"Ever seen Springsteen live?"
Not really - doubt if I could afford a ticket, even if I wanted one (which I don't), but it's beside the point anyway.
Springsteen is a highly professional singer with highly developed skilled, which he (presumably) has worked on to acquire - very few people are in that position so we have to work at it.
What is being put forward here is an argument for not working at or being unable to sing songs without having to read it (wonder if the people putting up these arguments would put up the same arguments for dyslexics or illiterates being allowed to get up and sing gibberish in public because they are unable to read??)
If being "an old fart" means we apply standards to the songs we love and believe they are worth working at, long live old fartism!!
Not being prepared to put in the work is indicative on a contempt for the songs and the audiences as far as I'm concerned
Jim Carroll