The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #157386 Message #3715276
Posted By: Lighter
08-Jun-15 - 01:32 PM
Thread Name: Still wondering what's folk these days?
Subject: RE: Still wondering what's folk these days?
As I suggested, none of the songs mentioned by henryp have been subject to much alteration by any oral tradition or "folk process." The yare what they've always been.
Part of the reason, of course, is copyright. Another reason is that people no longer care to alter the songs they hear - partly because commercially recorded songs are usually about as good as they're going to get.
In the English-speaking world, bawdy or rugby songs appear to be the only ones that are still subject to a meaningful "folk process." But the Internet is probably changing that too, since now no one *ever* has to remember words. They can just run a search.
I don't say that the old-time folk tradition was good or bad, merely that it has nothing of significance to do with what is now generally considered to be "folk."
Nor am I passing judgment on the quality or value of the music.