I think the litany of "thefts" is far longer than any list of "originals." And if a tune isn't exact, in many cases it's at least so close the fun's gone. But for me, none of this takes away from Guthrie the storyteller and poet, which is what he truly was. I remember Arlo saying something to the effect that people like his Dad heard or read about things that bothered them and wrote songs about them. True of Woody and many of his pals of the '30's and '40's. Stories, often of social injustice, set to some tune. We all know most were not original, but I'm sure some may have been.

Something else which came up in this thread...the oft quoted Woody line about songs that make people feel low and bad, and without hope. This sounds nice, but doesn't hardly stand up to any scrutiny either. "Plane Wreck at Los Gatos" may end with a "can't we do better" kind of verse but isn't exactly hopeful either. "I Ain't Got No Home" doesn't fit too well. And then there's my wife's favorite cheery, happy, Woody number, "1913 Massacre."

I'm a fan and none of this takes away the importance and volume of work that Guthrie accomplished. There are so many things that some of us owe Woody and his compatriots that keeping the mythology to a minimum can never undermine their importance.

catspaw