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Do you have a " party piece"?

(76 Posts)
Daddima Tue 04-Oct-16 15:57:10

I've just heard a song on the radio which reminded me of a friend of my parents, as he sang it ( beautifully) at family gatherings ( Macushla).
My father's song was " When I Leave the World Behind", and my mother's was " O Mio Babbino Caro".
I have been known to murder " Summertime" and " I Want to be a Prima Donna".

grannylyn65 Tue 04-Oct-16 15:59:00

Albert and the Lion
The Yak !

Linsco56 Tue 04-Oct-16 16:39:05

DH will (and frequently does!) give a very loud rendition of Abdul Abulbul Amur. Everyone we know must have heard it several times by now!

Linsco56 Tue 04-Oct-16 16:39:30

Amir!

Teetime Tue 04-Oct-16 16:40:27

I love that linsco56.

I used to sing 'Oh Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz' al la Janis Joplin when tipsy.

Teetime Tue 04-Oct-16 16:42:47

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz?

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh Lord, won't you buy me a color TV?

Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town?
I'm counting on you, Lord, please don't let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round,
Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town?

Daddima Tue 04-Oct-16 17:50:56

I have also been known to recite, " He kept bees in the old town of Effen. An Effen bee keeper was he"

Google it.

annodomini Tue 04-Oct-16 18:29:46

Once and once only - never to be repeated - under the influence of quite a lot of sangria, I managed to remember all the verses of Loch Lomond!

gillybob Tue 04-Oct-16 18:34:11

One of my favourite songs of all time Teetime I will have an earworm all night now !

I love "Carey" by Joni Mitchell too and DH gets sick of hearing my attempts to sing along.

gillybob Tue 04-Oct-16 18:36:17

I am double jointed and can bend my thumbs backwards to touch the back of my hand. I can also sit with my legs out at 90 degrees. Not much of a party piece I know but it keeps the grandchildren amused. grin

Grannyknot Tue 04-Oct-16 18:43:20

When I hang my hands down, the (very visible) veins on the backs of my hands fill with blood. When I then hold my hands up vertically, you can see the blood draining away. Fascinating grin

But I've been asked to stop showing people.

Linsco56 Tue 04-Oct-16 18:48:08

I'm not surprised Grannyknot grin

Greyduster Tue 04-Oct-16 19:36:43

When primed with the necessary liquid refreshment I could do a passable rendition of Tom Lehrer's Poisoning Pigeons in the Park; also The Keeper of the Eddistone Light! smile

Elrel Tue 04-Oct-16 19:48:18

Grannyknot, I've had that 'attribute' for quite a while (since my 30s!) and each grandchild in turn has noticed. The one year old seems to like them, the 20 year old used to, and possibly still does, shudder and asks me to put my hands away.

Greyduster, Tom Lehrer, great! Saw him live long ago from the front row of Brum Town Hall. Introducing The Old Dope Pedlar he said sweetly ' Some of you may know this and wish to sing along' pause, we nodded, steely glint of eyes behind spectacles, 'kindly desist!'
Had to love the man!

phoenix Tue 04-Oct-16 19:52:34

I can sing "How much is that doggie in the window" in tune and....................(drum roll emoticon) backwards!! grin

Jalima Tue 04-Oct-16 19:52:50

The talent skipped a generation as far as I'm concerned; DM had a lovely voice and so does DD.
I would not inflict mine on anyone.

rosesarered Tue 04-Oct-16 21:32:02

No party pieces for me, but had an elderly relative in the 50's who at family socials used to recite a long poem/verse , something about 'the green eye of the little yellow god' I remember a line about 'the grave of Mad Carew, and a broken hearted woman'
Anyone know this? Also, another old Uncle who sang Abdul Abulbul Amir, whilst playing the piano, and another who always sang 'The QuarterMasters Store' which made us children laugh.

gillybob Tue 04-Oct-16 21:42:16

I only knew a few of the customers in the "quartermasters store" roses .....
I remember Annie and Rick in particular shock

Ana Tue 04-Oct-16 21:43:48

Oh yes,

There's a one-eyed yellow idol to the north of Khatmandu,
There's a little marble cross below the town;
There's a broken-hearted woman tends the grave of Mad Carew,
And the Yellow God forever gazes down.

(by J Milton Hayes, apparently, though I had to look that up!)

That's not the entire poem, just the first bit

Greyduster Tue 04-Oct-16 21:45:53

I used to recited that to my grandson! "He was known as Mad Carew, by the subs at Katmandu, and was madder than they ever cared to tell, but for all his foolish pranks, he was worshipped in the ranks, and the Colonel's daughter smiled on him as well."

rosesarered Tue 04-Oct-16 21:46:04

Thanks Ana That's the one.smile amazed I could remember anything at all really, it was so long ago.

Cherrytree59 Tue 04-Oct-16 21:49:36

Roses do you mean the Shooting of dangerous Dan McGrew.
I have just had old tape made into a CD of my Grandfather reciting it and singing some old Scots Songs. It was quite emotional hearing his voice again.
He always sang and played at Family gatherings
And usually ended with a Rabbie Burns Poem.
He would be 106 now

wot Tue 04-Oct-16 21:51:43

I burst into hymns.....goodness knows how I remember all the words from school assembly! I left in 1965! Must have made an impression on me.

Cherrytree59 Tue 04-Oct-16 21:52:05

Oops just seen Anas post Wrong poem blush

Cherrytree59 Tue 04-Oct-16 21:55:21

DH party pieces usual involve Rugby songs.
That's when I fetch our coats!