Peace seems to have got the wrong idea altogether.
Somehow thinks I am promoting folk music above all other genres as being elitist. It was not the point of the thread, but might be the conclusion drawn from it by others. I was commenting on 'why I like folk music' and how it is different, thank God, from other mass media music.
I am the first to admit that not all folk songs are great.

I suppose the thread is about songs requiring integrity of musical and lyrical content to be a truly outstanding. However, any song, just about, from any genre, can enter realms of becoming ageless and timeless if it meets those requirements, and those songs will end up being sung in folk clubs. It's as though certain songs are just so good that they save themselves for posterity, to be sung by 'folk'.
Simple as that.
As regards Dylan and Paxton,I would most certainly call them folk musicians; and 'Mr Tambourine Man' and 'Hard rain's gonna fall' would be considered by most people to fall under the folk umberella. Both songs are there on merit, and I have heard them performed many times in folk venues!

You can have great lyrics and a poor tune and get away with it; or a fine tune and rubbish words and just about get away with it,but these songs don't endure.
Staying alive just happened to be the song I used in general terms as an example. It is not high on the list of candidates for immortality, for the reasons I gave, nor will I hold my breath whilst waiting to hear it performed at any folk club. If you disagree - fine.


I welcome all veiws, including those from Peace who has a lovely turn of phrase!
I have to tell him however that the orifice he refers to in my case is EXIT only.... but I have found a use for his comments as long as I print them off first!!!
Pee