And one time, at band camp (no, I never put it THERE)
I play the flute.
I’ll wait while you say it.
“And this one time, at band camp…”
I played in orchestra and band and stuff in high school and had plenty of practice playing the same songs over and over because gosh forbid the music nun pick new songs every year. We played “Canon in D.”
A lot.
There are only four notes in that song so it was easy for beginners and we actually didn’t sound like a chorus of screeching cats so we played it a ton. It just got old. The only newness we got was the yearly musical. It was either Sound of Music (SINGING NUNS!) or…come to think of it, that’s all we did.
Damn.
After high school I did NOT, despite my best intentions, join a community orchestra and continue playing. I missed it. So I joined a church and signed up with the hippie guitar group. And it was all groovy and stuff. Most of the time.
See, not everyone wants the boring organ crap at their wedding. Funerals? No problem! They aren’t looking for hippie guitar groups most of the time with tambourines and shiz. Weddings, though? They want different.
They want to stand out instead of doing the same thing over and over. Except. They received a list of songs we’d do for the bride’s entrance. You know, “Trumpet Voluntary,” “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” and they always picked…
“Canon in D.”
My biggest pet peeve? This song. It can be a nice song. It’s just soooooo overused. Every single bride wanted it over the course of the twelve years I played for weddings. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.
Over and over and over....GAH! Make it stop!
The Hubs and I went out last week for this super-romantic dinner. We had a table outside, there was a street fair going on, the sun was setting. It was lovely and romantic, people! A REAL, LIVE DATE AND EVERYTHING! Hell, I even had slut juice wine.
There were street musicians playing and we chatted, playing “guess that tune” with the steel drum band across the street. They played “Margaritaville.” “Dust in the Wind” (I KNOW).
Then there was a song that immediately got my hair standing on end. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. It was in the Key of D, kinda slow…HOLY FREAKING SHIZ, YO.
They were doing “Canon in D.” On steel drums. ON STEEL DRUMS. Which is precisely the moment I dropped to the ground, writhing in agony with my hands over my ears. Or I wanted to.
There. That’s why it’s painful for me to listen to.
But don’t take my word for it. Watch this:
About Marj Hatzell
As I was reading this, I was thinking “I wonder if she’s seen that Youtube video?” And then. . .there it was. Comedy for band nerds, love it! (I’m a percussionist, high five!)
Twitter Name: midgetinvasion
High five!
But what I must know…what was YOUR half time show music? We did I Feel Good by James Brown, Rock around the Clock…
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
Oh, well, I went to a VERY competitive high school in Texas, where marching band is a sport. We never marched anything fun for halftime, it was always our show to get ready for competition. One year was Appalachian Spring, another Swan Lake, etc.
Twitter Name: midgetinvasion
HAHA! Sucks to be yoooooou.
But for orchestra we did that crap. But one year our marching/concert band did selections from Les Mis and Cats. And we sounded like dying cats.
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
My ex boyfriend taught at one of those VERY competitive marching band schools. And dragged me to their competitions.
And… yeah, I get it. It’s ARTSY.
But also pretentious and boring and high school kids really just want to play “The Time Warp” and dance their asses off.
Twitter Name: txtingmrdarcy
YES WE DID. The time warp! And! Our local high school band did it last year! AND THRILLER!
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
YES! “Thriller!” That is exactly what high school kids need to be playing! They already march like little zombies anyway. ;)
Twitter Name: txtingmrdarcy
When I was in band, it was all about military precision, Sousa marches, etc. So of course when the Texas schools started getting all artsy fartsy, I became the old fart who said things like,”where is the quarter turn” and “what, no stingers at the end”. And I can relate to the Pachabel guy, because as a french horn player, all we ever got during marching season was afterbeats. Like dumDum, dumDum….
Yo Quiero Pachelbel
I love Pachelbel, too. Just not that damn piece.
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
My daughter once played Canon in D on violin, which she had learned in private lessons, for a bunch of nursing home residents, then they learned two different versions of it in school. Sometimes I like to play it just to see “that look.”
Evil Mommy. eeeeevilllll.
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
…And I sent her the link to that video, because that’s the kind of mom I am :Þ
So funny – I also mentioned my band nerd days in a post on my blog earlier this week. I played flute as well, but in concert bands only. In the marching band, I was on the flag corps, so I never played my instrument on the field.
I’m WITH YOU on Pachelbel’s Canon, though. We had a lot more variety through marching and concert seasons, but it seemed like at festival concert competitions, at least TWO other bands played that. We’d groan every time we heard it. Thankfully, I only had to play it once.
Twitter Name: JWMoxie
Once? WHAT THE EFF?
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
Just one correction: slut juice is not wine, I believe a margarita is more suited for that title.
But to envision you slithering on the floor, with your hands over your ears while ON A DATE? The most perfect way to start a weekend. If it were Friday, that is.
Twitter Name: Amber_MtMC
No, wine produces slutty behavior. Margaritas produce good results in bed. And two sons, apparently.
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
Bahahaha! I don’t have that excuse….: )
Twitter Name: Amber_MtMC
I love this guys rant, but still one of my husband’s favorites is Canon in D.
Twitter Name: Cookerati
Your husband needs an intervention. Please tell me he at least likes taters.
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
Hilarious. I totally played this during the zillion years I spent playing violin, and for a fleeting moment I considered it on my wedding day but decided to go with my husband’s favorite Neil Young song. I hear you: it’s annoying. Also annoying and wedding related? The song “Shout”. Not the Tears for Fears one, the other one. The one our parents all love and jump around to. HATE HATE HATE. Makes me stabby.
Twitter Name: nystoopmama
I do NOT like Shout. Or CELEBRATION (you know, the line dance?) or WE ARE FAMILY. UGH!!! MAKE IT STOP!
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
Hey I love “Dust in the Wind”! My 10th grade boyfriend used to play it for me on guitar and sing it to me … and … and … okay okay! It worked just like slut juice did though.
I hope the slut juice kicked in for you.
Twitter Name: LikeKilled
Dust, Wind, Dude.
Twitter Name: thedgoddess
That was fun!
I too played flute in high school. Second effing chair. I still dislike the girl who sat first…sorta.
Now I play the ukele, sorta.
I am going to find out if they have cannon in d for the uke.
Hello ! I came here via a tweet by TribalBlogs.
The first time I ever heard the Canon in D I was awestruck. It’s simple and beautiful and it was catchy ! I hummed it all the time.
It was also one of the first pieces I played on the Piano and soon got bored hitting the same 4 keys … even if they were really not the same 4 keys. I needed something more challenging … like Fur Elise ?
But yea, I agree with you … it’s so overplayed and so overused.