A lot of it is to do with those singing along not actually listening to the person leading.

I recently had a major problem with someone not listening when I did a song to a well known tune. One person was just not listening to me. He sang the "original" words, very LOUDLY - whether he was trying to make a point or not I don't know. Maybe he just thought I hadn't learned the song properly as he knew it. Whatever, he didn't LISTEN to what I, as the soloist was singing. It might not have been so bad but it wasn't even a chorus joining in type song!

It's one of the reasons I don't really like singing chorus songs. I sing a verse at one speed (say, 45rpm) and the chorus will come in at a different speed (say, 33rpm, for those among us who remember vinyl!). No matter how hard you try to speed them up, when you are one soprano against 15-20 bass and baritone, you're stuffed.

Having said that, I do enjoy singing along with others and may well be guilty of slowing down, but I've never done it deliberately. It's as Morty says, you need time to get your harmonising self together.

LTS