I just stumbled into this forum, but I found myself sucked in. In regards to the folk vs not folk debate currently raging, I have a couple of points that I'd like to throw out just for fun.

A. Is it the song or the performer that makes it folk? For e.g., I think most would consider Woody Guthrie a folk singer, but if a hardcore punk group like The Dropkick Murphys takes his song "Gonna Be A Blackout" and perform it, does it no longer become folk?

B. If a song must be attributed to "anon" before it becomes folk, where does that leave songs such as "The Black and Tans", or "Waltzing Matilda"?

C. If a requirement of a folk song is that it is taken by the people and changed, does that make "We Shall Overcome" folk (as has already been pointed out), or Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up", or Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom". (Personally I think that the only one of these that can currently be claimed to be folk is "We Shall Overcome", but give it another 50 years and I think the other two will make a case for themselves.)