KingB: I shouldn't have been so brief in disagreeing with you; I was just thinking that I've heard some Irish singers who sing with rather little expression, and some non-irish singers who are very expressive. But in normal speech yes, I guess you're right.

Bert: Good point re: humorous songs (but even there it can be over-done IMO).

Domenico: I'm still grinning at the idea of you being mocked for your false-English accent - especially since my most frequent criticism of young English "folk" singers is their using a false americanised accent (the most recent example doing so to sing Streets of London . . . )

G.