Believe it or not, when I wrote this song inspired by the 2009 Scripps Spelling Bee, I SPELT TWO WORDS WRONG! Finally I've made up for it.

If you have my 2009 album, COLD PIZZA FOR BREAKFAST, you have this song, which is track 6: "Too Old For The Spelling Bee."
I never promoted the song because AFTER it was pressed is when we realized I spelt the first word WRONG. The correct spelling is G R E N A C H E, but I spelt it G R A N A C H E. My bad. All the words in the song were part of the 2009 national spelling bee.
I was hoping it would be a song teachers could use to inspire their students to enter spelling bees, but how could that happen when I spelled the first word wrong??? BTW, a second song was also spelt wrong -- CLOGWYN -- but we caught that and the producer found a creative way to fix it on the fly on the original recording.
All these years later I am able to correct that first mis-spelling in this video, so I finally feel comfortable sharing this song.
I guess you can call this lemonade. For 12 years I lived with the shame of spelling a word wrong in a song about a spelling bee. But I am so inspired by this year's winner -- Zaila Avant-garde -- that I overcame my spelling shame to put this song out there, warts and all.
"Too Old For The Spelling Bee" by Christine Lavin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi6yAGdqvqI
Ciao!
Christine
p.s. I hope I adumbrated this situation successfully.
(a-DUM-brate: describe roughly or give the main points or summary of)
-- - My live Hurdy Gurdy concert has been moved from indoors to online -- I'm joined by a dozen singer/songwriters each doing 2 songs -- from 7 PM to 10 PM EasternMy live Hurdy Gurdy concert has been moved from indoors to online -- I'm joined by a dozen singer/songwriters each doing 2 songs -- from 7 PM to 10 PM Eastern
- It begins with a funny song for our times, "Stress" by Jim Infantino, ends with Kate Taylor's lovely, "I've Got A Message"It begins with a funny song for our times, "Stress" by Jim Infantino, ends with Kate Taylor's lovely, "I've Got A Message"
- A strong lineup for top to bottom -- the incomparable Jim Infantino opens, Kate closes, and an embarrassment of riches in between A strong lineup for top to bottom -- the incomparable Jim Infantino opens, Kate closes, and an embarrassment of riches in between
- Columnist Jennifer Finney Boylan was inspired by the song to write about her best summer -- what was yours?Columnist Jennifer Finney Boylan was inspired by the song to write about her best summer -- what was yours?
- The PFF asked me to help MC, and to do a 15-20 min minute set, which is the exact length of this one song, which is based on something that really happenedThe PFF asked me to help MC, and to do a 15-20 min minute set, which is the exact length of this one song, which is based on something that really happened
- Starting with Brooks Williams in Cambridge, UK --- closing with B&B in the US -- next month Bob Lind is headliner (yes, The Elusive Butterfly Of Love guy)Starting with Brooks Williams in Cambridge, UK --- closing with B&B in the US -- next month Bob Lind is headliner (yes, The Elusive Butterfly Of Love guy)
- Wonderful food (dining room opens at 5:30) -- spectacular desserts -- LIVE entertainment -- Tickets $25 in advance, $30 at the door.Wonderful food (dining room opens at 5:30) -- spectacular desserts -- LIVE entertainment -- Tickets $25 in advance, $30 at the door.
- Believe it or not, when I wrote this song inspired by the 2009 Scripps Spelling Bee, I SPELT TWO WORDS WRONG! Finally I've made up for it.Believe it or not, when I wrote this song inspired by the 2009 Scripps Spelling Bee, I SPELT TWO WORDS WRONG! Finally I've made up for it.
- Jimmy Webb wrote the perfect song for the launch back in 1978, and here Michael Feinstein sings it.Jimmy Webb wrote the perfect song for the launch back in 1978, and here Michael Feinstein sings it.
- Have a favorite in the show? Here's when each performs so you can zip right to them -- Have a favorite in the show? Here's when each performs so you can zip right to them --
- and ends 3 hours later with John McCutcheon live from the States -- watch it LIVE and FREE on FB and YouTube, or listen to audio on folkmusicnotebook.com and ends 3 hours later with John McCutcheon live from the States -- watch it LIVE and FREE on FB and YouTube, or listen to audio on folkmusicnotebook.com
- The true story of my sister Mary's pet albino guinea pig "Piglet" and the day Joe Namath asked if he could pet him The true story of my sister Mary's pet albino guinea pig "Piglet" and the day Joe Namath asked if he could pet him