The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #164646   Message #3942235
Posted By: KarenJoyce
07-Aug-18 - 10:26 AM
Thread Name: Tech: Poll re:new ballad book
Subject: RE: Tech: Poll re:new ballad book
Though I am a singer of ballads and not a scholar, I would prefer to have the 'warts and all' versions available. 'Mended' versions would also be nice inasmuch as your expertise (knowledge of context) might make for better 'mending' than what I would do myself if I wanted to sing the song. Thus I am agreeing with Joe Offer.

I may be wading into controversy here but...

I think that singers will, both consciously and unconsciously, do their own 'mending' to make what is, for them, a singable version. I see nothing wrong with this as long as we are not claiming otherwise. In doing this, some of us like to make use of multiple 'warts and all' versions to get a better understanding of how the singers before us have interpreted the story being sung.

So if I had to choose one or the other, I'd choose 'warts and all', with all the versions (when you have more than one), and with any contextual information you might have that would help clarify any confusing aspects of the wording.