try it on stage or not?

[P-E-Z]

I tend to break up when doing Circle Be Unbroken
The emotion is real.
Should try this on stage or not?
How do you handle something like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR0OPWNEnA4

 

[davismanLV]

Tecumseh Valley is like that with me. I just dissolve reading the lyrics. Can't get through it. It's a song that's best avoided with me. Especially in public. I think one of the factors of a great performance is control. Losing control is not good. I don't like to lose control. Can you maintain control? That's the question. Tom in Vegas

 

[P-E-Z]

I thinking would be powerful or terrible.
I do not know if I can hold it togeather.

 

[Default]

I can never make it through this without tearing up myself. Harsh as it sounds, I would avoid any personally resonant songs, but I don't play out either. I don't think I'd be happy to see someone come apart on stage. :|

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

When a song touches you emotionally, it can be hard to sing it.

My wife had a very hard time singing "Daddy's Hands" for quite a while after the death of her father.
Now she likes to sing it as a tribute to him.

I had a simillar problem when I first started to sing "Cat's In The Cradle."
It was too close to home.

Work through the emotion and this may become one of your best songs.

 

[bassmyf]

Some folks have the ability to seperate their emotions from their performance. I kinda wear my heart on my sleeve when I play. There are a few songs that I would love to perform, but wouldn`t have a snowflakes chance in hell of getting through. Although I greatly respect those that put themselves out there, I`m not playing a tune I can`t finish without breaking down. This one would probably top my list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgQNeGPJdcQ&feature=related

 

[taabru45]

Some folks have the ability to seperate their emotions from their performance. I kinda wear my heart on my sleeve when I play. There are a few songs that I would love to perform, but wouldn`t have a snowflakes chance in hell of getting through. Although I greatly respect those that put themselves out there, I`m not playing a tune I can`t finish without breaking down. This one would probably top my list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgQNeGPJdcQ&feature=related

Fantatic tribute/song to a tragic event......and seeing it just after listening to a report of a fire that took out 1/3 of the town of Slave Lake, Alberta, the evacuated the whole population of 7,000 with 15 minutes notice and no one died.....if you ever have the need to feel small. go 'fight' a forest fire.....Steffan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXOJagxs ... re=related

Pez, don't know what to say exept keep singing it, its touching a spot in you that is very near and dear, and maybe one day when you've felt all your feelings about why that is, you can sing it to us.....Steffan

 

[RussD]

I play several songs that evoke emotions that are uncomfortable to sing through.
Sometimes, I can concentrate on technique; breathing, mic control, fingering technique; other times looking into folks eyes helps me.
'course, I still can't get through Steve Seskin's "Use Mine" on stage, either!

 

[davismanLV]

This is one of those things where you have to know the difference between singing a song with emotion, and having an emotional breakdown while singing a song. Singing with emotion is one thing..... being overcome with emotion while singing is another. I doubt many people want to see an emotional breakdown. If you can't maintain.... then it's not a good song choice.

When Towns van Zandt was asked about his songs being sad, he replied, "My songs aren't sad, they're hopeless." Which is quite a distinction, I believe.

Nanci Griffith (with all star cast) doing Tecumseh Valley - http://youtu.be/-kTEk0W6xE4

Personally, I can not get through this song. Can't do it. Maybe one day, but until then, it will remain unsung by me.
Tom in Vegas

 

[JerryR]

Last verse of 'Desperados waiting for a train' does it to me :roll:

 

[idealassets]

I have developed a strategy of playing in public. What I attempt to do is to open with something of interest the listeners, and maybe with a more interesting arrangement than the prior musician just finished. Then I progress to more difficult songs that required a little warmup, and getting used to the stage first.

2 things I would totally never do are:

1) Never do a song where you will become too emotional. The audience may definately not experience the same level of emotion as you do.

2) Never risk doing a song that is tentative, in other words it doen't feel "right" to perform it at that time. It may be a bad day for the vocal requirement, or instrumental part. Stick to something more solid so you don't loose your confidence.

-My 2c worth.

 

[Bikerdoc]

This one does it for me. So when I'm playing in public I tell a story before I sing Bag o'Bones:
"After Nam I worked as a nurse in the hospital. I was 22 years old back then, had already seen more than any man's share of death, when they assigned me to the geriatrics ward. As sad as it was it was also wonderful to touch and be touched by the hearts of history. So now I'm getting up there in years and every time I sing this song I think about all those amazing old folks and wonder if I'll ever touch anyone the way they touched me. So if I choke up you already know it's coming."

