carry a tune

Idioms  

1. Accurately sing a melody, as in Dean loves to listen to music but he can't carry a tune. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

One day they’ll tell their grandchildren about that night, when New York City came back to life and their favorite band performed another band’s song, and they tried to carry a tune with a legendary comic doing lead vocals.

From New York Times

“Of course it’s something that you always wanna do if you had done it before. I mean, I don’t sight read music or anything like that, but I figure that, with the proper help, I can carry a tune,” Smits said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

From Seattle Times

He said his dad often accused him of having no musical talent — that he couldn’t “carry a tune in a wheelbarrow” and had “two left feet” but “no lip to play a reed instrument.”

From Washington Times

“What they look for is someone who can carry a tune and has requisite timing,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

“That would be fine if we could all carry a tune,” said Paula Neff, who says her 6- and 7-year-olds, Caden and Drew — who like every other kid in California now spend their days sequestered from school and friends — look forward to 8 p.m., when they can get out and howl along with the rest of her block.

From Los Angeles Times