A few years ago, after years of disgust about the manner in which "rise up singing" has RUINED the Seattle song circle I helped form by supporting it early on, I wrote a song:

"This is the song, on page 17, page 17, page 17,
This is the song on page 17,
And my books better than yours.

2ND VERSE:

"This is the song on page 18, page 18, page 18,
This is the song on page 18,
And my books better than yours.

3rd verse:

This is the song, on page 19" ... you get my drift.

Many years ago, when the late John Dwyer phoned me, and asked if I would help to support a "song circle" in Seattle, I jumped at the chance. Prior to that, we had our occasional hoots, but the thought of having a regular weekly meeting where we could exchange our songs in that free flow of spontaneous music, was exciting to all of us.

After some years, I distanced myself from regular attendance due to raising a family and working two jobs, most of my life. When I finally tried to return to the Seattle "song circle", I was thunderstruck to see that it had become nothing more than a "community sing." Nothing of the spontaneous give and take, and musical repartee was left.

"This is the song on page 20, page 20, page 20 ...... Bob(deckman)Nelson