The long ballads, as Barry was saying above, used to have a social, work, or educational function in addition to an entertainment function. The entertainment function is probably the only function that our general audience is now interested in, once we move beyond folk clubs or historical societies. It does seem a pity, given how much richer some of the longer ballads are.

I'm trimming down one of my favorite C. Fox Smith poems, "Old Fiddle," primarily because it breaks the 6-minute rule, but if enough people get interested in it I'd love to sing the W-H-O-L-E thing.

Anyone for another round of "Kilkelly Ireland"?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble