"Should we deny them the chance to learn these songs and to learn to sing together, just because they're not "good enough" according to our standards? Give these people a break. Maybe they're not very good singers, but at least they're trying."

The few times I've been to song circle recently affirms what I saw previously when I was more regular - people who don't make any effort to prepare for the session. When their turn comes they have no idea of what song they want to sing. They then choose a song that they don't know and everyone stumbles through with their heads in the book.

Now, not everyone in the circle is like that, but when you come to a circle I think you are obliged to prepare by choosing a few songs (three would usually do for a session) and learn those songs well enough to lead them. You don't have to completely memorize them - an occasional glance at the words is okay. But to come to the circle without any preparation is not acceptable if you want to participate with the group.

The introduction to the "old yellow songbook" Song Fest by Best & Best says it well: "Because the fires of enthusiasm kindled at a rousing songfest, roaring most heartily… can't be artificially preserved for I.O.C.A. posterity, this song book is inevitably a mere woodpile. The motley crew who haphazardly, and with occasional splurge of energy, have thrown the pile together, haven't bothered about a few knots and flaws in the grain. They've gone out of their way to select good rough logs, which haven't been cut up, dried, and neatly sorted like those you find on any standard woodpile. They've tossed the big timbers in next to the small ones, but have tried to stack them up for easy reference. You'll find some of them won't burn very easily unless you corral an expert hand to touch them off, but plenty of room has been left on the pile for wood of you own choosing. In brief, the woodpilers herewith toss you the torch – and the tip that, not withstanding a random shot of smoke-in-the-eyes, which you may get in the early stages, no fire will burn more brightly than the one you concoct yourself." The following P.S. was added: "A reward of one left-hand dungaree patch, guaranteed not to rip, run, rust, tear, split, melt, break, etc. is hereby offered for the pelt of the first bohunk caught surreptitiously using this book at a songfest."

Cheers, S. in Seattle