I don't think the idea is a total prohibition of printed material. I can understand a person wanting to use song sheets now and then. In fact, I maintain a three-ring binder with the words to the songs I know, along with the chords I've worked out for them, along with notes about the background of the song, when, where or who from I learned it, and a note or two about song books and/or records where it can be found. It's a running record that I keep adding to as I learn new songs. I use it to refresh my memory of songs that I haven't sung for awhile. I also use it in case of memory lapses when I record, because it's easier and quicker to take a quick peek at the sheet while I'm singing than it is to have to stop and re-record.

I don't carry it around with me. I would, however, if I felt that I was having too many lapses of memory while singing, like Jim, the fellow I mentioned above, who kept his notebook handy when he sang at the 2003 NW Folklife Festival. But like him, I would just keep it in view. I wouldn't be constantly holding it in front of my face—no matter where I was singing, in front of an audience, or at a song fest. I've seen people do that in performance before an audience, and it really looks tacky!

It should be like a safety net. Most of the time, you won't need it, but if you do, a quick glance gets you back on track.

I don't know why some people consider it a crime to actually memorize a song.

Don Firth

P. S. I have a copy of RUS. I use it (among many others) as a resource. But since most or all of the words in it (and the chords) are copied down from peoples' records, not all of them are what I would consider the best set of words or the best arrangement. It was a monumental job putting the book together, but.&npsp;.&npsp;.&npsp;.

Using it as if it were The Holy Book?

P. P. S. The operational word there, M. Ted, is IF you want to sing them. Some, yes. But I didn't stop learning songs in 1965. I've been learning new (and new old) songs all along. As have my "old hoot" friends.