His name was Jimmy Adnapoz Zimmerman Miller and I refer you to the
old folksong from the Forties, "There's No Business Like Show Business".

Shakespeare was probably wrong. Everything is in a name.

And as for the epithet "charlatan" if it were to be generally applied to those in folk music, a lot of people would be held to judgement. I know a few folks who put their name on the copyright
of tunes that they may not have written themselves.

500 Miles, There's A Meeting Here Tonight, Tom Dooley,(does anyone really believe Frank Profitt wrote it?), You Are My Sunshine and others. This would make an interesting thread.

Don't know what Ewan wrote or didn't but he was a great balladeer
and should be recognized and honored for such. And a great showman.
I think he did write Springhill Mine Disaster, and Go Down You Murderers. Did he write Shoals of Herring? Or was it adapted?

You'd have to say the same for old John Jacob Niles who didn't write
"Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" lyrics but probably adapted or created the tune he sang.

Jean Ritchie never sued Dylan for the tune of Masters of War but it would be hard to do because Nottamun Town was traditional.

Did Paul Simon steal Scarborough Fair from Davy Graham? Or did he create a Canticle? See, it gets hairy.

Then there's Dylan who took tunes from tradition as did Woody,
Leadbelly (Kisses Sweeter Than Wine) and rewrites of Irish tunes
such as Patriot's Game.

Igor Stravinsky said something to the effect of why plagarize tunes when you can steal them outright?


Frank Hamilton