Group sings an Ode to Spring

WANTAGE — According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a sing-along is an informal event or occasion where people sing songs together.
The word sing-along was possibly first used in 1959. An Ode to Spring sing-along was sponsored by the Friends of the Sussex-Wantage Library on Thursday April 20. The group of 15 led by Walt Houck and his watermelon shaped and decorated ukulele heartily sang a list of 25 tunes that acknowledged warmer weather, plant growth, bicycles, baseball, nature and even wearing a kilt and nothing more.
“It’s amazing how most of the time, we know or are familiar with a song’s chorus or refrain,” Houck commented.
Singers were provided with the entire set of words to all 25 songs and needed no special encouragement to sing, as they belted out “When the Red, Red Robin”, “April in Paris” and “Take Me out to the Ballgame.”
According to Houck, the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” brought copyright battles to those artists who recorded it over the years. “You are my Sunshine” although thought to be a happy ditty was discussed as a dark commitment song. When the group sang” Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” a song from the movie, ”Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, one of the group’s sing-alongers revealed he had met one of the movie’s stars, Paul Newman.
Many of the chosen 25 tunes had a folksy influence and that prompted the group to discuss folk music icon Pete Seger. Participants reminisced and recalled car trips where families sang together or how the parlor piano evoked group sing-alongs.
Reviewing other monthly sing-alongs, Houck mentioned the theme for cold January was beach party songs, February was Valentine love tunes while March was dedicated to St. Patrick’s Day and the Irish influence. May will celebrate sea chanties and travel type lyrics.
The Sussex-Wantage Friends of the Library Sing Along is held on the third Thursday of the month, upcoming May 18 from 6:30- 8 p.m. in the library’s community room.