The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #154176   Message #3864753
Posted By: RTim
06-Jul-17 - 09:33 PM
Thread Name: Reading Lyrics vs Memorization
Subject: RE: Reading Lyrics vs Memorization
This conservation is silly. The subject has been disgusted over and over again in other threads – with no conclusions. Time to put the whole thing into the discard bin! However:
The conversation also assumes that when a singer uses a printed/computer resource that they use it "Every time" they sing! This is probable NOT the case.

I have been using a "Aide Memoire" of verse first lines for years – and that is what it is – a simple mechanism to make sure I get the song "Right" for my audience – who I want to please every time I sing. I have no desire to stop in the middle of a song because I don't know what comes next – that is NOT something one should do to your listeners…But I don't use it on every song – just some that are either not sung often or maybe newer and are sung as part of a themed presentation.
I have seen famous singers I admire occasionally use the written word to make sure they get the song right, and if it is good enough for them – it's good enough for me – reference The Copper Family – who at one time did it at every performance!!!

Singing folk song should NEVER be discouraged; and who are you to say a singer should think the way you do……….

Tim Radford