Joy Machine Singing

with Barbara Brewster.

Turning Life’s Challenges into Musical Laughter

 

Whether solo or with her Joy Machine Parody Song Group, Barbara Brewster transforms everyday frustrations like mouse plagues, moving house, or crashing computers into hilariously clever parody songs set to well-known tunes.

Think “Home On the Range” turned into “Phones Out of Range”.

Expect singalongs. Expect laughter. Expect the unexpected.

Audience Participation: No Practice Required

At women’s retreats, government forums, medical conferences, and more, Barbara invites anyone brave enough to say YES to step up as a “Platelet” – a volunteer backing singer for the evening’s entertainment. No rehearsal. No pressure. Just silliness, spontaneity, and pure joy.

Why Groups Love the Silly Singing

 

Barbara’s parodies cover a broad range of topics:

  • Office life: “Am I Not Busy Enough?” (Tune: Am I Not Pretty Enough?)
  • Constipation songs (custom-written for the brave!)
  • Flood resilience: “Row, Row, Row Your Car”, “I Keep a Close Watch on My Clothes Line” (Tune: I Walk the Line)
  • Mouse plagues: “When the Mice Come Marching In”
  • Modern love affairs: “You’re Too Good to Be True” (about mobile phones)
  • Identity & expression: “I Enjoy Being Flamboyant” (Tune: I Enjoy Being a Girl)—a showstopper that surprises and delights with its deeper message.

From rural halls to urban conferences, Barbara’s songs spark joy, conversation, and connection.

More Than Just a Laugh

The Joy Machine experience goes beyond the funny. It creates:

INCLUSION

  • The songs enjoyably parody issues and circumstances that everyone in the group wrestles or identifies with. Everyone relates to the themes. Everyone is invited to sing.
  • Most of the songs have familiar tunes and memorable verses which lend themselves to people readily singing along.
  •  I love eliciting volunteers to join me as backers. Instead of The Platters, I call them “The Platelets.”
  • The audience loves seeing some of their own willing to show up performing with virtually no practice. The silliness quotient goes right off the scale.

At the QLD Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) retreat, the Bunya Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network (QRRRWN) Retreat and the Vibrance Laughter Conference, for example, it was especially delightful to have some of the event principles be “Platelets.” Wildly fun and unifying – this type of spontaneity, is a warm, old-fashioned form of joining people which many yearn to experience.

 

PERMISSION TO BE IMPERFECT

Barbara and her Platelets don’t sing in perfect harmony. And that’s the point.

“When we show up off-key and out-of-sync, we give a powerful message: It’s OK to be imperfect. Not only is it OK, it’s enjoyable to sing, anywhere - on or off-key!

In an era of celebrity perfectionism, this form of spontaneous, joyful expression reminds people of a forgotten truth: singing belongs to everyone. Whether you’re pitch-perfect or gloriously off-tune, your voice matters. And singing out loud—even badly—is healing, connecting, and liberating.

Ready to laugh, sing, and say YES to joy?

 

Invite Barbara and her Joy Machine to your next event.