yeh you should know all those songs - pay attention to what is said to be the sources.

but if you hear a really shit version - even if some idiot tells you its as authentic as The Bible - think to yourself - this is not why this piece of work has been remembered - there must be something else, I'm missing. The substance has somehow escaped me.

your real problem is likely to be - hearing some ninety year old reprobate singing a song and thinking. I've made a mistake, this is total crap, and no wonder its been forgotten - its rubbish! I will not dedicate my life to this shite.

For example compare The Cruel Mother sa sung by Cecilia Costello., an old Irish lady who lived in Brum. This is a song which every Irish group doing the Irish music gig circuit does.

Focus not on the original singer, but the genius who sorted this out as a crowd pleaser. for this is the man who gave it immortality.

Creativity belongs to the artists - not the curators of tradtion - whatever self important fucking nonsense they come up with on mudcat.