Surprise! We Love Susan Boyle
April 17, 2009
By Guest Blogger Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter
By now, if you've not seen the video...and read all the dissections and discussions...you've been in a cave somewhere. (If you've not seen it, go watch. Keep the tissues handy. I'll still be here.)
I just watched Ms. Boyle again - and got teary-eyed again. Here's why:
1. She surprised me! In a good way. She sang an emotionally charged song, and she did it perfectly and with heart. (Barbra Streisand has a gorgeous voice, but she's never made me cry, not even with The Way We Were. She's a perfectionist in full control of a marvelous istrument; I've never felt her emotion.)
The fact the voice of an angel was coming out of a dumpy middle-aged woman was simply the cherry on top - particularly since I am - ahem - a dumpy middle-aged woman. (Listen to the audio alone and it's still affecting.)
2. She shook up our smug, cynical, world-weary assumptions. Forget the song for a sec. I tear up watching Simon Cowell's face. For once, just for a nanosecond, he's simply wondering at the beauty. No sarcastic comments. No eyebrow waving. Nothing but marveling. He looks like a small boy on Christmas morning.
3. She makes up - just a little, for just a few minutes - for the bad news in the world. Which, in turn, helps us better cope. And, it reminds us that good things can and do happen all the time. In the most surprising places.
As long as there are seemingly non-descript women from small back-of-beyond villages willing to get up on a big stage and sing their hearts out to a cynical audience - there's hope for all of us.
"Barbra Streisand has a gorgeous voice, but she's never made me cry, not even with The Way We Were. She's a perfectionist in full control of a marvelous istrumen..."
Funny I should see this blog. I just saw Susan sing The Way We Were and here i went again --teary eyed. I was spellbound. Something about her. You just want to love her. And she was so pretty and svelte. Even with a lousy and lifeless band, she still sang with power!!
Posted by: emelty | April 30, 2009 at 11:07 PM
Mary,
Sarah Boyles is a reminder how important an open mind is. She has to be as strong as iron since she's been judged and jeered all her life apparently. And she dared to do something in front of the whole world she promised her dear, departed mum she would do.
Sarah's having fun now with her new fame and we are too. Rock on, Sarah. We want more.
Posted by: Smokie Sizemore | April 23, 2009 at 03:23 PM
I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who got teary-eyed watching her.
I got teary-eyed...
In part, because she had, as Mary says, "the voice of an angel" and she sang such a moving beautiful song.
In part, because she rose above expections, above the scorn and cynicism of the audience and judges to ...just be herself.
In part, because she never gave up on her dream.
Although 47 is certainly not old, by that age, many of us have fallen victim to those around us who tell us all the reasons we can't do something or accomplish what we want to do.
Susan Boyle is the poster child for the phrase "It's never too late to be what you might have been."
Posted by: Carol White Llewellyn | April 18, 2009 at 02:19 PM
Her personality topped it off. She was spunky and funny and happy. With all that has happened in her life, she still held on to her singing and the belief that she could be a star. THAT'S what makes me shiver. She's an example for us all. Especially today, when we're all so big into whining (self included).
Let's applaud Susan Boyle and admit that if we had half her personality and verve, we'd be...nearly as good at what we do, as she is at what she does. Nearly.
Posted by: Yvonne DiVita | April 17, 2009 at 03:49 PM