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Have I got this wrong?

G

Gary Holder

Feb 10, 2007
34
2
UK West Sussex
www.garyholder.biz
#1
Folks

I'm looking for your opinion on this please.

I posted on another forum about a new group I'm in & talked about the sort of area of music the group would be playing & referred to both instrumentals & songs as 'numbers' for instance 'we might include in the set list some 'Kinks' numbers'.

It has caused a bit of divided opinion & I've been asked not to refer to songs as 'numbers'.

I have always thought its OK, have I got this wrong?

Best wishes
Gary
 
#3
Works for me. I think its a term that has been handed down from the big band era when the music was all written out and put in order by numbers. Music was called out on stage by number rather than by title, quick and less confusion than keeping the music in alphabetically order. (like, is the title "Black Magic" or "Old Black Magic" or "That Old Black Magic"... or did the arranger do something stupid to the title like "Awl of Me" instead of "All of Me").
 
#4
Seems fine to me. From Dictionary.com:

num·ber /ˈnʌmbər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[nuhm-ber] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun

...

13. a tune or arrangement for singing or dancing.
14. a single or distinct performance within a show, as a song or dance: The comic routine followed the dance number.
15. a single part of a program made up of a group of similar parts: For her third number she played a nocturne.
16. any of a collection of poems or songs.
17. a distinct part of an extended musical work or one in a sequence of compositions.
Click to expand...
 
#7
BassChuck said:
Works for me. I think its a term that has been handed down from the big band era when the music was all written out and put in order by numbers. Music was called out on stage by number rather than by title, quick and less confusion than keeping the music in alphabetically order. (like, is the title "Black Magic" or "Old Black Magic" or "That Old Black Magic"... or did the arranger do something stupid to the title like "Awl of Me" instead of "All of Me").
Click to expand...

Yes, that makes a lot of sense to me. May I copy your reply & post it on the forum in question? I will only post the text & not your identity.

Best wishes
Gary
 
#8
I saw the Buddy Rich band years back and all through the set he was calling out numbers. At the end of the gig, he asked the audience if they had any requests and some joker shouted "37!"

Buddy turned to the band, said "Okay, 37" and they got the dots out and played it. Funny stuff. :D
 
#12
Gary Holder said:
Folks

I'm looking for your opinion on this please.

I posted on another forum about a new group I'm in & talked about the sort of area of music the group would be playing & referred to both instrumentals & songs as 'numbers' for instance 'we might include in the set list some 'Kinks' numbers'.

It has caused a bit of divided opinion & I've been asked not to refer to songs as 'numbers'.

I have always thought its OK, have I got this wrong?

Best wishes
Gary
Click to expand...


What the hell is wrong with them that they get all bent over something like that? It sounds like they'd probably have serious issues in a bunch of other areas too.

There's nothing wrong with calling a tune a number. I still have fond memories of the Move's "Something Else" EP where someone (Carl Wayne?) says "this is a number from the Byrds" and then they tear it up with an electrifying version of "So You Wanna Be A Rock and Roll Star"
 
#13
A novelty band I used to play in had some staged call-and-response banter between the leader/singer and the band. For one of the between-song bits he'd say "And now, ladies and gentlemen, here's another little number" -and we'd all shout "THREE!"

:rolleyes: :D
 
#17
You should start calling all songs "carmen." When they ask you why proceed in telling them that its latin and latin is the root of all romantic languages. That they are complete idiots for not realizing this already, and that it is the only way to absolutely ensure you sound more intelligent than your audience if they happen to hear you speaking to each other.

After that, slam something on the ground (hopefully not your bass) and storm out of the rehearsal muttering something about pig vomit and their mothers.

The subject will probably never come up again.
 

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