Charmion, you've described a reversal of our family situation. My dad was the folk singer, and as he was learning the music and the words, I I learned the words. My piano playing was never related to folk or his musical interests, I wasn't tempted to pick up a guitar and follow his lead, but I always loved the songs and if he was singing and hit a spot where he forgot words one of us kids could usually fill in the gap. I don't sing in public unless it is part of a group because I don't feel like I carry a tune well.

There were some songs that we kids learned very quickly, usually the ones that Mom said "don't sing it in front of the kids."

When they held hoots at the house everyone would sing family-friendly songs while we were up, and then we were sent to bed, upon which time we sat at the top of the stairwell or next to the heat vent from from the living room up to one of the bedrooms and listen. They knew we were listening, but it was understood that some of the performers might have been shy about singing their bawdy songs in front of children.

For us, those bawdy songs were a part of the home enrichment in our educations, Dad told us what they meant. Rape, murder, infanticide, double-dealings, cheating, wars, plague, it was all in there. Traditional English, Irish, Scottish and American folk songs and ballads. (Plus quite a few of his own songs and parodies in later years.)