Requests from the Audience

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Scorpio
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 07:18 PM

Great, guys, keep it coming!
It's obvious that most of us feel a bit miffed if we get prodded in the chest by a requester whilst in the middle of a number! I think I have learned a lot, too. We have a right to respect, and respectful requesters should be treated with respect.
Goodnight, John Boy.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 07:03 PM

"My Bete Noir along with Mr Peters is Captain Bloody Pugwash. Virtually impossible on a concertina."

Paddy Marchant was highly amused when I told him - he's been playing it since long before I first met him in the early 80s, and it seems to be in the repertoire of practically every squeeze box player I know.

I've no problems with Fields of Athenry - sing that and you can usually avoid Wild Rover, Danny Boy etc.

Most of the time I get asked for stuff I know, but if I sang Mee and Booby McGee every time I was asked for it, I'd probably have sung it at least once a week since 1971.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Deckman
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 05:46 PM

There's two ways I usually respond. If it's a song I know, I like, and I'm confident that I can perform well, I'll go ahead and sing it. If not, I do some mental gymnastics and say ... "I'm rusty on that one, but here's one you might like better!" I've never gotten into trouble that way! Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 04:00 PM

I remember a technique Bud & Travis used on occasion, especially when the typical joker yelled out the name of a song some other group was known for (read, Kingston Trio, for instance). Travis would say something like, "Well, we WERE considering doing our version of Harbor Lights..." after which they would simply blow it off and change the subject to the next song on their play list.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Guest John Hartford
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 03:08 PM

hi Piers

< Hmmmm. Very worrying. Have you tried singing "My Heart Belongs to Daddy"? >

Ha ha ha ha ......

regards

John

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Guest John Hartford
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 03:03 PM

Hi Jerry,

I agree with you entirely. If requests come politely and sincerely then I do everything possible to satisfy the request.

I find that usually ( but not always ) the number being requested is one that we have been seen to do and usually they are audience favourites.

Of course you can get the clever b...... who tries to request something unknown by everyone but him(her)self but I usually deal with these by asking for the lyrics and tune to be written down by the requestor...

Only once has this happened to us and we had to apologise that it wasn't something that we felt happy about doing.

On the positive side people requesting songs/numbers can be a great pick-me-up and confidence builder. As such it is something that we try to encourage.

Regards

John

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: DMcG
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 12:26 PM

Can I give an audience perspective? On one occasion I was in a cocktail bar where the pianist was playing songs from the musicals and asked for requests. I asked for anything at all from "Evita" except "Don't cry for me Argentina". She said - and am inclined to believe her - that that was the only one she knew.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Bardan
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 12:14 PM

What's wrong with a man singing a song with a female narrative voicey type thingy? I do it from time to time and I'm sure I've heard women singing black is the colour or whatever complete with 'her' all over the place.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 10:29 AM

Most folks on here seem to have an attitude about requests, and pick the instances where someone has been out of line to explain it. I think of all the people who tell me they really like a particular song I do, who ask if I would do it. Obviously, calling out a request when you are in the middle of a song is plain old bad manners. Other than that though, I don't see why a respectfully asked request deserves a put down, if the song is one you sing, or might be one you know. If people are paying good money to hear me, I am more than happy to honor requests if it's a song I think I can do justice to.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 10:17 AM

One way of getting round the man-sings-woman's-song dilemma is a slight bit of editing at the beginning, so that 'I am', e.g., becomes 'it's of'...

To clarify: take as an example On Board The Victory. The beginning,   'I am an unfortunate lady, My sorrows they are great, My tongue is scarcely able'...

would become, 'It is of an unfortunate lady, Her sorrows they were great, (She said) "my tongue is scarcely able"'... And go on from there --

This is an adaptation of many songs - e.g. The Month Of January, Banks Of Sweet Primroses, &c, which are already in the form of a narrator of indeterminate sex who meets a young woman & reports on what he hears her saying/singing. I think some such adaptation might already have happened at some point in the song's evolution.


See what I mean?

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Piers Plowman sans Cookie
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 07:55 AM

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Guest John Hartford
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 06:56 AM

"I knew this by Joan Baez and SteeleyeSpan but told her that it was a female song. I am most definitely male....

[...]

