wee little drummer has a good point,the people that popularise [or sing the songs] are as important as the songbooks themselves,both need each other.
Martin Carthy states elsewhere,under the subject of style[the songs only come to life when there is intraction between the audience and the singer,and Ithink people 25 years ago hearing what has happenned to the music since would in general,be pleasurably surprised],he also says.[if you change the old singers song drastically you may well lose what attracted you to the song in the first place.At the same time,whilst Ihave learned from a recording of Thomas Moran,or Walter Pardon,I know that the music cannot help but change and evolve by a gradual process].
I have the original Penguin book,so at the moment I dont need to buy the revised copy.
Wee Little Drummer is absolutely right to object to the offensive tone of Malcolm Douglas ,if a poster cannot offer another point of view, without being called disturbed and in need of therapy,it is a sad day for freedom of speech.
However I disagree with WLD about Daniel o Donnells role as an ambassador or promoter of folk music,although his point about the singers [popularisers] promoting,performing and interpreting the songs is Important.