Comments on Ken Armstrong Writing Stuff: The Littlest Duet

I loved this. Very touching. And it has inspired m...

2009-10-19T08:52:42.913+01:00

I loved this. Very touching. And it has inspired me.:-) x

Oh Ken, your blog strikes so many chords with me. ...

2009-10-19T08:18:53.661+01:00

Oh Ken, your blog strikes so many chords with me. Firstly so sorry on the loss of your mum. My dad was a constant singer just like your mum. I've only heard maybe 2 of the endless songs he sang outside of the home. I think a lot of them were old music hall numbers. He had a different song for every doll I had (I was into guns and cars so I had to make dolls interesting, and I did that by sitting on his knee and bringing up each doll at a time for him to sing their "theme tune". Occasionally I'll sing a song in the house and my husband will look incredulously and say what the fuck was that? And I have to say I don't know, my dad used to sing it. I don't know why I never sang along, but I did in my mind.
My dad died very suddenly of a heart attack, so I never did sing along with him. I'm so glad you got to :)
Love Cath (serialfrenchies on twitter)

As someone whose family life was a mess. I thank y...

2009-10-19T01:22:14.395+01:00

As someone whose family life was a mess. I thank you for sharing your private moments. Memories are a gift to yourself and those you share them with.

My Da always sang Paul Robeson songs as lullabies ...

2009-10-19T00:10:06.428+01:00

My Da always sang Paul Robeson songs as lullabies when tucking me into bed when I was tiny. Many years later I bought a Paul Robeson album and my first disgruntled thought was "Humph! This isn't how this song is meant to go!" I much preferred my Da's versions.

We still share many a song over a few pints. In many years from now (I hope) my boys will recall fond memories of a silly mum that sang all the time. They tease me that everything they say I make a song out of it.. Singing is a wonderful thing to share with the people you love. Thanks for a truly beautiful blog Ken xx

such a lovely story - and such a beautiful song to...

2009-10-19T00:10:03.190+01:00

such a lovely story - and such a beautiful song to have for your memory

Point out your posts to me anytime. I find your w...

2009-03-26T20:03:00.000Z

Point out your posts to me anytime. I find your writing thought provoking and your musings exactly the kind of things I like to ponder.
This brought tears to my eyes. I'm so glad you were able to have the duet with your mom. A memory that will live on in your heart forever.
Thank you so much for sharing.

Thank you Jakill: "In a shady nook, by a babbling ...

2008-10-14T19:55:00.000+01:00

Thank you Jakill: "In a shady nook, by a babbling brook,'mid the flow'rs, I spend hours, ev'ry day"

:)

Hi Tasha: If you recorded a duet with your son, and my post had a little something to do with that, then that would make me very happy :) Thank you for your kind sentiments.

Ken,I forgot to express my condolence. From the so...

2008-10-14T14:24:00.000+01:00

Ken,
I forgot to express my condolence. From the sound of it, your mother was very special and seems like you were very close to her. Your post is a great tribute to her. You're a good son.

Tasha

Hi Ken,I got teary-eyed with your post. It really ...

2008-10-14T14:19:00.000+01:00

Hi Ken,
I got teary-eyed with your post. It really tugged at my heart. You truly have the gift of writing these subject matters of the heart, which touches all of us one way or another.

I think it affected me more than the others perhaps because a few months ago, my son expressed that he wished he and I can record a music together. However, he's into rap music, and I'm more into the mainstream music of love songs, easy listening, mellow rock, ballads, country, and rock. I sing at home all the time too and that's why he got the idea. He has recorded some of his rap music with his simple home recording studio and had them published free on line that rappers sing and play without giving him any acknowledgments. Now, I think he stopped making music. He must have been disenchanted since his music is not getting anywhere. After reading your post, I might have to make an effort to do a duet with my son, even just for a memento when I'm gone.

Tasha

Wow. This lovely, moving post has everyone delvin...