We did it with some misgivings from one of the gang. The song went down extremely well and for many moons we were requested to sing that number by more people than we ever thought possible.

So .....is there a moral here...?????"

Hmmmm. Very worrying. Have you tried singing "My Heart Belongs to Daddy"?

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Guest John Hartford
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 06:56 AM

hi

At first I always tried to fulfill requests if I knew them well enough to sing and play. many we did were not by any means "perfect".

However I soon learned that with few exceptions we got little thanks for this. And more important we got no self satisfaction for playing something that we either didn't like or knew that with practice we would perform it better.

So what I decided to do was to reply to all requests with something like " I can't do it now but if you come next week I will do it.

And this worked quite well.

In fact we had one young lady who asked me would I sing " Once I had a Sweetheart".

I knew this by Joan Baez and SteeleyeSpan but told her that it was a female song. I am most definitely male....

But she was persistent........!!

So when I got home I sought out the tracks I had and I knocked out a version that I was happy to sing. The boys joined me a couple of days later ans after some arguments and discussion we got a very reasonable version together.

The young lady was present and asked me when I was on my own would I do the song.

We did it with some misgivings from one of the gang. The song went down extremely well and for many moons we were requested to sing that number by more people than we ever thought possible.

So .....is there a moral here...?????

John

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,martin ellison
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 06:35 AM

Still raises a shameful blush this . . .

Scenario: dreary PTA/rotary/round/table musical wallpaper gig many, many years ago

Punter: Can you play Hava Nagila?
Me: No
Punter (slightly taken aback): Can you put it any more bluntly?
Me: Yes - f*ck off.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 06:13 AM

At Martin Carthy's last Bristol gig, I asked him in the interval if he'd do Famous Flower of Serving Men. Despite rarely performing it, he did - all 32 verses of it perfectly.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 05:16 AM

Ewan MacColl often used to introduce a song by saying, "this is a request". But these 'requests' were often so well programmed in to his and Peggy Seeger's performance that I often had my suspicions. Perhaps he was ensuring that he didn't get too many 'real' requests for stuff that he was sick of singing (?)

Having said that the last time I saw him perform, I requested a song during the interval and he did actually sing it for me in the second half.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Acorn4
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 04:49 AM

The worst thing is when some pisshead requests a song, you do it while he talks loudly at the bar to his mates, and he comes back later and asks why you haven't done his song.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: folkypaul
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 04:11 AM

I was at the opening of a new Irish bar in Middlesbrough once, a long time ago, were Tom Naper adn Tom Wilson were playing.

Thet were getting a lot of requests so they asked that they be written down so that they could pull them out of a hat.

Needless to say they only played what they had planned to and the numerous people who had asked for Wild Rover etc thought that they were just unlucky but had a great night anyway.

PaulO

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: M.Ted
Date: 01 Oct 09 - 02:05 AM

One of the longer running jobs I had was in a strolling duet that played for a dinner banquet portion of a recurring murder mystery weekend--the plot involved Russian royalty, and my partner was a great balalaika player and singer and knew nearly everything in the standard Russian repertoire. However, most tables asked us to play either "Somewhere My Love" or "Those Were the Days", or both. One night I counted, and we did SML 12 times.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 08:53 AM

Last night - boot on the other foot - our guest artiste asked for the audience to request his final number: not sure if he had someone primed to shout out the one he really wanted to do.
I requested the one that always used to be the final song of the band he used to be in: however that must have been before he joined them, as he said he didn't know it! So he went on and did the one he wanted to.
And at a pub session once we were asked if we knew "that Pogues song", by which they meant "Dirty Old Town": guess Ewan McColl would be revolving in his grave!

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Gedi
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 08:39 AM

"I'm sure I'm not the only accordion player who's sick of hearing "Can you do Captain Pugwash!" The worst thing is, it isn't even easy on a melodeon."

I'm glad you said that - I thought it was just me....

cheers
Ged

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: TheSnail
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 07:44 AM

From Dan Quinn

I've had a request....

....not to do this song. But I don't do requests so I'm going to do it anyway.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 07:43 AM

I'm reminded of the Peter Sellers story, whilst playing drums with a pianist in a well known London Hotel restaurant.
When asked by a well heeled gent. "Can you play, That's what you are, for my lady?"

