I interviewed Mike for my radio show the day after his birthday in January this year.

He told me that the story came from a newspaper cutting which he saw in a newspaper column called "This America" which he had read years ago and it stuck in his mind. Mike said the column was in the Daily Telegraph. (I think it is in fact the Daily Mail but since I get neither.....)

He wrote the song thirty years afterwards from his memory of that article and sang it to Martin Carthy as they drove to Manchester Airport. Martin said it was too long, but when he came back from America Martin had written an extra verse!!

In fact Martin had taken two half verses and added new words.

That's from Mike.