A Smile for Her Son
Was it only me, or did anyone else think that the Queen’s Concert the other night was bloody awful? Inappropriate, not fun, and a tribute to…whom? I cannot believe that the 86-year-old monarch found the music enjoyable. I’m ten years her junior and I didn’t find any of it uplifting or entertaining at all. Not even a little bit. (Well, maybe Paul McCartney for old time’s sake, but he sounded pretty croaky to me. And did the Queen take his “Live and Let Die” personally in any way?)
And why in the world did Will I Am and Stevie Wonder each sing “Happy Birthday” to the Queen? Did they seriously think it was a birthday celebration? And, for that matter, why was Stevie Wonder even there? And just how was “Delilah” sung by Tom Jones an appropriate choice? Or maybe I just stayed up too late that night and am still feeling cranky and sleep deprived here in Oysterville.
I feel a little bit like the boy in “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” There are rave reviews all around me, mostly from the press. The headlines are especially lauding the fact that music sales are up for all of the stars who took part. So… that must be the bottom line. Money for the rock stars! Now I get it – it wasn’t for the Queen’s enjoyment at all!
Nyel and I played the “if we were in charge” game. (Who was in charge anyway? He/she must have been twelve.) We planned a great show, if I do say so, myself. The Queen would have loved it, though I’m not so sure about her 10,000 ticket-holding subjects who crowded the streets.
Our plan would have been to invite musicians from each country of the British Commonwealth – the countries that have been affiliated with England at any time during the sixty years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. Music from India and Canada, Australia and Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago and South Africa and probably a dozen others. Not a rock concert, but a potpourri of music indigenous to the countries who did (and do) hold allegiance to the Queen.
What a tribute that could have been! “Who told me so dilly, dilly? Who told me so? I told myself, dilly, dilly. I told me so…”
We old folks here in our little hamlet of Healdsburg might mirror your thoughts….dilly, dilly, if only we had watched. God save the Queen. This was one of your very BEST blogs! Great observations and great writing.
I really like your idea of having performers from each of the Commonwealth countries. I did not understand the choice of singers, and Paul’s voice is no longer Paul of the Beatles. What I did like was how the country came out in support of their Queen. I looked on it as a concert for the people not necessarily the Queen. Plus, the fireworks and pictures caste on the palace where fabulous.
We would have preferred your concert, too! Virg & I agree completely with your “review” of the big celebration, although we did NOT stay up for the whole thing!
A performance similar to the Scottish Military Tatoo in Edinburgh would have been so much more appropriate. We agree with your observation thanks again for your insights
I was surprised by all that surprised you. I think something more in the way of big band would have been appropriate, but I supposed they wanted to show case British muscians which brings us back to Stevie Wonder. I like Anne Kepner’s idea, but I supposed it wouldn’t have gotten the ratings. Otherwise I enjoyed everything royal I’ve seen the last couple of weeks. Also, I believe that she actually celebrates her birthday in June because the weather suits her better. Don’t remember the real date. When you’re queen you can have your birthday when you bloody well like. 🙂
I totally agree, with you it should have been music from around the commonwealth., We have lots of talent here in Canada. It would have made so much more sense to celebrate the Queen in that way rather than with aged rock stars with creaky voices. And yes why was Stevie Wonder and Will I Am there anyway, I doubt the Queen asked for them to be there. Still the Fireworks were great and the Palace all lit up looked fantastic. Maybe for her platinum jubilee they will get it right, I couldn’t imagine an 82 year old Cliff Richard singing Bachelor Boy, or 78 year old Paul McCartney prancing around the stage ten years from now. I’ll leave you with that thought.