I know what you mean Jim. Not just travellers feel like that.

Jack Hudson, a very fine interpreter of Americana
, once said to me Al, your problem is - you don't 'inhabit' the songs.

All I can say is - there are different kinds of singers. About six weeks ago. I was asked to top the bill, do the finishing act at a couple of village halls for the November 11th, thanksgiving concerts. My orders simply were - lift the mood - everybody else will be going on about gas and barbed wire.

It was (to my mind) a great honour to be asked to be part of these events honouring the sacred dead. So I set to work and learned a half hour programme. Songs I sang last night, but which I never expect to have occasion to sing again. Someone said to me afterwards - well now you've got a World War One repertoire, because it went pretty smoothly.

I suppose the truth of it is. There are some people who hold a tradition close to their heart, and see the preservation of that tradition as the main focus.

And there are on the other hand - minstrels whose deepest wish is merely to entertain.

I think both aims are quite honourable. Its not like wanting to be a serial killer.