Jumping back a little here-- I agree with Art's message. Dicho is also on target for me but in correcting Art also makes some common assumptions that are not entirely accurate. The first cattle drives were not Texas to Montana. They were from old California, Washington and Territories to the goldrush camps of BC in the 1860s. There are lots of records of these drives and we hope one day to find the songs that tell the story.

Dicho says: "Songs do reflect areas, but only to a certain extent. The area of old songs was, as you say, in the southern mountains, but also in the piedmont and coastal areas, where people settled early and stayed."

I may be misunderstanding the term "old songs" but we have found many songs here in B.C. (that's Canada) that do indeed reflect place, occupation and time. Not only do we find certain "popular" songs being sung in the 1860s-70s but also songs being brought in from other traditions and new songs being written to feflect the current work and time. For instance, some miners had previousle been Irish constables, had fought under Wellington at Waterloo, probably under Napoleon as well and many had come from the Crimean War. So those songs were being sung in B.C. goldfields. Then we have men like James Anderson, a Soct on whom I am writing a biography and CD, who used poets of the day like Hood, Tennyson and Burns, to write songs and poems reflecting his situation. One in particular "Rough But Honest Miner" was a favorite of miners. How do we know it reflects popular opinion? Because he was asked to sing it over and over at the local music hall. (The words of this song have been posted here about a year ago.) So I would argue that these songs, for example, do reflect concensus, as do many other. He also wrote one of the first labour poems or songs, modeled on Hoods "Song of the Shirt".

Dicho says: "They may be documents but they must be interpreted within the context of history."

That is so for ANY document. If we think a lettter or diary or journal is any different we are wrong. Letters reflect who is being written TO, not just the writer. And diaries and journals even more so. Journals were written for someone to read. Find out who and new light is shed. If for oneself then they show one side. If they are written for mother or wife or husband to read they will be written quite differently.

Enough for know. This is a great thread. BTW I am not arguing with Dicho, just discussing this facinating topic. Th words to "Rough but" are also found here, as is more information on Anderson. http://goldrushbc.com/anderson.htm

Richard Wright