So today I'm sat at traffic lights giving it big licks to 'Counting Stars' and it slowly dawns on me that I'm being watched. A woman in large saloon is parked alongside me and I see a smirk slowly develop. Maybe it was the fact that I was, at the time, doing an X factor worthy performance which included hand actions and rapid head flicks. I hastily stopped, pretended to adjust my mirror and was very grateful to drive off. Then five minutes later 'The Edge of Glory' came on the radio and I was off again.
Can I just say I love love love to sing. You know that call centre programme where the manager makes trainees blast out 'Mr Brightside'? That would be my idea of heaven (it was only a kiss, it was only a kiss) if it didn't involve living in Cardiff I'd be submitting an application. Any opportunity to blast out a cheesy tune at the top of my voice and I am there with bells on. If I was on the Brit awards I'd be heaving Adele off the stage and kneecapping Beyonce just to get another 'shot' with the mic.
With that I add a proviso that I am not the worlds best singer. If I was being a bit pretentious I could say I 'studied' singing at school. A situation which came about when twigged that I could get away with minimal practice (leaving more time to chase boys and act the class clown) and would not get shoulder strain carrying my 'instrument' back and forth to school (unlike my pal who played euphonium and was no stranger to deep heat and elastic bandages).
For five years I tra-la-la'd my way through a less than exciting the music curriculum Songs were often in German and Andrew Lloyd Webber and ~Take Me Home Country Roads' were seen as a bit exotic. It was all good fun though and a well timed singing lesson a great way of avoiding cross country running or a maths test. In adulthood apart from a few short stints in choirs and amateur musical theatre singing has taken a back seat to other hobbies (when I say hobbies mean reading magazines, going to the pub and watching telly).
So back to the in car singing. A late starter as I didn't have my own car until I was 33 and and you can't really blast out 'Whole Again' on the top deck of a number 3. So when I did get one I was in my element. I was teaching at the time so used to have a wee ritual of 'I predict a riot' on a Monday morning (which in my school was fairly often the case) and 'Friday I'm in love' to start the weekend. Now my taste in music well - I'm a bit 'mainstream' to say the least (if it's not on Forth One I'm not likely to have heard it). I particularly enjoy those girlband hits where I can adjust my voice (and seated dance moves) for the different members (disco dancing with the lights down low-oh).
So now I have children sharing my car do I moderate my performance - do I heck. Yes when husband is around (he doesn't drive btw) but that's mainly as we are arguing about which Iane I should be in or why there is a fifteen car convoy behind us. The kids seem very oblivious to it all and I think in there own way quite enjoy 'mums music'. I've never been a fan of kids CD's for the car I mean why have 'The Wheels on the Bus' when you can have 'Bat Out of Hell'. Although I nearly rethought this stance when aged three my son merrily skipped through the Gyle singing 'I like you so much better when you are naked'.
Recently we had a 'proud mummy moment' when the the first bars of Tragedy boomed out and he yelled from the back seat that he loved this one (here I lie). He is getting older though and soon outside influences will prevail. He might actually recognise the song that's number one not just because it was in Despicable Me 2.
I have high hopes for daughter although she is very much a daddy's girl and tends to enjoy the contents of his ipod more than mine. There can't be that many 15 month olds that will happily drift off to sleep to 'Gimme Shelter' and 'Riders on the Storm'. I did however catch her having a sly bounce along to Avicii this afternoon so perhaps once she learns to talk I might have a new recruit for my band. Just as long as she understands that its always me who gets to be Nadine!
Can I just say I love love love to sing. You know that call centre programme where the manager makes trainees blast out 'Mr Brightside'? That would be my idea of heaven (it was only a kiss, it was only a kiss) if it didn't involve living in Cardiff I'd be submitting an application. Any opportunity to blast out a cheesy tune at the top of my voice and I am there with bells on. If I was on the Brit awards I'd be heaving Adele off the stage and kneecapping Beyonce just to get another 'shot' with the mic.
With that I add a proviso that I am not the worlds best singer. If I was being a bit pretentious I could say I 'studied' singing at school. A situation which came about when twigged that I could get away with minimal practice (leaving more time to chase boys and act the class clown) and would not get shoulder strain carrying my 'instrument' back and forth to school (unlike my pal who played euphonium and was no stranger to deep heat and elastic bandages).
For five years I tra-la-la'd my way through a less than exciting the music curriculum Songs were often in German and Andrew Lloyd Webber and ~Take Me Home Country Roads' were seen as a bit exotic. It was all good fun though and a well timed singing lesson a great way of avoiding cross country running or a maths test. In adulthood apart from a few short stints in choirs and amateur musical theatre singing has taken a back seat to other hobbies (when I say hobbies mean reading magazines, going to the pub and watching telly).
So back to the in car singing. A late starter as I didn't have my own car until I was 33 and and you can't really blast out 'Whole Again' on the top deck of a number 3. So when I did get one I was in my element. I was teaching at the time so used to have a wee ritual of 'I predict a riot' on a Monday morning (which in my school was fairly often the case) and 'Friday I'm in love' to start the weekend. Now my taste in music well - I'm a bit 'mainstream' to say the least (if it's not on Forth One I'm not likely to have heard it). I particularly enjoy those girlband hits where I can adjust my voice (and seated dance moves) for the different members (disco dancing with the lights down low-oh).
So now I have children sharing my car do I moderate my performance - do I heck. Yes when husband is around (he doesn't drive btw) but that's mainly as we are arguing about which Iane I should be in or why there is a fifteen car convoy behind us. The kids seem very oblivious to it all and I think in there own way quite enjoy 'mums music'. I've never been a fan of kids CD's for the car I mean why have 'The Wheels on the Bus' when you can have 'Bat Out of Hell'. Although I nearly rethought this stance when aged three my son merrily skipped through the Gyle singing 'I like you so much better when you are naked'.
Recently we had a 'proud mummy moment' when the the first bars of Tragedy boomed out and he yelled from the back seat that he loved this one (here I lie). He is getting older though and soon outside influences will prevail. He might actually recognise the song that's number one not just because it was in Despicable Me 2.
I have high hopes for daughter although she is very much a daddy's girl and tends to enjoy the contents of his ipod more than mine. There can't be that many 15 month olds that will happily drift off to sleep to 'Gimme Shelter' and 'Riders on the Storm'. I did however catch her having a sly bounce along to Avicii this afternoon so perhaps once she learns to talk I might have a new recruit for my band. Just as long as she understands that its always me who gets to be Nadine!