What's with all of the singing?

I’m currently over a quarter of the way through The Fellowship of the Ring. Whilst I’m the first to admit that I am enjoying it, I’m a little miffed by the Hobbit’s habit of bursting into song. Whether they’re setting off on a haphazard journey to seemingly nowhere or are facing uncertain perils they’re inclined to grace the occasion with a song or two.

Such a phenomena isn’t constrained to Frodo’s species, either. The elve’s seem open to getting merry and having a sing-song as does ol’ Tom Bombadil whose dulcet tones even help rescue the Hobbits from danger.

I realise that the story was written in a different era and is about fictional cultures different to our own but who has the energy to bound and leap into song every five minutes? If you’ve got something to say surely it’s easier to express it through conversation rather than penning a little ditty about it? Or is that just me?