Are you familiar with the theme song from the James Bond movie Moonraker? (And before you get sarcastic, yes, I'm aware of the irony of writing about Moonraker in a post titled "Do Something Well." The movie is silly and cheesy in ways that I love, but that I acknowledge are not for everyone.)
It's an amazing song, brilliantly composed by John Barry and featuring vocals by Shirley Bassey, who somehow manages to be both bold and elusive at the same time in just about every line of the lyrics.
The melody is astounding, and the singing is flawless, and both of those elements demonstrate what vast and prominent talents Barry and Bassey possess. Not many of us in this life get to be a John Barry or a Shirley Bassey, although it's a good thing to aspire to.
There is, however, another element of the song that you may never have noticed, even if you've heard it dozens of times. All through the song, steady and unwavering as the other instruments weave in and out, some percussionist is playing the triangle.
Who is he? Or she? I have no idea. I don't even have any idea how to find out. Probably, only a couple of his/her close friends and/or family members know, "Oh, yeah, s/he's the guy/gal who played the triangle on Moonraker." (Well, I suppose John Barry and the other members of the orchestra might also remember.)
My point is, it's a frickin' awesome triangle part.
Maybe you can't be John Barry. Maybe you can't be Shirley Bassey. Maybe you can't even be Richard Kiel, famous for playing a giant thug in two or three cheesy movies from the '70s and '80s. But maybe you can play the heck out of a triangle, because you have the patience and the rhythm and the ethereally gentle touch to master an instrument that most people don't particularly care about and many people don't even know exists.
Find what you can do well, and be happy that you can do it well -- especially if it brings happiness to others.
Thank you, goddess of love, for opportunities, whatever size, shape, or sound they come in.
Lovingly yours,
A devotee
6 comments:
I Loved all the Bond theme songs!
I've read all of Ian Flemming's Bond novels as well...
Thanks for the memories....G
I think there was a Bond movie in the '80s or early '90s that was by Aha! that was pretty lame, but yeah, for the most part they're all great.
The novels are on my retirement reading list -- things I want to get to someday but just don't have time for at the moment ...
: )
I love the way you think.
If I come here enough, I'm hoping some of it will rub off on me.
*crosses fingers*
Also, I am going to rent Moonraker and listen for the triangle.
I only know Shirley Bassey cos of that coolass song she did with the Propellerheads....I think it was called 'History Repeating.'
And I got into the Propellerheads cos of that scene in the Matrix. THE scene in the Matrix. Where Neo and Trinity kick major ass in the building lobby.
I've never seen a Bond flick all the way through.
Though I do sometimes call my cat Pussy Galore. Or Octopussy when she's getting into things she shouldn't be getting into.
I don't know if Moonraker is the best Bond movie to pick for your very first all-the-way-through James Bond flick, but it's certainly not the worst one you could pick, and if you watch all the way through, you can listen to the disco version of the theme song over the end credits. (Don't know if that's a motivator or a demotivator for you, though.)
I'm listening to "History Repeating" right now thanks to youtube and your comment. I've heard it before, but I didn't know it was the Propellerheads.
Excellentacious.
First off...
Excellentacious.
I'm incorporating that into my vocabulary.
Secondly...
Disco?
Hell. Yes.
I'm a big fan of Gloria Gaynor, the Bee Gees, John Travolta, and the Hustle.
And one can often hear me singing, 'Ring My Bell.'
I always mean to get that disco album that Kiss made. I know they supposedly hated doing it and hated the results, but the cross between disco and metal is just not made often enough.
Megadeath"s Crush 'Em is a great example, though.
The Bee Gees probably created history's greatest bass riff when they wrote Stayin' Alive.
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