If I could be a musician

If I could be an artist, release a coiled vein or two of creativity, I would want to be an all in one - a composer, lyricist, singer and guitar player in the celebrated likeness of Cat Stevens.



My greatest ability with a musical instrument is limited to playing the recorder very, very badly. (Side note: surely this is the worst possible instrument in the world to inflict on mindless primary school students – particularly if it involves playing mauling the national anthem with your breath, a tube and your fingers?) I can sing with the best of them in any non-Eastern karaoke bar (songs which don’t require a dramatic rise in key are least painful for others and myself). Mine is a voice which sounds much better with the aid of the shower’s powerful acoustic setting or to pop songs on the radio in the car (sorry Mum). I’m not too bad at lullabies though – perhaps it’s the magic of singing for children which takes the pressure off.



The charm of Stevens’ music is in his cerebral comfort-food poetry and the way the guitar and his voice meld to be one and the same, one never overpowering the other. If I could make music I could think of no better mentor. How about you?