How about this for the start of a stimulating piece of debate?
I was reading one of the threads on Mudcat a while ago, I can't remember precisely what it was about but someone made a comment that singer songwriters were really only POP singers and therefore shouldn't really be performing in folk clubs.
This set me thinking, when does a 'pop' song become a 'folk' song? For instance a great many songs that are considered to be 'folk' songs today are 'pop' i.e. POPULAR songs from another era. (I'm thinking of the old broadside ballads here) You can guarantee that every Christmas as you walk around any shopping centre in Britain you will hear Slades 70's hit, 'So here it is Merry Christmas', does this mean that it is becoming a 'Traditional' song as it certainly seems to be traditional to play it every Christmas?
What does anyone else think?