Some way back, there was a complaint that songs about the working man were only being sung by the middle classes.

Perhaps this is because there is a noticeable shortage of miners, sailors, ship-builders, fishermen, etc left to sing?

Or possibly because class definitions have a habit of squirming away when closely studied? Is Jez Lowe middle or working class? Johnny Handle was a miner. Ron Baxter was a sailor (though please don't let him sing...!) Tom Lewis and Cyril Tawney were in the Navy.

Perhaps we should complain because those who sing the Border Ballads don't go a-reiving any more? No-one should be allowed to sing songs from the Civil War or Napoleonic times or the Clearances? Only Scots can sing Burns songs.