They say having a good sing-song is good for the soul. It brings people together and takes one back to the world of lullabies when singing was all about be comfortable and cared for, and it bonds individuals together.
Two weeks ago I was invited to help out at an improvised opera on publishing with only one person I actually knew and was not going to have to sing at all – until someone put a microphone in my face. The whole afternoon was a lot of fun and some very talented people gave their time to raise funds for a festival with drawings, singing and music all made-up with minimal rehearsal time.
There is no doubt that there was a lot of hard work going on and quite a lot of satisfaction that a group of artists were working together. I did very little thankfully but if this had been a show, rehearsed over weeks, the standard would have been very high. There is something almost joyful about making a mess of it, joking with the audience and laughing at oneself.
I don’t know what therapists have to say about it but if you are feeling low singing is one way to bring back your sense of the possible and if you have the skill to make up your own songs, even better.