MacColl was entirely right about feeling the song - but I think a lot of revival singers do that - if by no other means than by choosing only to sing songs that move them. This is a luxury that revivialists may have - over some source singers, who may perhaps have felt a duty to keep a repertoire alive which could have included songs that didn't personally move them.

I can think of singers (both amateur and pro) who make a lovely noise but deliver the song like classical musicians - 'straight off the dots.' I personally prefer people who may miss the odd note, and perhaps don't have a very pretty voice (like me, many would say) but who get the feeling across - as yes it is usually a matter of phrasing.

Interesting what you say about Walter, though - I was assuming from your previous that this was the opposite of what source singers typically did, in fact the very thing you were suggesting revivalists were guilty of?

I know exactly what MacCall was on about in terms of finding the 'in.' I only choose a song because it has moved me (to laughter, tears, awe, anger, sympathy, whatever) and that personal connection is my 'in.' Once there, it stays - in fact the challenge is to control it so you can deliver the words and melody without you yourself getting in the way.

I don't use MacColl's terms, but they're tried and trusted techniques that have as much to do with acting as singing - and you certainly need them if you're to touch 700 people who you can't actually see through the lights - or millions through a TV screen (a very different challenge).

I find the trick is to be half engaged, and half detatched. It's a difficult balance. Too close and you go too deep (and get a lump in your throat and sing like a dog etc), too shallow and you don't project the scenery (and it IS all about scenery, as any screenwriter will tell you)!

But when you're singing into a mic on the kitchen table these issues are less critical - so the song (assuming it does hold water) is more likely to do its job without the projection techniques.