Some how telling the story helps me get through the song; mostly because I'm already misty-eyed by the time I'm done with the story. A number of LTG'ers who perform live remind us to do a bit of chatting between songs; fill in those dead spots. So, not only does the telling of the story help me, it's going to draw the listeners a little closer.

http://www.soundclick.com/player/single ... o&newref=1


Peace

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

In some of the Bands that I have played in over the years,
we have closed with Will The Circle Be Unbroken.
It always went over very well as a closing number.

 

[ladytexan]

In my other life when I used to play for weddings, the music was almost always chosen by the Bride and Groom, but most often Mom and Dad had input, too. So, here is the setting....a church or garden venue with hundreds of folks who have known the couple for years and years and love them....Moms and Dads sitting first row...and, you are singing, "Sunrise Sunset". Geez, I was OK until the Moms started crying...but, doubly hard when I saw the Dads blinking back the tears.

Toni

 

[spiderman]

Tom
Try listening to this version of "Tecumseh Valley", note the inversion of the last and penultimate verses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLP7xeSapco
Nanci nails a lot of other people's material, Dylan has said her version of "Boots of Spanish Leather" is the best. That too is on YouTube from the Transatlantic Sessions. She is one of the main reasons I started playing guitar again after a virtual lapse of many years.
The version of "Tecumseh Valley" you posted came from an ACL Townes Tribute which unfortunately was never made available. Numerous enthusiasts have bugged ACL and their licensing agent to get it out there to no avail. There are bootlegs out there from which come the YouTube clips.
For a short period in the late 80s (?) she played a Guild, those too are on YouTube and buried in the LTG archives some where.

Harmony H-173 bought in 1960 (retired), Alvarez AC60S 2008, Eastman AC320ce 2008 "Hybrid", Guild D25M 1974, Martin Grand J35E 2009, Martin D12-20 1970, Martin OM-21 2009, Martin 00-15M Custom (full gloss, wide neck) 2011, Voyage-air VAOM-06 2010
"I'm glad there are a lot of guitar players pursuing technique as diligently as they possibly can, because it leaves this whole other area open to people like me."
Richard Thompson

 

[davismanLV]

Hey spiderman, thanks for the response. Not a fan of that verse order. That song tells a very specific story and the first and last verses are critical to the overall feeling of the song and it should not be tampered with, IMHO. Nanci Griffith is an amazing performer and a real powerhouse in concert. I saw her at the beautiful Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles in the late 80's, maybe early 90's. She put on quite a show. She sure makes sure you get your money's worth. I'm funny about activities. I have time limits. There's only so much time I'll do certain things. Horrendously long movies cause me grief, or anything that goes on TOO LONG. Sometimes Nanci Griffith doesn't know when to thank the crowd and just go home. After 2.5 hours of concert I finally got up and left. Concerts shouldn't be that long. I can't sit still for that many hours. But I definitely got my money's worth. And then some.

Another of my favorite Nanci Griffith songs. They don't get much prettier than this, do they? On Grafton Street: http://youtu.be/npaG55vfe9c The album version is done, of course, with the Chieftans. Tom in Vegas

 

[spiderman]

It is nice to see the two of them perform together. I agree with you about the verse order, but HEY thats Townes.
I have never seen the three performers live who got me started in singing and playing again, Nanci, Emmylou and Tracy Grammer. Have few regrets in life but one of them is not having seen Tracy and Dave, and after Dave's death Tracy by herself when they passed through town and played house concerts. Emmylou has played in KCMO in recent memory, but at insane ticket prices, she deserves it but.............., I'll have to stick to YouTube.
Could easily sit through a concert that long, and have on several occasions as long as there are intermissions :lol: :lol: :lol: You reach a certain age and essential body functions start to malfunction. Worst was "The English Patient" which I really liked, but should have checked in advance on film length and not have had a few beers. This is probably too much information anyway :roll:

Harmony H-173 bought in 1960 (retired), Alvarez AC60S 2008, Eastman AC320ce 2008 "Hybrid", Guild D25M 1974, Martin Grand J35E 2009, Martin D12-20 1970, Martin OM-21 2009, Martin 00-15M Custom (full gloss, wide neck) 2011, Voyage-air VAOM-06 2010
"I'm glad there are a lot of guitar players pursuing technique as diligently as they possibly can, because it leaves this whole other area open to people like me."
Richard Thompson