'the plays the thing' - and frankly so is the music-can't say I am interested in where it comes from -I tend to sing traditional english music because I like the sound and the pace not because of what it is or where it came from - pretty much the same philosophy as I use for liking or disliking people really. perhaps the songs that should survive are those that aren't so easily identified like that popular Irish song Fiddler's Green which is actually from Lincolnshire. Tradition song is all very well but its a little like the royal family --in danger of losing it's relevance -take for example shanty festivals -full of folk singers but how many living breathing fishermen? none. Music shoud move on, become less nationally defined and opened out to others-(I do draw the line however, when someone asked us if we knoew any Bon Jovi at our Sunday session!)