Re "The Jeannie C." My son is a brilliant chap, but he inherited my sick, evil, sarcastic sense of humor - squared. He was a great Stan fan, even in High School, though he had to keep it a dark secret from his contemporaries, who would have laughed at him for liking folk music (this was the '80s, not the '90s.)

But I told you that to tell you this: One time we had Stan's recording of the Jeannie C. playing, and when he sang "..John Price is drowned and slipped away..." My son interjected "...so we can split his sandwich."

I've never been able to take the song seriously since. It is a great song, so it's a shame.

Re Scarlet Ribbons: I think it's improved by singing it to the melody of "Bury Me Beneath the Willow." But there I go again.