Its all arguable really. What constitutes a narrative - could be some very sketchy lyric. What constiutes folkmusic. what constitutes a ballad.

Although admittedly folkmusic is a cosy little enclave with its own buzz words - it really does have to have some confluence with the rest of humanity.

i'm sure i've heard Woody Guthrie's work referred to as folkballads. And Springfield Mountain. is it still a folk ballad when it Earl Scruggs or Mike Seeger - do the tale of the 'sarpint that bit me on the heel' as FOD.

And what of all those Irish ballads of rebellion - we know who wrote most of those.

can you really seriously turn round and say - everybody who called these songs ballads is wrong; it's only me that's that's right.

Dumb question, of course you can.....