?
I was serenaded once. Remember that scene from Freaks and Geeks when Nick sings “Lady” to Lindsay? It was, uh, just like that. Except in public.
Two Kinda serenades
Act one on this episode http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=339
In the wake of a break-up, writer Starlee Kine finds so much comfort in break-up songs that she decides to try and write one herself—even though she has no musical ability whatsoever. For some help, she goes to a rather surprising expert on the subject: Phil Collins.
Starlee was also assisted in her efforts by musicians Joe McGinty and Julia Greenberg, who co-wrote “The Three of Us,” the song featured in this story
and act two in this episode http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1262
Act Two. Lonely Hearts Club Band . . . Of One.
Musician David Berkeley has gotten a lot of requests in his life, but none quite like the offer his agent got last year. A fan wanted Berkeley to come to his house and help save his relationship by serenading the troubled couple with a personal concert. Ira Glass talks to Berkeley about why he took the gig, and what happened when he got there. Berkeley’s newest album is called Strange Light. His website, along with free downloads, is here. (12 and 1⁄2 minutes)
any chance of getting an rss feed for 17 dots that *doesn’t* include all comments? i want to follow the posts, but not everyone else’s replies.
Hi e you need to comment on the comments thread.
http://17dots.com/2008/09/12/comments/
Ideally the comments aren’t supposed to be in the regualr feed but in september something went terriblyh wrong I hope they working on this. (unlike content at emusic ggrrrrrrrrr Yanacey or someone please email me, i’m having bad issues with the content guys and need a way to get past them and don’t want to flame 17dots with my problem
)
I love serenading and have a fairly regular serenade partner. However explaining it in depth would either seem sappy or stalkerish. It’s just one of those things that can be so intensely personal but worth it.
And I have used among other artist Peter Gabriel, the Buzzcocks, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Pink Floyd to serenade. I think the music used depends greatly on the audience.
No,
but seeing that scene from Say Anything paired with your article made me imagine a re-cut version where the Ione Skye stays inside and pretends she’s not home, repeating, “Oh my god! This is so weird!!” over and over to herself.