Interesting examples, Ruth and Diane. If I were an argumentative type, I could point out that Rigs of the Times is a protest about 'Rip-Off Britain' rather than about poverty (it would sit quite well in The Sun), and that the accompanying notes on Cox's Topic CD set mention that "contrary to popular opinion, overt protest songs such as this are not common in the English tradition". Or that The Thresherman, whilst undoubtedly describing hardship, climaxes in an unlikely act of philanthropy on the part of the rich squire. But I'm not suggesting that there are *no* songs describing poverty, only that they don't occur as frequently in tradition as might be expected (and the publicity blurb above claims).

"stereotypical, stagey-bumpkin ditties...."

Personally, Diane, I heartily loathe both Buttercup Joe and The Farmer's Boy as songs. My point was that they were and are popular with country singers, whatever you or might think.

"Roy Harper's A Touch on the Times contains songs of social change...."

Roy Palmer's book contains mostly broadside material. I would like to believe that kind of thing was widely sung, but there's precious little evidence of that - and much of it is well nigh unsingable anyway.

"Fornication with fairies and other imaginary, dead and mythical objects is omnipresent, not only among late Victorians and Edwardians but throughout musical/literary history."

Maybe, but what about traditional singers? It's all to easy for people, from F. J. Child to the recent 'folk revival', to get carried away with romantic ideas about 'the tradition', but sometimes you have to remind yourself of (to coin your phrase) "what is actually there". 'Tam Lin', terrific tale though it is, has been a favourite of literature professors and folk revivalists, not of Sharp's informants or the likes of Harry Cox. Sharp is fair game for reappraisal, but if we are going to criticize his methods it makes no sense to be equally, or even more, fanciful in our notions about the English singing tradition.

". . . and just to drag it back onto topic"

OK, OK, I'll leave you alone now. Only please tell me you don't regard the first paragraph quoted by Newsbearer in the first posting as accurate!