Robert Zimmerman has never given the impression that his heart lies in Traditional music. He is first and foremost a lyricist who used tradition material to further a successful career in popular music.
When he was the subject of a musical indoctrination by Pete Seeger and others, into the use of traditional music and personal popularity for political purposes, he immediately rebelled.
MaCColl was like many in the later portion of this genre a frustrated hard left ideologist.