A Little Bit of Joy
Courtesy of some wonderful performers
I’ve been working on several different pieces, but none are quite coalescing yet. Then, I came across a little video that brought me such joy I instantly knew I wanted to share it with all of you.
It is courtesy of some of my favorite performers of all time.
The year is 1980, and the unparalleled Gene Kelly is a guest on The Muppet Show. The premise of the bit is endearing; the Muppets want Kelly to sing “Singin’ in the Rain,” and Kelly is reluctant.
“I used to do it all the time,” Kelly explains to a crestfallen Kermit. “I finally realized that I’d never be able to do it better than we did it in the movie.”
Rowlf the Dog is at the piano and isn’t giving up. He plays the opening chords, hoping that Kelly will lapse into song. Kelly obliges, but he launches into a rendition of George and Ira Gershwin’s “’S Wonderful.”
Rowlf keeps at it, playing the “vamp” (the progression of bars that lead into a song) to “Singin’ in the Rain” over and over. With a twinkle in his eye, Kelly keeps finding his way into different tunes.
“This vamp goes with too many songs,” Rowlf complains. But he isn’t done yet.
The entire scene is so playful, endearing, and positively wholesome, I coun’t help but smile the whole way through. It captures the power of music and the connection of song.
The original scene from Singin’ in the Rain, of Kelly dancing with an umbrella, is one of my favorite in all of film. It never ceases to bring me joy. And its lessons feel incredibly apt now.
We must find time for love, hope, and ways to sing and dance. Even when it is pouring
And here is the scene from the movie:
Thank you, Elliot. Perhaps it is just my own life that is different, but I do remember much more singing when I was a child. We sang in the car (my father was the source of endless delightful silly songs) and we sang after the supper dishes were washed, sitting together on the back porch. How I loved this! My Grandmother would request her favorite songs (many of them of an earlier era) and my Grandfather, who had perfect pitch, would close his eyes, give the pitch, and then harmonize to the rest of our voices. Wow! Such happiness. As a child, I would wish for the day to never end.
Thank you so much for this, as a lover of the Muppets and Singin’ In the Rain❤️ It was definitely needed, after these past few long, dark weeks ❤️