An interesting post, WLD. And I am aware that you appreciate much of what Carthy does. However, much as Carthy has his heart in older material, he did rewrite The Begging Song to reflect Thatcherite Britain, and he has sung songs about relatively recent military conflicts such as the Falklands and Iraq/Kuwait. And Heartbreak Hotel comes not from a time of kings and maidens but a period of intense activity on the motorbike front!

Broom, broom!