Really, the only problem is that many people come to the subject having only heard one example of a song; typically a recorded arrangement made by their favourite professional performer. As a result, they are likely to assume that there is only one form of it, and that there must, de facto, be "sheet music" or "chords" to be got; and that it is entirely unnecessary for them to tell us anything at all about the song they want information on. Presumably, from their point of view, we must already know all that. After all, they do.

Yes, I think a lot of it is like that. I just think it's especially odd as an expectation at a forum where oral transmission is so much the thing.

The rest, I guess, can't be discussed intelligently much farther without getting into the whole "what is folk" thing. Uh-oh-- now I've said it--- here we go, again. Sorry!

~Susan