Reading the manual I'm not sure whether bard song is cancelled when you enter combat with a bard. I like strength based bards who chant in battle and use their buffs to become melee machines!

If you take the "Lingering Song" feat the bard song effects will last for three rounds, just like the other affected characters your bard can attack, cast spells, sing a different song or do other stuff without loosing the effect.

Thanks!