"Anyway, while I will not sanctify MacColl, neither will I put him down. He wrote good songs that we remember today, and if that ain't good enough for ya, write one that's better."

Well put, 999. Sums up my feelings about him exactly (and many others', I'd venture to suggest).

And 'Go Down Ye Murderers' is indeed a fine song, Neil D but, in view of the UK-specific subject of the song, probably wouldn't reverberate with US-ers?