Anahata, I think if you and Mary ever tried to do the Hangman as a dirge there would be a mass uprising from the audiences! You've added a deliciously sinister flavour with the jolliness and stamped that song indelibly, you made it your own. Of course, you are allowed to inject varying levels of mirth as the mood takes you!

But now you opened up another trail of thought: I wonder if your version of the Hangman would have been equally well received 50 or 100 years ago; probably not as enthusiastically, is my guess; in the 50s peope were a tad too formalistic and serious about traditional song for this to happen. In other words, at any time there is something about the current times and environment that enables new interpretations to come forth and be enjoyed. There' that's my thesis - can I have the PhD?