I Can Still Pop The Windmill: Sense Memory And Weird Competitions In West Texas
I was 19.
I long ago realized I would never be able to explain Sing Song to people, or anyway, explain it to the degree that they begin to understand just how intense the competition can be between groups of boys and girls who rearrange pop songs with new lyrics in a three-minute, choreographed number built around a costumed theme. At Abilene Christian University, the fraternities and sororities aren't part of a national system, existing solely on that campus as "social clubs." This adds to the sense of refined isolation sought by the school — to be in the world but not of it — but has the unintended side-effect of making every event feel as if it's happening in a rarefied bubble, and thus much more important or life-altering than it actually is.
The best example of this is the annual contest known as Sing Song. The clubs compete in this every year. There is no entrance fee or prize money, and (at least in my time) there was a cap on the amount that could be spent on costumes in an attempt to help level the field. The only thing you come away with is bragging rights for a year, and that's all most students need to get fired up. The young men and women who suit up in satin overalls or fairy wings speak fiercely of dynasties built or lost, of victory sweetly earned by destroying a rival club. I remember those feelings, as well as the lyrics and moves to the two Sing Song acts I was in as a member of my club.
One year, a guy in club proposed to the rest of us that we organize a Sing Song boycott. The event is a solid moneymaker for the school and draws hordes of alumni, but there's nothing in any club charter that requires participation in Sing Song. We wouldn't even have had to get all the clubs, just us and the other major men's club, and the two top women's clubs, and that would bring down the show. We would do it just for the hell of it. But in the end we decided not to go for it for a variety of reasons, not least of which was that we wanted to keep winning, to keep beating the other guys. Maybe it wouldn't have worked, and maybe we were dumb for thinking of it. But what a way to be remembered.
Anyway, like I said, the acts make total sense to someone who grew up in conservative religious circles in Texas but are going to be just jaw-droppingly weird for anyone else. That said, they're still a part of my college experience, and I have nothing but good memories associated with these performances and the weeks of rehearsal we put into them. My friends and I look young, and goofy, and impossibly happy. I was 19.
Sophomore year:
Senior year:
Comments: 20
Great stuff...Gibson always kills me at the 16 second mark of the Top Gun one. Thought you should know.
So, what happened if you couldn't sing? Did you just lip sync along? Or were singing skills a requirement of joining a fraternity at your school?
@tamatha: That's the other thing: Being in club didn't mean you had to be in Sing Song, so some guys would always decline out of scheduling issues or apathy. If you couldn't sing, you were quietly turned down while other guys got louder. But also, almost all of these guys grew up in the C of C, so getting through three minutes of four-part harmony wasn't as hard as you'd think.
Just watch Moreland in Top Gun. Lip Sync and Choreography expert. Great times.
Ours is coming up soon and it is a HUGE deal. Of course, up here the Fraternities get paired with a Sorority since most of the organizations are smaller. But it's very much the same song and dance and clever lyrics thing. I'm going to show these to some people. Very cool.
Maybe I'm funny in the head, but i don't think there's anything that weird about this. I mean, schools in the Northeast have a capella groups. I think these performances were really great. I kind of want to see more of them...
John, you are in luck:
I went to Valparaiso University in Indiana and we had a relatively similar tradition for our Greek organizations - Songfest - which took place on the Sunday of Spring Weekend (like Homecoming but in the spring). Picture your tradition + more booze + a lot more dancing (-) the harmonizing (except for a couple organizations that took it really seriously) + more props and solos. It was always my favorite Greek event every year, despite (or maybe because of) its campy lameness.
It was crazy because, yeah, all we got were bragging rights, and yet about two months ahead of time, we'd start practicing several times a week. Who understands college students...
And how's this for weird - it took place in our campus's chapel on these big stone steps that basically served as the alter on Sunday mornings, and yet some of the routines got really racy and most people showed up fairly drunk. Ah, crazy Lutherans.
They did something similar at my college. I went to Samford University in Birmingham, Al. Samford is a Baptist school.They called it Step-sing and it was a competition between the sororities and fraternities, too. I think it probably became more elaborate than at your school. Lots of theatrics and production numbers. We used to joke that was the only way that Baptists could dance without sinning. It was quite a show.
Nice Dan. And way to show restraint in not talking about all the unofficial traditions that accompanied practice in Walling. I'm sure if you were standing next to Shock you got pubed more than the average member.
Cal looks... um, happy, in that photo.
Wait just a minute Kizer, there was no lip syncing going on, but I will say I agree on the excellent choreography...It's amazing that these conversations still elicit emotion.
Sidenote...Booomer's still got the windmill down, and oh yeah go ROC Class!
Wait just a minute Kizer, there was no lip syncing going on, but I will say I agree on the excellent choreography...It's amazing that these conversations still elicit emotion.
Sidenote...Booomer's still got the windmill down, and oh yeah go ROC Class!
I've spent 5 years trying to forget sing song and you people keep bringing it back!! It will always be entertaining to watch Ben and Andrew attempt to perform choreography and lyrics at the same time. ha ha
Bignasty
ROC Class 01
Sibling Father Emeritus
Fabulous stuff Dan. I miss singing in a group so much, this made me miss my high school drama days and the chorus in college.
Cal,
Andrew and I owned Sing Song...just ask that lady who took us aside at dress rehearsal and told us we were the worst two on stage. Good times...
Ben Grant
I still can't hear Seven Bridges Road without thinking of the GSP act and how many times yall sang it on our SBC...and walking down the ramp from the Ranger game we went to Senior year. The thought always makes me smile!!
Since you're in Austin for SXSW, does that mean you're just staying in TX until Lindz's wedding?!! I miss you!!!
I found your blog from Janell twittering about you recently. I came and what do I see? Sing Song! Having gone to Oklahoma Christian it makes perfect sense to me.
There could be no better use of college kids with strict curfews, dancing taboos, and well ingrained knowledge of four-part harmony than Sing Song.
This gave me warm fuzzies. Thanks you.
These videos made me happier than they should have. Being a theatre major I was never able to do Sing Song until my senior year when I made time to do the GSP act. We were the barbers that year. We lost, but it was fun. Even on the years that I didn't get to do it I always attended, even though it was kind of looked down on with my artsy theatre friends. Loved it. When I was in Jr. High and high School I really wanted to be a host. It wasn't to be.
Having grown up in Texas, I understand exactly what you mean. Things that I thought were totally normal growing up are actually quite... well, odd. Here's to the weirdness of growing up in the buckle of the Bible belt, sir.
Mar 9, 2009 1:51 PM