When I came here to Mudcat early in 1997, I was a fairly new member of the Sacramento Song Circle - I think I had been Singing from Rise Up Singing (the Blue Book) with that group for just over three years. Well, that group still uses the Blue Book and I've come to know most of the songs in it and find I rarely need to look at anything more than the first word in a verse.

I find the same is true for my singing in church choirs. I think that my singing in general has improved because I know the songs better, and because I look at people instead of at a book. Still, I'm glad I had the book while I was in the process of learning, and I'm glad that everyone in the community has the same book when I do community singing.
So, the book has a function, especially in community singing.

I often hear "purists" complain about Rise Up Singing tending to "standardize" the lyrics of traditional songs. I have to say I think that argument is mostly moot. Most of the songs in the "Blue Book" are NOT traditional, and the book usually (but not always) has the correct lyrics for songs with a known author. Maybe I'd have a different perspective if I were a ballad singer, contending with wannabe ballad singers who want to sing only the twenty ballads printed in Rise Up Singing....

But for most people, the Blue Book helps get them to sing, and that's a good thing, isn't it?

-Joe Offer-