"Even the very bleakest of ballads are entirely without point or purpose - they exist purely to entertain the listener"

Blandiver, I'm not sure how your post above and this quote from higher up the thread fit together.

But I'll accept your second explanation of the relevance of the old songs...... it's closer to what I think, so must be right :-)

We'll never agree about songs such as ATBPWM..... your view suggests to me that you don't think anyone is capable of empathy. Or certainly not in songwriting ...... and I really don't think that EB's intent (or impact) was to patronise war veterans.

It is quite possible to be fervently anti-war but still have huge respect for those who are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.