Why singing is bad for you (and 7 reasons why you shouldn’t stop doing it)

• Posted by Chris Rowbury April 8, 2015 - Filed in Choir Post - 9,237 views

  [A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]

   

  People don’t often talk about the downsides of singing.

   

  

   

  We constantly bang on about the health benefits, social aspects, etc. but seldom mention the bad bits.

   

  Here are 7 terrible things that might happen to you if you start singing.

   

  1. singing can become addictive — once you start singing, it’s very hard to stop. It’s such an enjoyable activity that you will start noticing it everywhere and begin to take every opportunity you can to sing.
      
  2. singing takes up valuable time — you start by joining a choir once a week, then you do concerts at the weekends, then all those social events, and that great weekend workshop ... before you know it, it’s taken over your whole life. 
      
  3. you will abandon your friends and family — and spend more time with your new singing chums and on the tour bus and in the pub after the concert (and after weekly rehearsals). You’ll also be listening to more CDs on your own, checking out YouTube videos, learning lyrics, etc. No time left for family and friends at all. 
      
  4. you will become unbearable to live with — singing makes you so happy that you will wear a constant smile and be humming along all day long in a state of bliss, much to the annoyance of everyone you live with (who will be insanely jealous).
      
  5. singing stops you sleeping — after rehearsal or performance you will be so buoyed up with enthusiasm and joy that you will find it hard to come down off Cloud 9. Not only that, but you’ll have all those wonderful tunes bouncing around inside your head. Sleep – who needs it??!!
      
  6. you will spend more money — nice new costume for the next gig, more CDs, songbooks, weekend workshops, maybe even a musical instrument.
      
  7. you might lose your job — for some people singing takes over their lives entirely and they end up singing the whole time. They turn professional or start leading a choir of their own, and before they know it, they have a new career.

   

   

  So be warned: approach singing with caution. Once you start you might not be able to stop. And it’s like a virus which you can easily pass onto someone else. Remain alert at all times in case the bug gets you!

   

   

   

  Chris Rowbury

   

  website: chrisrowbury.com
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