As a pianist/organist/accordionist/sometimes singer, I often know the songs we sing, whether they are hymns, old easy-listening,
or even some of the "oldies but goodies," but I get started with the singing and before you can blink twice I have no idea
what the rest of the words are.
Recently, I interviewed trumpeter Don Shire on my radio program (
available here) and he said something that made sense. As a musician, if you learn the words to the songs too, their meaning is more apt
to come through your music, even if it is just the notes the people hear.
