This is what I think.
Songwriters like Ewan Maccoll,Anne Lister ,Dick Miles,or anyone else,if they are registered with PRS and MCPS,are entitled to every penny of royalties from radio /tv and live performances.Ewan Maccoll became rich from First Time ever[no1 in american pop charts]and rightly so.
Traditional arrangements,pay out much less,but the arrangement is still someones creative work,it is only the arrangement that is copyrighted],and the amount the arranger receives is tiny compared to that which a songwriter receives ,[imo] rightly so.
Jim Carroll, all this stuff about what Walter Pardon said to you in 1974,is irrelevant.,and your comments about Ewan are even more hilarious, while he was very generous with helping people with their research,as I know from my brothers experience with him [who was full of praise for Maccoll].
He [Ewan] could afford to say, what does it matter,when he was receiving thousands from First Time Ever,that is not the same for a songwriter who has not had a number one hit.,and needs every penny of his royalties,to pay the neXt bill
Jim,If you cant pay your rent your out on the street,thats the real world its tough and its nasty,you are very knowledgeable on the subject of collecting,but your out of your depth on this one.
Both the law and courtesy need to be observed,songwriters rights need to be protected,and also arrangers rights.I dont care a toss what Walter Pardon[however good a singer he was] said, since when has he been an expert on songwriters ,songwriting or the law..