Oh yeah blame it on me!
I may be good at playing standard jazz, standard latin, standard ballroom, standard Indonesian pop songs, standard dangdut, and standard folksongs, including standard traditional Malay songs and standard kroncong. But all that suddenly become non-exixtent when I cannot play a single particular never-heard-before song requested by a guest, especially when it's the only song that he or she likes or, in most cases, knows. Because unlike other musical performers who play songs they love, I play songs that the audience love.
+ Could you perform "Jandaku"?
Say again? I could guess from the title, it's a dangdut song which, unfortunately, I've never heard before, let alone played. Diplomatically turning his request down, I offered another song, which I think a more popular dangdut song that he's got to know as well.
- I'm not very good at it. How if you sing "Pengalaman Pertama". It's very popular now.
Usually it's an offer no one would reject. But, apparently he was no ordinary person who would say yes to that win-win deal.
+ Oh come on. It's a popular song.
In which world? I couldn't not blame him for being a hardcore dangdut lover, but I just can understand why he was playing too stubborn.
- I know. It's just that I've never heard it.
He just kept going on and on.
+ It goes like this ... .
He tried to give a sample of the song. Yeah how could I get the notes if he's mumbling like that? Trying to put a fake friendly smile, I tried to follow his do re mi.
- Well, it's quite difficult because I don't know a single note of the song. Another tune perhaps?
Still, there's no sign of compromise. Instead, he launched a verbal abuse.
+ And you're saying that you're a professional keyboard player?
That was a cruel attack on me and my musical talent and, performed on a stage in front of 300 people, it was obviously a public humiliation. My heart beat faster, more blood rushed to my head, and my eyes reddened. I mentally pictured myself grow two devilish thorns on my head, grab this 61-keyed keyboard and bang it on his head until he screamed, "OKAY, OKAY. Anything you say."
I would've burst in rage and yelled loud and clear, "Damned you dangdut aficionado!" but being suave and compromising I practised Yoga step-by-step anger management. Calm down. Relax. Take a deep breath. Once, Twice. Say "God loves me, God loves, God loves me. Guest is always true". Think of the chocolate eclairs and roasted chicken on that table on the corner.
Thank God he was not the only one on the request list. Spotting an anxious, beautiful, and - hopefully - compromising young lady, I signalled her to move closer to me and tell me what was the song that she'd like to sing. She whispered and voilà a song that I could play well. As I began to run my fingers on the keys, the madness of arguing with a wacko slowly gave way to the fun of entertaining the audience. To me, she's truly a remedy, a drop a morning dew which relaxed my tense and healed my wounded heart.
+ Could you perform "Jandaku"?
Say again? I could guess from the title, it's a dangdut song which, unfortunately, I've never heard before, let alone played. Diplomatically turning his request down, I offered another song, which I think a more popular dangdut song that he's got to know as well.
- I'm not very good at it. How if you sing "Pengalaman Pertama". It's very popular now.
Usually it's an offer no one would reject. But, apparently he was no ordinary person who would say yes to that win-win deal.
+ Oh come on. It's a popular song.
In which world? I couldn't not blame him for being a hardcore dangdut lover, but I just can understand why he was playing too stubborn.
- I know. It's just that I've never heard it.
He just kept going on and on.
+ It goes like this ... .
He tried to give a sample of the song. Yeah how could I get the notes if he's mumbling like that? Trying to put a fake friendly smile, I tried to follow his do re mi.
- Well, it's quite difficult because I don't know a single note of the song. Another tune perhaps?
Still, there's no sign of compromise. Instead, he launched a verbal abuse.
+ And you're saying that you're a professional keyboard player?
That was a cruel attack on me and my musical talent and, performed on a stage in front of 300 people, it was obviously a public humiliation. My heart beat faster, more blood rushed to my head, and my eyes reddened. I mentally pictured myself grow two devilish thorns on my head, grab this 61-keyed keyboard and bang it on his head until he screamed, "OKAY, OKAY. Anything you say."
I would've burst in rage and yelled loud and clear, "Damned you dangdut aficionado!" but being suave and compromising I practised Yoga step-by-step anger management. Calm down. Relax. Take a deep breath. Once, Twice. Say "God loves me, God loves, God loves me. Guest is always true". Think of the chocolate eclairs and roasted chicken on that table on the corner.
Thank God he was not the only one on the request list. Spotting an anxious, beautiful, and - hopefully - compromising young lady, I signalled her to move closer to me and tell me what was the song that she'd like to sing. She whispered and voilà a song that I could play well. As I began to run my fingers on the keys, the madness of arguing with a wacko slowly gave way to the fun of entertaining the audience. To me, she's truly a remedy, a drop a morning dew which relaxed my tense and healed my wounded heart.
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