Much scratching of heads ensued, searching through song books etc, and, finally admitting defeat and saying they had never heard of the song, got the chap to sing them a bit to help....The Result?
"Unforgettable.....That's what you are.....!"

My Bete Noir along with Mr Peters is Captain Bloody Pugwash. Virtually impossible on a concertina.

And don't get me started on Fields of At Henry....That song should have been drowned at birth!

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 07:18 AM

Never do requests.....unless someone asks.

My Brother plays in a jazz band. One rather drunken scotsman with a thick gorbels accent conyinually requested 'No No Nanette' After a few times of Bro explaining that they didn't do it, and in fact didn't know it he returned to the stage one last time with the incredulous exclamation...Och, Di ya no Know NO NO Nanette!

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: banjoman
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 07:00 AM

I have lost count of the number of times I have been asked to play Duelling Banjos. So much that I decided to learn it. I was amzed to find that in the sheet music I bought it only gives the first few bars (The bits everyone knows) and then says that the player should improvise. I took them at their word and worked out a way of playing both parts on one banjo - playing the second part one octave higher. Works fine until someone with a guitar decides to join in. Not like the amazing Mr Smith who plays it with two small banjos joined together at the top of the neck -wonderful

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Jack Campin
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 06:57 AM

Bring out a clarinet, and a drunk will immediately materialize out of alcoholic ectoplasm and request "Stranger on the Shore". (Come to think of it, you could sing "Fields of Athenry" to it, thereby dealing with two for the price of one).

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 06:02 AM

"Nope, don't know it-- How about YOU lead it for us and we'll sing along?"

ooooooooooooooo,Nooooooooooooooo!


If they are drunk enough, THEY BLOODY WILL!!!!!


:-O

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Sugwash
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 05:38 AM

I've never had a request for 'Duelling Banjos', but I've had very many demands for "You know the one, Bert Reynolds, diddle dum dum dum dum dum dum dee... squeal like a pig". I try to explaing that I play a tenor banjo, but to no avail.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Brian Peters
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 05:35 AM

I'm sure I'm not the only accordion player who's sick of hearing "Can you do Captain Pugwash!" The worst thing is, it isn't even easy on a melodeon.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Scorpio
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 05:15 AM

Thanks guys for the replies in this thread. Some situations which I thought extreme are apparently common occurences in this biz! I feel better.
Of course, we are entertaining, and if we can better please the audience by doing requests, fine. The cheat book of songs you don't include in your set, but will sing if you have to, is a good one, I'll do that I think. I, too, prefer to have a song well rehearsed before I go public, but for requests, usually to please one person who isn't particularly interested in whatever else you're doing, the cheat sheet will do fine.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 05:52 PM

Many years ago we were in a certain Irish village when they one the county hurling cup for the first time. You've got bring the instruments down the pub they said. So we did, and started off on our current set list, starting with "Slievenamon" seeing it was that county. We did our second number which they listened to fairly politely, then someone called out "Can you do Slievenamon?" "We've just done it" we said. "That's all right - we'll sing it" came the reply. And they did, and did, and apparently were still doing it the next morning!

Nowadays I have a lid of songs I've forgotten, and if it's not on that list, I never knew it in the first place.

I can confirm that Mr Happy gets frequent requests, and at least two of them were physically possible!

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Amos
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 05:03 PM

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Dani
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 03:51 PM

Ok, alla y'all need to hear this, from The Rev. Billy C. Wirtz of the First House of Polyester Worship and Horizontal Throbbing Teenage Desire, Our Lady of the White Go-Go Boot, Lord of the 40-Watt Undulating Lava Lamp, Apocalyptic No-Take-Out Pizza after 12, Shrine of the Rasslin' JEEsus, Achy-Breaky Love Tabernacle of Chromosome, North Carolina. (Let the church say "Amen!") :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOMlX7jaQBs

Dani

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Liberty Boy
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 03:46 PM

I think you'll find that "You're not Irish" was written By Robbie O'Connell. A really funny take on the problems of people requesting songs that they think you should sing, even if you don't.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Bernard
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 03:46 PM

These days I tell the audience I'm doing 'inverted requests'... they tell me the songs they DON'T want to hear, which has two advantages - they aren't forced to listen to a song they don't like, and if I don't know it, it doesn't matter...!!

Everyone wins!

