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Paul Robeson
by Limey
It was getting dark in the hotel lounge but neither of us had bothered to get up and switch-on the light. I still had half-a-cup of coffee to go and the television was showing a selection of music from "Show Boat"
I knew what was coming the moment the cameras cut to a huge negro clad in dungarees . I've always loved that song "Old Man River" since , as a boy, I had heard it sung on the Wireless by Paul Robeson . This fellow had a great bass voice and he dropped to that low note on "... land in jail ..." with an uncanny accuracy that nevertheless kept you wondering 'til the very last moment .
"Great stuff," I said although not to anyone in particular . My companion made a kind of sniffing sound : " Certainly heard worse, " he said.
"Oh come . 'Twas a good voice and there's not much lacking in his technique?"
"Ah, the voice is all right . Pity he can't use it ." I was about to take up the defence again when he continued : "Only two people I ever heard could sing that . Paul Robeson was one ; t'other ... I never knew his name."
"It was Robeson first time I heard it but you can't blame anybody for not being that good ?"
The old boy seemed to have got lost in his thoughts . Then he stopped rubbing his chin : "I was in a theatre in Liverpool . Rather an odd place to put on Showboat perhaps but that was what we were doing . And it was successful.
"We had a singer not unlike that feller tonight . Good voice, well trained, lots of chest to produce those low notes . He'd just finished singing the river song ... it was near the final rehearsal ... our Producer started to congratulate him when a funny-looking old codger got up in the stalls and said VERY loudly : "Rubbish . Sings like an automated toy . Where's the anger man ?'
"Producer started to splutter and then looked fit to be tied . He was suggesting that the so-and-so intruder leave and damn quickly but the old feller walked calmly down to the front and spoke to the pianist . He turned to the singer : ' This aint no prayer song . You're not giving thanks to Jesus for Sunday supper . You're under-privileged, sufferring, overworked and you wanna die ... You're mad at the world but you're more'n mad with the bloody river . It don't give a dam' .
"Before anyone could stop him he started to sing . Now to look at him you'd never take him for a bass . Skinny by far and his voice was cracking with age . But he hardly got to the third bar when the pianist took him up . He must have been a trained singer once but how such a voice came out of that joke of a body we'll never know . I tell you man he moved me to tears . Angry ? I tell you ...
"He sang it right through and simply walked out . Nobody thought to stop him until it was too late . Never did find out who he was . But oh my ; you should have heard our Bass on the opening night . Never did hear what happened to him after the show either . Perhaps such things wear off ? Too unreal ?"
And the old boy did just that himself . He got up and left the room. Never saw him again and, at the time, I was afraid to ask after him in case I made myself look ignorant . Guess that's what I was ?
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