Trying to trace who wrote sonmgs is probably a pretty uphill struggle - on the other hand, finding out who were the repositaries of traditional songs from whom particular versions of the songs were first collected, and who were the collectors who got hold of the songs - that is more readily achievable. And much of the time these crucial roles have been filled by women.

The distinction between making up a song and retrieving it from memory and passing it on, is not as straightforward as people think. I think most singers when they can't remember a line or a verse, will cobble something together. And when you don't feel comfortable with a line, you find yourself remembering it differently. So I think it's true that many of the elements of traditional singing that are most precious may have been shaped by the person from whom they were collected.