What I said was I doubt that much of what I suppose is described as "contemporary folk song" will do. The "contemporary folk song" part seems to be getting ommitted. I suspect for example that pop songs, eg. some Beatles ones will be better represented. Whatever, I don't think wrting a song and declaring it is a "folk song" is going to make a blind bit of difference.

It all seems a jumble to me... But we have songs, eg. Shoals Of Herring, Fiddler's Greem etc. written in a "folk style" that already sort of passed into the "folk tradition" and I'd guess would be safe as long as there are people around with an interest in "traditional" songs.

On the other hand, there is material which to me has no obvious connectiom to traditional folk music and I feel less sure about much of that passing through. It neither seems to "win" for me by appealing to the "traditional route" or by "mass popularity".

I suppose the 20th C changed things for ever but here is a question: If we somehow lost our technology now so that we couldn't record or play back music. Which songs of the 20th C do you see being found in the oral tradition in 100 years time?