"I could also call McColl an English folk singer, songwriter, labour activist, actor, poet, playwright and record producer. None of which gives him any particular qualification to define what is or is not folk."
No - his work and contribution to folk music did that
Not the point that was being made through, was it?
"Does stuffing a finger in the ear give the required credibility to define folk"
No - but it's a millennia old technique used by singers for keeping in tune - otr is it only an affectation WHEN IT'S MacCOLL
Moving on
"I think at this point we need something quite off-topic just to bring a bit of light to the gloom..."
Might do the trick Vic
If not...
Was reminded of this while I was having my hip replaced - the nurses thought it was funny
An old farmer in the next village down the coast from here was working in the fields when he jagged his leg on a piece of barbed wire
He didn't do anything about it until, a week or so later it became inflamed and swelled up until at ast the pain grew so great that he went off to Ennis Hospital
They told him he had gangrene and the leg would have to be removed.
His neighbour visited him after the operation and asked how he was
"Good and Bad" came the reply
"Tell me the worst" said his friend
"Well, they operated last night and they cut the wrog leg off"
"That's terrible" said his mat.
"Not so bad - the other one's getting better"