1. The only lines you know to every song you've ever sung are "doo-bee-do-bee-do." (Hat Tip, Joe Stern)
2. You own some truly embarrassing clothing along with your various jackets and ties. Mine includes a bowling shirt in my school colors that says "Rock and Bowl" on the back and is monogrammed "Joe Acapella". Two examples appear in the alumni concert photo at left, but I, cleverly, do not.
3. All the garage bands when you were growing up had singers who played instruments and weren't in the market for geeky front men. Their loss.
4. You think an arrangement of Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" in 4-part harmony is what the world needs now.
5. You believe that public spaces are just opportunities to perform without a permit.
6. Spring break for you was all about road trips in vans, dropping in on distant relatives and singing for your supper.
7. You think it would be awesome, but have not yet attempted, to perform the entire B side of Abbey Road unaccompanied. That, or something by Prince, or Kiss, or "Kiss" by Prince. It's all good.
8. You have a glaring omission from your resume under "group memberships." Surprisingly, not everyone thinks A-Capella rocks.
9. Your iPod has 50 college groups that never sell more than 500 copies of their latest CD in heavy rotation.
10. You describe your college years as "like being in a fraternity or playing on the varsity, but not."
I've always been a big fan of a capella, beginning in college at George Washington University - many of my friends were in the group called the GW Troubadors. On my iPod you will often find local Chicago ensembles that sing at Davenports, as well the Swingle Singers (remember them?), Anonymous 4, and any track of gospel done in the a capella form.
As for me, while in my shower stall at home I may sound fantastic as an a capella singer, not so much while I am on the CTA platform waiting for the Red Line train. Sigh.
Posted by: Thomas MacEntee | April 01, 2008 at 02:22 AM