Yankee doddle was a drinking song... Macaroni, meaning all done up fancy... a real ad homminum comment on colonial revolutionaries, a number of broken token songs are about press gangs - the slavery of the British navy, and yes there are many songs about the thrill and joy of the chase, but dont forget the penalty for killing the kings deer for a lot of our forebearers... Often we forget the political message because years make the references obscure, Did you know that the Johnney Faa ballads where about the Scotish genocide of Romanichales under James? Johnney Faa was the cheiftain of the Scotish Gypsies, when it was decreed that they must leave Scotland or the men would be hanged and the women and children drowned - and they were... thus all these strange little songs about Johnney ransoming a woman here or there, were songs about genocide. At the time they were as clear in their message as - dump the bosses off our backs, to tip a hat to Utah Phillips.
Yes, we who come from singing families have a first duty to entertain, but, we also inherit a living historical tradition and role as the chronicalers of our age. I dont believe traditional music will survive in tact as a musium piece, because it will become irrelivant. Part of the chronical may be pastoral and intimate, but why is this generation so intent on censoring the public and political part of that chronical?
By the way... I must admit one of my favorite, hunting\courting songs, sung in pubs when the kiddies go to bed is The Bonney Black Hare... Lets get this thread really blazing by poseing the question, is that a political ballad! (he said with a grin)
Larry