When old, long-dead threads are dragged back out of the peaceful grave where they ought to have remained, it is usually because somebody has wandered in here via an external search engine and hasn't bothered to have a little look around to see what else might have been said on the subject. Frequently they just want to promote a recording of the song they have recently made (as in this case); sometimes they also bestow upon us a little pearl of wisdom that is old news to most.

The next thing that happens, sadly, is that enthusiastic people bounce in, salivating like Garfield's friend Odie, and re-post everything that is already in all the other, more recent, discussions (and often enough in the DT as well). Usually they also re-post all the misunderstandings and misinformation that have been painstakingly dealt with elsewhere; we then have to try to put things straight all over again.

Jim Carroll, as usual, has made a useful and informative comment. 'Villan' has repeated old news, while 'Muttley', whoever he or she may be, has merely displayed aggressive ignorance. There is not, and never has been, a 'Soalin' tradition. The Souling tradition, however, is well-known. It belongs to the Hallowe'en period, and that is when it happens. 'Muttley' may be confused by the fact that PP&M cobbled together several unrelated songs belonging to different traditions, and different times of the year.

It is unwise to base an analysis of a traditional custom that takes place in somebody else's country on a limited understanding of a commercial recording made by somebody who also clearly had no knowledge or experience of that custom.

Again, I recommend a look at the other threads linked to at the top of this page.