I was not referring to a quasi accent where Irish and Scots songs are concerned, but merely the natural lilt that comes even with just reading the lyrics. Of course an accent shouldn't be faked to the point of being a parody or so broad as to be insulting. Just enough to get the words across in the proper spirit. Whenever I sing an Irish or Scottish song, I'd have great difficulty singing it with no lilt at all. And you may think, as an American, that you have no accent, but there isn't one of us who doesn't have some tiny little twang or dialectic speech pattern. So far, I haven't insulted anyone or caused even a raised eyebrow...