It is important to acknowledge that the reason many of these songs are done to death is because they are wonderful songs. I delight in taking them and interpreting them my own way, and letting them wring the emotion out of a crowd that they were intended to do. I did this during my mini concert at the Getaway with "This Land". I was nervous as a cat about it, as I knew I would be in front of a very savvy group of folkies, but I wanted to see if I could take it back to the protest song it was originally intended to be. I think, and it is just my perception, that it worked.

I do The Streets of London as a "wake up, willya?" type of song, oft times substituting the name of a local town for effect. I make sure the arrangement is done in a way that makes one think.

Another song that I try and do a bit different is The Dutchman. It is done to death, but I try and almost act it out as a thespian would. And I only do it in the right venues. Truth be told, though, I am ready to let it lie fallow (to use Jerry's term) for a while now.

Just a little counterpoint.

Mick