"I used to enjoy singing "Freeborn Man" till certain residents from a traveller site at the end of the industrial estate where I owned a unit broke in and stole tools, computers etc."

Yeah, I used to enjoy singing folk songs until some chav ate fried chicken on the same bus as me.

Jesus wept.



He would do if he were not a fictional character... However, my point was...

A wonderful song, full of evocative haunting beauty etc etc etc. But let's not forget, singing in the abstract is no problem at all. I have sung about Chile and the problems there in the early '70s but never been there.

However, romanticising a way of life that is abhorrent to people who choose to abide by society and it's restrictions, pay their taxes and keep the place clean and tidy who are fed up with freeloaders. Many would be bemused by a bloke in sandals and a guaranteed public sector pension telling us what a wonderful lifestyle it is. The romany culture McColl waffled on about is a history lesson now.

Still a beautiful song all the same. Just enjoy it in the abstract now...