If closeness to the "common element", is so damned important, than the folk community should stop associating themselves with the image of a dove and adopt that of a pigeon for this day and time. What is a dove, anyway, but an elitist pigeon. I realize there were not that many songs back in Sharp's time about pigeons, but, maybe a lonesome turtle pigeon would make a suitable compromise for the current age. Or maybe:

O, the starling in the morning,
she rises from her.....

Kind of like that.

Then us Folkies could have it both ways, identifying with both the common AND the abundant, and be at one with an image befitting today's poor immigrants and transports and lonesome travellers.

Of course, we need more than Tom Lehrer and "The King Of Rome" to work with, but there's plenty of songwriting talent out there and a chance at immortality. And if you're good, in the end they might reward you with an outdoor statue in order for you to stay as one with the "common element" for life.

Hey, a working class hero ain't easy to be.