line for line

Ong:

"When, however, (singers') purported verbatim renditions are recorded and compared, they turn out to be never the same, though the songs are recognizable versions of the same story. 'Word for word and line for line', as Lord interprets, is simply an emphatic way of saying 'like'. 'Line' is obviously a text-based concept, and even the concept of a 'word' as a discrete entity apart from a flow of speech seems somewhat text-based" (60).

As someone who sings often, I find it incredible how much I can remember but equally important to realize how each performance changes.  The lines are never exactly the same, and the best I can do is to try to interpret for an audience the emotion or message of a song.  This message, however, seems to change from performance to performance too depending on what I am feeling.  It becomes a sort of reminiscient interpretation of conrete lines mixed with how I feel that day and therefore how those lines make me feel at the moment I sing them.  For instance, if I am upset because I just lost my job I might deliver some lines more agressively or hang some notes longer than usual.  I have always considered music as therapy.  It allows me the unique oppurtunity to let an audience know how I feel without saying any actual words that I would usually use.  Like, instead of saying I feel upset about a particular relationship issue I am having, I would say I am having said problem, but I might play some passionate songs about women who screwed over the protagonist of the song.