2008-10-14T12:08:00.000+01:00

Wow. This lovely, moving post has everyone delving into their past. My mum read Woman's Weekly all her life and, way back when, they ran a series of the lyrics of Donald pears songs. We used to gather round our coal fire on winter evenings and sing them all. I can't remember them now - just a bit of one that told about a babbling brook, that's where I fell in love with you.

Don't give up anything Rachel - a poem is just a s...

2008-10-13T20:03:00.000+01:00

Don't give up anything Rachel - a poem is just a song waiting for its tune.

Thank you Angel, I'm glad too. :)

Hi Carol: Opera in the car might be bit overpowering all right - did she wear one of those helmets with the horns... no, never mind. :)

Cellobella: Don't visit folks with that warm and fuzzy feeling they'll think you've been at the Pinot Grigo again.

Imagine, Dave, 'Five minutes More' - it must've been quite the hit in it's day. Glad you liked it.

k

Strangely, I remember my mum singing Five minutes ...

2008-10-13T14:14:00.000+01:00

Strangely, I remember my mum singing Five minutes more. She iddn't sing much on her own. She would play the piano for dad to sing and sometimes sing along with him. But not long before she succumbed to a stroke I do recall her singing that song softly to herself. Afterwards, it seemed to have been prophetic, somehow.
A beautiful post, a privilege to have read it.

Great story - gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling ...

2008-10-13T13:55:00.000+01:00

Great story - gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling and a wish to go and visit my folks...
:)

My mom did sing professionally - opera. And she s...

2008-10-13T03:22:00.000+01:00

My mom did sing professionally - opera. And she sang ALL the time at home. In the car. In the grocery store. Every-stinkin'-where we went she'd be singing under her breath all the time.

She doesn't do that as much anymore. And, after reading your post, I'm feeling a little guilty about how crazy she drove me all my life.

Y'got me!

What a beautiful and touching post. I'm so glad th...

2008-10-12T22:02:00.000+01:00

What a beautiful and touching post. I'm so glad that you were able to have your duet before your mother passed.

Yes, I am quite seriously thinking of giving up th...

2008-10-12T11:02:00.000+01:00

Yes, I am quite seriously thinking of giving up the poems and just writing songs.
x

Hi Reggie: 'A moment when you are in sync with yo...

2008-10-12T10:04:00.000+01:00

Hi Reggie: 'A moment when you are in sync with your parent?' God, that *would* be one to treasure, wouldn't it? :)

Hi Catherine: God, you had me there! I thought y...

2008-10-12T10:02:00.000+01:00

Hi Catherine: God, you had me there! I thought you had Bryn there at the wedding! (I would have driven there and crashed just to hear him sing, really! I wouldn't have got in the way or anything, just stood and the back. And if the Preacher had done that "is there anybody here who has good reason..." bit, I would have behaved myself.. mostly.

Bryn features quite heavily on my ipod. I saw him first on 'The Last Night of the Proms' wearing a Welsh Rugby jersey and his rich deep voice just blew me away. I came to 'Suo Gan' from (of course) 'Empire of the Sun'. A movie I have come to admire.

Your wedding sounds like it was lovely.

Hi Cecilia: Your visits are even more 'day-improving than before. :) I have this picture now of you as a baby, whistling for your supper... shucks! Hope the game was good and that your side won.

Thanks Jim, I'm not sure it's ever too late - although we never duetted on 'I saw Esau', I could sing it myself now and be back somewhere good. Perhaps try humming 'Sally, the Pride of our Alley' and see where it might take you. Come on... 'On Mother Kelly's Doorstep...' (My Mum used to sing that one too) :)

Joanne: I'm glad the writing touched you, that is an objective, I guess, although I don't often admit to it. Did your Mum sing, songs like 'Hard Times Come Again No More' and ' Water is Wide'? Great great songs...

Hi Rachel: Songs are, as you say, quite a lot. They're amazing in their power, really.

Lovely Mum, lovely boy.And the songs are everythin...

