Was afraid my quibble might go awry. Hoped to keep it to the music, but should've left well enough alone. Now look what a murky mess we've made! Sorry, Laoise, Sheye, and RS. Let's sort it out a bit.

Appear to have two basic, and NOT NECESSARILY, though apparently, contradictory approaches:

A. Lovely girl, lousy breaks, dreadful death, wretched laddies, inarticulable, near-universal grief.

B. Lovely (original) song, lousy revisions, dreadful poetry, wretched folkies, articulable idiosyncratic criticism.

It comes to this: Cheap shots at details come easy when one is at something of a remove from the emotions involved. Plead thoroughly guilty, myself. Don't read tabloids, too stuck-up. Like formalities -- (Vive le subjonctif!). Only recently came to think about the princess as worthy of notice because of her personal involvement with humanitarian causes. Realised I was sad, both for her motherless boys and for those whose plight she brought to public attention.

Therefore, while I have no doubt of the song's mediocrity, it appears to have been lovingly and sincerely intended, so I was glad for all those whose feelings, however unoriginally, it expressed.

Therefore, to all the cold-hearted fellows who professed to add their voices to mine: Yes, as a composition it royally sucked -- so what, it HELPED. Guess I'd hoped for a more æsthetically pleasing song, knowing it will be aired, ad nauseam, to raise funds for "Tzadakah," (Jewish for "justice/wisdom," used where speakers of English use "charity").

Now feeling I've encouraged expressions of bad form. A little more kindness, in the circumstances, is warranted here, eh, chums? I apologise to anyone offended by my negative remarks on the subject.

Tim Jaques: Thank you. I must know someone who has an Anglican Hymnal; perhaps you could spare the title of the piece in question, if the whole song is too much fuss?

Peter T.: Now you have me intrigued. Can you share the location of the piece by Taverner? (Too old to start giving th' time o' day to the NEO, but can always make time for good music.)

Avec chagrin,

Shula