JM's version of Lucy Wan doesn't work for me, but I'm not his target audience. However it occurs to me that in a few years' time this version will sound just as dated and of its period as the 1970s electric folk of Steeleye Span. Martin Carthy's version, on the other hand, which simply delivers the song on its own terms, sounds as fresh now as when I first heard it, more years ago than I care to think about.

It is characteristic of ballads that they don't analyse the participants' emotions or motives, they simply set out the events and leave the listener to draw their own conclusions. So for me the (largely incomprehensible) rap section adds nothing to the song.

Nevertheless, Jim is to be congratulated on producing on getting a traditional ballad played on Radio 1. If it prompts a few young people to explore folk music further then good luck to him. However it will be interesting to see whether in 10 or 20 years time this track will be seen as anything other than a passing curiosity.