I'm fascinated by the variants of old songs, and when someone sings a different version than the one with which I am most familiar, I want to know where they got it from. I know I have to be careful in how I phrase the question, lest someone take it as criticism. I think I do some multiple verse ballads in a sort of "anthology editor" version, drawing from many sources, rather than singing "so and so's version." That got me stopped dead the first time I sang a ballad in public by a creep shouting me down with "That's not how Joan Baez sings it!" In the long run, that didn't change the way I sang it. Not so easy to ignore was a comment about singing the Pentangle melody/ refrain version of "Cruel Sister" from a serious ballad scholar and respected friend about the tune/refrain being lifted from "Devil's Questions" and refrain being a charm against witches/devil. Can't sing it anymore, havent found another version I want to learn, spoiled it entirely.

While unrequested criticism is usually impolite and intrusive, I have lately been wondering about calling out self-described "experts" when they blather something you know to be totally factually incorrect about source, author, etc. Sometimes it's hard to keep yer mouth shut after - what comes to mind are the oft - repeated introduction of "Ashokan Farewell" as "traditional tune from the American Civil War" or that "traditional Irish song" written by Shel Silverstein or Bill Staines.

The herd of Sheep-themed doggerel and comments above got me guffawing aloud at something on Mudcat for the first time in...a long time. Thanks!

Joanne in Cleveland, trying to surpress my pedantic urges