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: paula t
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 03:45 PM

We played the football club at Bromyard folk festival, this year, and people started to ask for particular songs.Thankfully, we were able to sing the those songs requested.We are always happy to oblige, if we are able.It's nice to be asked!

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 03:36 PM

nice sentiments mwh

performing is a two way thing or you'd stay in your bedroom singing - unless of course it's an ego trip and not many would own up to that.

it's quite likely that a request will be a little different from what you're singing otherwise they wouldn't feel the need to request it - either that or it means something special to someone

the worst thing I have seen is when performers take delight in putting down a genuine (if in the performer's view misguided) request with sarcasm - unforgivable

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Michael Harrison
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 03:11 PM

There are a million "attitudes and latitudes" to this thread and they're all different - and each as valid as the other.

My feeling is that by the grace of God I have been given a voice and the ability to play an instrument (no matter how poorly!) which allows me to put smiles on the faces of people, most of whom I don't really know - and that's a good thing; but, personally, I don't think it is about "me" when I'm on stage - it's about the communion between the singer and the audience that is bridged by the song. So,
from my perspective it is the song, and the sharing of the emotion it generates when performed, that really matters.

I just did a Celtic festival recently and on the tent stage, the pub stage, one of the main stages and the children's stage I asked for requests if the audience members "knew" or "thought" that I might know the song they wanted to hear - and it worked out just fine.

It is certainly true that I'd much rather sing, "Fires of Calais" than do another round of "Wild Rover," or "Whiskey In The Jar," but when a little six-year old charmer comes up to request "Whiskey...," well, I just cannot refuse. Nor can I refuse the guy who always makes it to my stage and wants to hear Irish "rebel" songs; as long as it won't upset the show flow and the audience (a judgement call here) will buy it - I'm good for it.

Besides, I've got songs on my only solo disc that I'm not so fond of anymore, but folks still want to hear them and do request them; and, if I do one of those songs as a request, why who knows, maybe I'll sell another - Lord knows I have enough laying around. How about a few words from someone else now? Cheers,.................mwh

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: BobKnight
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 02:48 PM

One reply I have when a song request comes along is, "Sorry, they don't do any of mine, so it's only polite that I don't do any of theirs." Puzzled looks!

"Can you sing a Daniel O'Donnel song?"
"Sure - tell me any song he wrote and I'll do it." Even more puzzled looks.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Leadfingers
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 02:13 PM

As Mary said , its a diffrent ball game if its a Bar or a concert !
At least at Folk Clubs the requests usually come before you start , or in the interval ! Same at Festivals !
The ones who DO annoy me are the ones who , when you say you dont know a song , they say " You MUST know it ! It goes 'La Las La' etc"
For me , KNOWING a song means having ALL the lyrics , ALL the Chords
and having a proper arrangement !

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: wysiwyg
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 02:11 PM

"Nope, don't know it-- How about YOU lead it for us and we'll sing along?"

~S~

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 01:49 PM

I never mind a request. If I can do the song, I'm happy to do it, and if not, I tell people they'd be much happier if I didn't sing it. One noticeable exception occurred every time I played at a particular place. A woman would ask me to sing Ave Maria, and even though I'd tell her that I didn't know it well enough to sing it, she'd ask me a couple more times before I finished singing. The story?

Once a month, my wife and I visit a local nursing home where I provide the music for a short church service, led by my close friend Ken. Ken is the pastor of a church in the area and over the years we've had a great time sharing music together. When my Gospel Messngers quartet was still singing, we did Anniversary concerts at his church four different years, and I've done fund-raising concerts for the church on my own. Ken is a folkie (some friends of his are coming down from Maine next month, and he's invited Ruth and me over, along with some other friends, for a song swap. The audience at the church service at the nursing home has a wide range of physical and emotional problems. It became clear to me early on that the woman who continually requested Ave Maria was having severe emotional problems. She is Catholic and was very critical of me because I didn't sing hymns that she knew from her church. She had a nasty attitude about everything, and with everyone. Every time she'd request Ave Maria, no matter how many times, I was always polite to her, telling her what a beautiful song it is, but that I don't have the voice to do the song justice. Through time, she softened toward me and became quite sweet tempered. When she'd ask for the song, as she continued to do, one of the workers there would say in a kindly voice, "I'll play a recording of it for you after the service is over," and she'd relax. It was beautiful to see her calm down, over the months that she came. She went from visibly agitated and argumentative to peaceful, just enjoying the service for what it was.

