Sunday, May 24, 2009

The World Needs Susan Boyle

She isn't physically beautiful, or have a great stage presence, or wear CFM get-ups and boots. She doesn't make love to the microphone, or to herself, or to every male who passes her in the street.

What Susan Boyle does is sing. Beautifully. From way down inside, from her soul.

So why all the publicity? Because Susan Boyle is 47-years-old, lives alone with her cat Pebbles in Blackburn, Scotland, and is neither a make-up freak nor a fashion plate. Rather, she is representative of 80% of all women living on the planet.

Where, and in whose fucking rulebook, does it say that a female singer has to be young rubbish—both morally and vocally—to be accepted as legitimate? Whether or not she is made fun of on Twitter and the blogs, Boyle will win the finals of "Britain's Got Talent" next Sunday night—a win for every woman—and all of us.




From the Associated Press:

"The singer said before Sunday's performance that she wouldn't transform her appearance. 'I just want people to see me for who I am, and do my best at singing the song, that's what I am focusing on,' she said.

"She said the death of her mother had inspired her to enter the TV talent show.

"'I wanted to show her I could do something with my life,' Boyle said."


ADDENDUM, MAY 27. Here is a wonderful comment from Cathy:

"The first time I watched the clip of 'I Dreamed a Dream', I saw a REAL woman who was singing about her own life. A woman who was tired of years of dreaming and ready to take her life into her own two hands and see just how far she could go. I had tears streaming down my face as she sang. I dreamed a dream, too, and that dream didn't start becoming real until I finally had a chance to do something. I think there are many of us out there, and we're backing Susan to the hilt. Working to make dreams come true isn't limited to clothing style or size, hair, makeup, and how white your teeth are. It's all about heart. [Italics mine]



(Bringing the world together through music: visit the Playing for Change website, and watch this video of Stand By Me of street musicians playing for change, that I downloaded in January.)

16 comments:

Tiffin said...

Yes, I saw that she was through to the finals - have been following her story with great delight. You go, Susan Boyle!!! There's just something about that woman that lifts my spirits right up.
Tui

Kim Ayres said...

I never thought Pavarotti was eye candy either. And I don't remember him making love to the microphone :)

Barbara Bruederlin said...

I think she's kinda cute, actually.

Although I have heard all the hoopla, this is the first time I have heard her sing - she certainly does have the pipes. And thankfully does not go too Celine Dion on the song.

Attila the Mom said...

She really is lovely, isn't she?

Charlie said...

TUI: What lifts my spirits about her is that she's real, just trying "to do something with her life," which has always been hard.

KIM: Pavarotti doesn't need a microphone.

BARBARA: Anathema! To mention Boyle and Dion in the same comment!

Charlie said...

MOM: We just posted at the same time and yes, she is.

Manda said...

Your sight is kick ass. I don't know if your into hearing about the rantings of a crazy bitch, but it think you should check out my blog site and tell me what you think. Looking foward to hearing more from you.
Amanda

stinkypaw said...

I think she is lovely and so natural. For that alone she deserves to be there!

Meg said...

Well said, Charlie. I hope she wins.

Anonymous said...

I, too, hope she wins. For all the reasons everyone else said AND because I hope she gets to record a CD, so I can have more of that voice available to listen to.

Charlie said...

Am I noticing some sort of consensus here, or is it just me?

LADY: Thank you, and I'll visit your blog.

SP & MEG: Two thumbs up.

LW3: Thanks, too, for stopping by. I lurked your blog and was amazed at how often you update: back in 2008, was it?

I should think with all the free time you have at work . . .

Meg said...

This is off the topic, but have you read Stephen King's Duma Key? It is, by far, my new favorite King book (though I haven't finished it yet, so my opinion may change later). The prose is beautiful and it's full of hilarity, terror and emotion. Just thought I'd suggest it, even though I know you hate to read and all...

kara said...

you realize when she's finally kissed she'll only be able to croak like a frog from that day forward.

i met this old woman in the woods and she told me all about it.

Cathy said...

The first time I watched the clip of "I Dreamed a Dream", I saw a REAL woman who was singing about her own life. A woman who was tired of years of dreaming and ready to take her life into her own two hands and see just how far she could go. I had tears streaming down my face as she sang. I dreamed a dream, too, and that dream didn't start becoming real until I finally had a chance to do something. I think there are many of us out there, and we're backing Susan to the hilt. Working to make dreams come true isn't limited to clothing style or size, hair, makeup, and how white your teeth are. It's all about heart.

Mary Witzl said...

I'm a huge Susan Boyle fan myself. I loved watching her sing 'I Dreamed a Dream'. She looked so good and so real compared with all of those slick, camera-jaded glitzy people.

Charlie said...

MEG: Thanks for the tip, kiddo. Yes, I do have a tendency to read now and then . . .

KARA: I think that old women in the woods are highly overrated.

And what if Boyle is kissed by a frog?

CATHY: You are EXACTLY right on! And eloquent too. Thank you for that comment.

MARY: Real to us, those who are older, but the Twitters and Facers seem to prefer the "slick, camera-jaded glitzy" types.