Joe is leading song circles where people expect to use RUS or other cheat sheets, and I can't see any problem with it there! He's right, it gets them singing. Usually a good thing. And, the entire group is in agreement that they will sing this way. So how can it be offensive or bad in that context?

I have also seen RUS, and a local publication called the Shantey Singer's Bible, used very well as a way to understand the lyrics being sung and be able to join in the chorus. At least once, I've looked up the song I intended to sing in RUS and announced the page so people could sing along on the chorus. (In fact, the song was "The Man Who Waters the Workers' Beer.")

Sometimes RUS does make mistakes on published songs. I believe there is/was a mistake in their version of All Through the Night, there's a verse that goes "Soft the drowsy hours are creeping, Hill and vale in slumber steeping, I my lonely vigil keeping, All Through The Night." They wrote "in slumber sleeping," which makes sense but is redundant and silly, and takes away a bit of the poetry. And, to me, it just felt like dumbing the song down, as if the image of "steeping" the hills in slumber just was too far out and high-flown for the compilers to appreciate. Ah well. I can't find my copy to check this out, and my memory often plays little tricks; if I'm wrong I'm sure somebody will let me know.

We have people who come to our monthly Open Sings who always have the words in front of them, whether from RUS or some other means.

A very few of those people actually know their songs but have trouble holding all the words in memory. They know the tune and sing with expression. Almost no one (not even my hubby Bill D) holds this against them because it is a pleasure to hear what they sing. If you have trouble memorizing words, but really know the song and can sing it rather than reciting it, isn't it better to sing than to give up? If, that is, you Really Know the song.

Usually, however, it's the situation Mary describes above. They look up a song on the topic -- that they just thought of -- and try to work out the tune as they go. AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH. Joe, this is NOT the same dynamic that is happening in your song circles. Cooperative singing, intended as such, is Good. Blatant disregard of the comfort and enjoyment of all the other people attending the event is Bad.

Whether you pass out song sheets also depends on the situation. I have recommended once or twice that people ask whether anyone would like a song sheet, rather than creating dead (or dread) time passing them all around the room.

Well I know lots of people have said much of this but I really needed to take a break from paying bills. :-)

Rita