Slag,
Of course it's entertainment - but much, much more - that's what makes it unique.
Listen to Joe Heaney talking about what he expects out of his singing; or Paddy Tunney, or any of the great stylists. Listen to the incredible standard reached by some of the most 'ordinary' (for the want of a better word) people on Bert Lloyd's 'Folk music Virtuoso'.
Read what Sharp's singers had to say about the songs in Fox Strangeway's biography (chapter on collecting). Read gypsy woman, Phoebe Smith's moving statement on singing on the sleeve of her LP, or the introduction to Sheila Stewarts biography of her mother Belle, 'Queen Amang The Heather' where she talks about learning the ballads.
Conversations we've had with traditional singers, particularly Walter Pardon bear out that the songs went far beyond entertainment, and the demands that the singers, at their best, made on themselves, were far higher than many revival singers' expectations.
We've seen (and recorded) singers breaking down in the middle of a song, because of the level of involvement in what they are singing about.
I have never understood why 'art' and 'entertainment' should be contradictory objectives.
Doesn't a good painter, writer, musician, singer - whatever - 'enjoy' being skilful and producing something so beautiful that it might be considered 'art'? If you believe that traditional singers had no critical standard, you should listen to some of the West Clare singers talking about the 'greats' of the area, Tom Lenihan or 'Straighty' Flanagan.
On the other hand, aren't there bad and good entertainers?
Do we really believe that folksong, in the words of the early collectors, was as as "natural and instictive as birdsong".
I repeat MacColl's point:
"The objective, really for the singer is to create a situation where, when he starts to sing, he's no longer worried about technique, he's done all that, and he can give the whole of his or her attention to the song itself, she can give her or he can give his whole attention to the sheer act of enjoying the song".
can't gainsay that one - can you?
Jim Carroll