The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #10238   Message #69706
Posted By: Mo
10-Apr-99 - 01:08 PM
Thread Name: 'Real Folk' vs 'Stroke Folk'
Subject: RE: 'Real Folk' vs 'Stroke Folk'
I know exactly what you mean! And I couldn't agree more. It's like - the difference between someone who is technically brilliant - knows all the right notes and sings/plays them in the right order but doesn't understand what the emotions behind the song are, and someone who sings/plays the odd duff note but is totally switched on to it.

Music is by definition an emotional thing otherwise why would we do it? And a performer has to feel/understand the emotions behind a song to really perform it. I once saw a video of Roy Williamson of Corries fame, singing The Loch Tay Boat Song - I was weeping my eyes out by the end - a couple of months later - same song sung by a young teenage girl - not a thing. The difference was Roy sung it like he had really loved and lost, the wee girl had evidently (thankfully at her age!)not experienced this pain, and could only sing the notes.

Mo