Frank Hamilton,I agree with you,earlier today I was listening to a recording of Lady Diamond[The vinyl lp was for sale on folk yourself],with Martin Carthy playing guitar and I had forgotten that I had written a new tune for the ballad.
like Manifold I regard the music as a SKELETON, I know Iam not alone in Thinking like this,Andy Irvine put a new tune to Willy of the Winsbury,that has entered the folk tradition.,but of course without Childs published words,he could not have done so.
Finally might I say, how much I like the Penguin book of australian folksongs.