'Knowing' the song.

Subject: RE: 'Knowing' the song.
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 11:26 AM

In L.A., many years ago, I watched as an experienced pro lost the lyrics about halfway through a "The Water is Wide." Instead of looking lost or embarrassed, he suddenly and very deliberately put down his guitar, scratched his chin and began, "Did I ever tell you about the time...?" I forget the story, but it worked in the moment.

Subject: RE: 'Knowing' the song.
From: GUEST,John from Elsie`s Band
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 11:49 AM

All those who are fortunate enough to have the "Tony Rose Exe" cd will recall his story of his first appearance at the Albert Hall. Two verses into "April Morning", a song that was nigh on his signature tune, the black curtain dropped. He continued with a few verses of rhyming gibberish and got away with it.

Subject: RE: 'Knowing' the song.
From: Diva
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 12:31 PM

I've had the "black curtain" stuff I've been singing for years and it just goes walk about...very strange.

Still as someone said earlier its nice to know its not just me

Subject: RE: 'Knowing' the song.
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 18 Mar 09 - 06:05 PM

On a par with forgetting the first verse when you repeat it as the last verse is:
repeating the chorus at the end and getting it wrong the second time; and
carefully reminding yourself of all the verses before you start but falling into a black hole when you reach the first chorus....

and I have frequently improvised - if you just keep going, people don't always notice that you've changed the words, especially if you can still find a rhyming one at the end of the line!

Kitty

Subject: RE: 'Knowing' the song.
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 Mar 09 - 12:51 PM

I'm currently doing two different stage shows in one week, so it's not just having to remember all the words and notes, but to enter stage at the right time, collect the right props on the way in, do the right moves in the right places, keep on singing while you're manipulating a maypole, dancing, sing lying flat on your stomach, get up, sit down, kneel, climb steep stairs, run down ramps, or whatever else the director wants.(And keep on singing and smiling!)
Learning it all is repetition, repetition, repetition: the music and words by having the CDs going in the car, and singing along. My poor brain is addled, but it is amazing that the brain can deal with so many things at once!
Don't stop singing Drumshanty: you have a lovely voice: use the words if you need to, especially if it's "just" a session or singaround.
Having said that there are plenty of performers out there who do have the words in front of them as a sort of comfort zone (as opposed to those who have their noses right into the book or file and are reading them as for the first time): they may not need to use them, so can still deliver the song well, and still make contact with their audience. But this takes off the pressure and worry of possibly forgetting (which in itself makes forgetting more likely!), when a quick glance at the words will get them back on track. I personally don't find this done subtly a sign of inferior performance.