Sing a song of sixpence

Dr Roshan Radhakrishnan
8
"I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide ?"
- Aladdin

It's always the simple things that make a difference. That's what I feel. I never really followed the Lead India show on Tv, though I admired it's concept of seeking out genuine good guys and bravehearts rather than the khadi clad leaders we have presently. But I always wonder - what small change can I bring about with my words and what is the easiest way to go about it ? What can I possibly say or do that would make some stranger's day better ?
Well, I'm sure there's a lot of possible answers in everyone's mind , ranging from social service ( done that, from orphanages to blindness camps to primary school checkups ) to adopting puppies ( done that.. those little heartbreakers had me at "hello" ) to a kind word of encouragement ( never a shortage of that ).

But there is something that has always made me wonder.. something that today I'd like you guys to ponder and try out.. just once. You see, it's based on our most widely viewed and influential medium.. movies. Bollywood to be exact. Whenever something 'different' is depicted, we have people rising up in arms saying it's blasphemous / anti-culture / anti-caste.. in short, a bad influence for an impressionable mind.
Well, my question is - how true can that be ? Because in all these years, I must have seen a gazillion songs in Bollywood movies sung by actors ranging from Salman to Shakti Kapoor, Chiranjeevi to Chandrachur. Yet, in real life, save for the odd eve teasing that ,funnily, noone considers anti-culture, I have never seen the one thing I want to see from Bollywood emulated.. a guy singing for his girl. A girl singing back to a guy. A happy go lucky crowd joining in. Okay okay, even I'm not expecting the synchronised dancers, but still.. where's the public display of affection, lust not attached ? Where is the effort to make the girl feel like a million bucks ? Make her smile when she goes to bed that night thinking of you ?

So guys and gals, here's my plan to make this world a better place which doesn't involve a signature petition, a bribe or hugging trees. Just sing. An adrenaline stimulated, chest pumping, fear evading, heart felt song, telling the person you love how you feel about her / him.. Don't be worried about the people around you, don't be worried about your voice cracking or the embarrassment.. just aim to make his/ her day memorable. Because, what I find is that , as the movie title goes, these kind of good vibes do get 'paid forward'. She passes on her happy vibes in her workplace, they pass it on at home.. it's a contagious happy fest. And all because you sang to her. Something every movie you've ever seen in India has taught you will win hearts... and you've never done.

All your life, you will strive to be the good son, the boss's pet, the perfect student, the ideal society person. Just once, before it's too late, be the filmstar. Be the one who follows his heart and sings when he is smitten by the sight of his love. Come on. You know you want to.

P.S. Before you say I ought to practise what I preach, well, I have sung to a girl a long time back, in front of a crowd, including her parents and relatives. ( 'A whole new world' from Aladdin ) And if you must know the final outcome... well, I'm still single. ( I scared them all away with my famed voice. The song sounded so much better when I was singing it in the bathroom earlier.. damn you, acoustics!!! ) But that's just me and my dumb luck.. after all, I am the exception to every rule. So don't look at my example. Go out there and sing.. After all, if I, a known introvert back then, could find the courage.. you guys can surely whip up some 'puppppy power' and sing, can't ya ?

Go get her, tiger...

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8Comments

Let me know what you think.

  1. I wouldn't mind singing to a girl in my ,i presume a voice much worse than yours :). But , in this busy busy world where everybody is just going after being the teacher's pet,the boss' dog, the good son, who will come to join me when i blare at the top of my voice and will make my lady feel special. The maximum i expect is someone will take a video and post it under "funny videos" on youtube.

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  2. This is superlatively sweet Roshan!

    I wish my guy reads this and gets inspired ( No, I DON'T wanna ask him to read it and try my luck ).

    If this idea of yours is truely followed by anyone, am sure 'the one up there' will credit some 'punya' points in your account ;-)

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  3. lol what are u for real?
    u wait for girls in the rain and you sing?
    man!! too much!

    i sing too! i sang so many songs for my guy and well lets just say he loves it! ;) (he'd better!)

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  4. Prodigy.. See, what'd ya have to lose.. If worse comes to worse, You'l still end up a celebrity in youtube.. Heaven knows many others have become famous for less :-)

    aishu, I've lost count of the number of punya points God owes me!

    Black coffee, haha.. We have a winner. You're the first one in the comment box who sings to your guy.. But no song in the ears/ over the phone, remember? So you'd better have been beltin out that love song at maximum volume in front of the world.. Haha. Still, good to know, music in romance isn't dead.. Though i wonder about his eardrums :-)

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  5. My guy and I sing to each other all the time. Silly little songs with made up lyrics just to make each other smile. It sounds sickly sweet, but it is balanced out with those mundane moments of getting grumpy at each other for not washing the dishes, or being stressed over home renovations. We are pretty lucky, I guess! As Shakespeare said: "If music be the food of love, play on!"

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  6. hey those do include public concerts! i did sing! and ppl say that my love shines thru in my voice even if it isn really that right on the keys n stuf!
    *blush blush*

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  7. i followed your advice...i sang....infront of the whole blooming residential complex.....we lost !!!
    (participated in the intra block antakshri contest! !)

    i was singing and for my guy...

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  8. Cool. I'm glad to see singing in love isn't just a thing of the past.. Viva la romance! Hmmm... Weird. No guys singing around here?

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