Sing by Meta tron, Møuse, Charlie Fish
August 25th, 2007 6:02 PMThe major problems were the word 'beautifully' and overcoming my inherent lack of confidence. The thought of the evil looks and possibly angry comments I would receive if I serenaded a carriage full of strangers, terrified me. So I came up with a plan...
Firstly, I found a song that was short, simple and could be sung acapella. Oh, and was beautiful. (not an easy task, it took me two weeks to find one) I chose Fisherman's Woman by Emiliana Torrini.
Then to address the issue of nerves. I was happy to sing, but worried about how this would be received. Controlling the situation so that I wouldn't feel embarrassed and self indulgent made things more complex than if I were just to stand up, sing, then walk away. Singing to oneself in a group alienates everyone else around you; people aren't sure if you are trying to communicate with them or are ignoring them - either way, this makes you look crazy and rude. But if I was to sing to someone in particular, then only that one person has to react and everyone else on the train would be able to just watch. All I had to do was make sure there was a stranger on the train who wouldn't object to my singling them out in public. hmmm...
I sent Charlie Fish, creator of this task, a message offering to sing to him. Not only did he accept, but he offered to sing back!
I didn't want to meet him before the deed, unless he remained a stranger it would feel a bit staged. I had fallen in love with the image of one stranger turning around and singing openly to another in a crowd of silent people. I was determined, on the carriage would be the first time we'd meet.
So I arranged an accomplice. Mouse agreed to be Mr. Fish's contact and to document the whole thing too.
I sent Charlie this message:
Dear Mr. Fish,
verses
okeydoke, Contact confirmed.
He will be waiting for you on the platform of the westbound district line at Victoria station at 6pm. He will meet you at the end of the platform where you can board the LAST carriage. He will be wearing pink sunglasses and a brown bandanna.
You should be wearing a blue T-shirt and carrying something with SFZero.org written on it to identify yourself. Don't draw too much attention to yourself - you should only be obvious to your contact.
In case you didn't already know it (I didn't!) there areto the song Mercedes Benz
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Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin.
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV ?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV ?
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town ?
I’m counting on you, Lord, please don’t let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round,
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town ?
Everybody!
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
That’s it!
------------------------------------------------
I have a song for you that I think is beautiful, I hope you agree. It's also a bit strange and quite obscure so it should hopefully stun all onlookers into embarrassed but attentive silence - normal tube behavior - but won't look like I'm busking coz I'll be singing only to you. If we follow it with Merc Benz, which everyone knows the last verse to thanks to the pervasive nature of advertising, then hopefully we will get people singing along or at least showing signs of enjoyment.
I'm excited/nervous as hell!
Hope this all suits you down to the ground.
M x
Tuesday 7th August, 5.45pm, Mouse and I descend to the platform to await Charlie Fish. It's rush hour and the station is mobbed, Mouse makes himself obvious at the end of the platform, whilst I blend into the crowd a carriage length away behind a newspaper.
At about 6.15pm, Charlie Fish walks right past me and sits down next to Mouse, when the next train arrives all three of us board - CF and Mouse in the end carriage, myself in the next one up.
At the next stop I dash out and board the same carriage. As far as CF is concerned I have only just got on. I read my paper for a bit to avoid eye contact, but as soon as the train is on its way I bite the bullet and sing as best I can!
Then Charlie sings Mercedes Benz and I join in (I'm so nervous I forget the words several times!)
Mouse loitering
contact made
Charlie Fish (in the blue top) sits down next to King Mouse having walked right past me!
Mouse
brown bandanna and pink shades
Meta incognito in the distance
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urbanart26 comment(s)
Oh man, I love the guy stoically reading his magazine or newspaper or whatever it was! Was it just my imagination, or did he start cracking a smile somewhere in the middle of mercedes benz?
I was planning on doing this solo a while ago, but totally chickened out.
I've been looking forward to doing this task, now even more so...I've been inspired. Why to be brave!
I have the biggest smile on my face. You guys are fucking awesome. Mr. Fish I am so tickled I have officially un-foed you. Meta did you ride your retro space hopper down to the subway? (please say yes)
Yellowbear - er yeah, this train journey is the the only instance that I haven't traveled by space hopper since I was gifted it. *glances around shiftily*
Lizard boy - I was aware of that guy out of the corner of my eye at the time, only I thought he was monumentally pissed off by it, but now you point it out he does seem to be laughing! Hoorah! I felt kinda cruel trapping him in the corner at one point, but I would have fallen over otherwise.
I loved how the other passengers reacted; as if nothing unusual was happening at all!
It's like living in a musical. I wish everyone would break into song on public transport! You must be strangers no more.
Er yes, strangers no more.. there followed a somewhat odd night of drink and dare i say it.. dares?
Hey...I know that underground station...I was there a week ago!!! Loving the musical awesomeness!
A VOTE FOR MERCEDES BENZ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That was freaking beautiful guys......
That business man in the back is so English!!! lol. Next challenge to get a whole train singing!! A bit upset i didnt hear Mouse's dulcet tones.
Wonder how many of the people riding the train commented on it to someone else, and how far the wave of happy surprise traveled...
"All together now!" is the best part :)
I love the tube for this exact reason. You can do what you want and no-one will never, ever make eye contact with you.
Look at the guy in the blue in the first video and you will see that he is trying soooo hard not to look at her.
beautiful, I love it. I agree, life would be awesome if it were a musical, but hey, some of us try to make it into one by constantly singing lol. just breaking out into song for no reason, thats me. I was thinking of doing this task, but now, I've been inspirired to do it splendiferously. except.... I think I'm going to try singing to a stranger who isn't expecting it. lol :D now.... what shall I sing? oh I'm excited. wonderful and inspiring job, meta, charlie fish. and good filming mouse :D
Good luck Caroline, I look forward to seeing your completion when it hits the praxis : )
Just rewatching this after checking out The Bandit's completion and I noticed something I hadn't before. In the first video the 'trapped man' starts to look uncomfortable, glances round to see if I'm singing to anyone then - seeing that Charlie is fine with it - goes back to his reading, happily pretending I'm not doing anything weird.
This is exactly what I wanted to prepare for, so I'm really pleased that I spotted it just now!
I went to such lengths to prevent people feeling uncomfortable (which is different to annoyed btw!) mainly to give myself the confidence to go through with it. The Bandit must have done something else in order to screw his courage to the sticking point - this task is VERY daunting.
Comparing the two, I'd say that the big difference is the loneliness. I sang of loneliness to someone on a short journey, The Bandit sang of people to no-one on a long journey.
I think we got our trajectories swapped.
By the way, Mink, I came back to watch this one again, and it made me just as happy to see it as the first time.
Did you find yourselves becoming increasingly confident as you continued to sing? I'd imagine the hardest part is just starting. congrats!
Great job invoking the spirit of janis and SF røck with Mercedes Benz!
It was a bit of an adreneline rush so I can't really remember!
No, it didn't get easier as it went along. If people were smiling/laughing/joining in with the silliness, then it would have got easier. But the bystanders just gave off vibes of awkwardness, which were quite contagious.
You guys made my night!
If only this happened on a regular basis!