2008-10-12T08:54:00.000+01:00

Lovely Mum, lovely boy.

And the songs are everything...well, almost everything!

x

@Ken: LOL You're right, probably best I write it. ...

2008-10-12T05:29:00.000+01:00

@Ken: LOL You're right, probably best I write it. Its the kind of memory that I hope everyone haves with their parent(s).

It doesn't have to involve singing... just that moment where you are both so in-sync with each other that you don't even need to talk about it afterward. Pure magic.

You so touched my heart with that post. You had y...

2008-10-11T21:33:00.000+01:00

You so touched my heart with that post. You had your duet with her and that song will always be with you.

My Mom used to sing around the house all the time. Songs from the great american songbook and I used to love to hear her sing. Your post brought back memories of that time and I thank you for that.

My Dad thought he could sing like Bing Crosby and ...

2008-10-11T20:33:00.000+01:00

My Dad thought he could sing like Bing Crosby and he did his damnedest to. My mother on the other hand could sing like Gracie Fields. She sang more than he did but I don't ever recall them doing a duet. I never sang as a kid but even if I had I was such an awkward cuss back then that I never would've joined in. And now, of course, it's too late.

This is what life is made of. You captured it. I'm...

2008-10-11T19:34:00.000+01:00

This is what life is made of. You captured it. I'm glad you had that little duet that became larger after the fact...

My father sang and whistled constantly. I was told that I started whistling before I could walk... I started singing soon after and haven't stopped. Your post made me think of him.

Keep singing Ken...

Ken, Bryn Terfel sang Suo Gân and Ar Lan y Mor at ...

2008-10-11T19:12:00.000+01:00

Ken, Bryn Terfel sang Suo Gân and Ar Lan y Mor at my wedding last month!
Well, ok, he was just on CD. But those were the pieces of music played while we were signing the register. :)

Dad & I tend to belt out things like Calon Lân and Cwm Rhondda though. Full-on loud hymns with fun harmonies.

Thank you for your kind comments on this.Just in c...

2008-10-11T16:26:00.000+01:00

Thank you for your kind comments on this.

Just in case, you don't know it (imagine that!) here's the little scene we were watching:

'True Love'

Susan: I was thinking, in adding that (nice) picture, "I Bet someone will think that's a picture of mum". So you're not alone in that. Anyway, she was just as pretty (aawwwww!) :)

Thanks Catherine: I would like hear you and your Dad sing a little Welsh - how about a lullaby - Suo-Gan perhaps? Here's good old Bryn doing it and putting the orchestra asleep in the process. Quite charming.

'Suo-Gan'

Hi Hope: I can certainly be kind and sentimental - I can be other things too, some of them my mum might not be so proud of. I hope, over time, to let this blog reflect all of these aspects. Some of them might not be so... well, we'll see, won't we? Thank you for the kind words.

Thanks Beamer, Mate! :) Mum died a little over two years ago and, as time passes, the mind jumps easier to all the many good times rather than the (luckily) few difficult ones.

That's nice Jena, I bet you sing up a storm. Matt Urdan at Michigan Rafter kindly did my header for me - he is very talented. And Margaret at Eyespi did the previous header which was exactly what I wanted - she got me on the road to graphical betterment and I will be grateful for ages yet. She too is a (modest) graphical wizz:)

Dear Smallworld: Thanks :)

Reggie: All right, darlin', I'll write a comment for you...

(ahem)

"Dear Ken, if I wasn't already heavily involved with a wonderful Irish bloke, I would take my little pink toenails off to Castlebar and...". 'Second thoughts, maybe you'd better write 'em yourself. )

Hi Margaret: I'm gald you liked it. I wasn't aiming to be maudlin or anything - I hesitated to post it (as you know I do sometimes) and then thought, what the hell, it's an honest and happy memory and it's nice to keep loved ones alive in stories and conversations as well as in every other possible way.

Debbie: Don't cry darlin'. It was all-good... well, mostly.

Thanks again guys. :)