"How he assumes someone who wishes to remain anonymous is the same person as any other anonymous person is beyond me."

There have been a number of anonymous 'Guest' posts here, often making frivolous points or aiming personal abuse at Jim Carroll. Why on earth should someone else choosing to post as an anonymous 'Guest' expect the benefit of the doubt?

As to the idea that this is an 'obvious question', I'd have thought the large number of thoughtful and well-argued posts here would be sufficient demonstration that there is no 'obvious' answer.

To Larry: I think the question has been thoroughly explored by now (Howard Jones' recent posts have been very useful). To sum up, yes, a pop song could in theory become traditional, but this becomes increasingly unlikely in a culture without a widespread singing tradition, and in which pop songs are universally known by a single, iconic version. That's what I think, anyway.