Like the others we sing for, we know there will be a day when they no longer show up. That day arrived for her a year ago, but I still remember her. And I still don't do Ave Maria on request.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: melodeonboy
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 01:36 PM

"It seems to be a basic rule that ALL requests will have NO bearing on the style of music being performed ."

Quite!

"I think it's a form of Tourette's syndrome which makes the afflicted person call out the name of the one song or tune they've heard of featuring a particular instrument you happen to have (or one slightly resembling it, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, it's all the same)"

And yes again!

Playing for a zydeco band, I find that (fortunately) the frontline combination of frottoir (metal rubboard) and cajun accordion makes it a little difficult for the uninitiated to work out what we might or might not be able to play, so inappropriate requests are few and far between. I can see what a headache it could be if you've got a banjo or fiddle!

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Tim Leaning
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 12:56 PM

Only performing my own songs I am used to smiling and saying sorry I don't know that one, almost said that recently when got a request for one of mine.
Gratifying but bit off putting when it isn't one you had planned for your set.
I suppose it is something you proper musos get used to.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Maryrrf
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 12:33 PM

If it is a pub, bar or party gig, I do my best to perform requests. I'm being paid to entertain, and most of the time even though they request a song they aren't really listening, so they won't care if it is a little bit ragged. For these situations, I have an extensive "Fake Book" that covers a lot of ground, and I can usually accomodate the request. I won't play vulgar songs such as "Who the F--- is Alice", etc., and won't attempt to do obviously non folk related material that would require a full rock and roll band. It is amazing to me how many people will walk up to the stage and ask if you know a song WHILE YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF SINGING SOMETHING, as if you can carry on a conversation with them while singing something else! Also annoying are those who request a song and can't remember the title, but tunelessly and in the midst of a lot of other ambient noise try to hum the melody, or recall a few words that they remember. There was one group who kept shouting up at me to do the song about somebody's sons. I finally deduced that it was "Four Green Fields".

Bars, pubs and parties are different from a concert situation though, where I would expect to have a set list I'd worked up pretty carefully. At a concert or festival I might try to accomodate a request, but only if I felt I knew the song well enough to perform it seamlessly.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Mr Happy
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 12:23 PM

"I've had a request - but I'm staying!!"

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 12:17 PM

I was about to launch into song once and somebody said "Sing that one you did a few weeks ago".

"Which one was that?"

"Can't remember."

"What was the title?"

"Can't remember."

"Well, what was it about?"

"Can't remember."

"Can you remember any of the words?"

"No."

(In desperation)"Can you remember the tune?"

"No. But it was a good song though."

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: GUEST,Jonny Sunshine
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 11:24 AM

I think it's a form of Tourette's syndrome which makes the afflicted person call out the name of the one song or tune they've heard of featuring a particular instrument you happen to have (or one slightly resembling it, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, it's all the same)

One approach that's worked for me was to explain that it's very thirsty work playing that particular song, I'm drinking bitter and.. where did he go? (not to the bar, that's for sure)

There's a great song by the Sensitive New Age Cowpersons which has a chorus made out of lines from all the songs people always request.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 11:19 AM

During a gig with the last bit of a band I played in, for only a very short while, the leader and accordian player said. "Any requests?" (It was a ceilidh band who played for local dances) One of the regular dancers replied."Swedish masquerade," a dance we played every week. "Oh" said the accordian player, "We can't do that I haven't got the music". "Any other requests?" Said the drummer."Strip the willow" came a response. "Sorry we can't do that either as I haven't brought all my music" came the reply from the accordian player. There were no more requests. We were getting paid to do that gig. I left soon afterwards for various but similarly connected reasons.

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: bfdk
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 10:47 AM

And Seamus Kennedy sings one called 'You're not Irish'.

'Duelling Banjos'? Hmmm... I shall ask you for that one next I see you fondling a banjo, Terry ;o))

Subject: RE: Requests from the Audience
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 20 Sep 09 - 10:47 AM

WE say, anything that doesn't involve bodily orifices and musical instrumemts is OK.

Dave H