When a contributor to this board automatically assumes that I am middle class just because I happen to like (and sing) traditional songs I would say that, yes, that person is "class-obsessed"! I also believe that that persons hypothesis that the middle classes have hi-jacked the workers' music is absurd. Yes, WLD, this refers to you!

My view is that class still 'matters' in this country and that it is a matter of great concern. I also deplore the fact that there is a widening gap between rich and poor and that social mobility has been drastically reduced since I was a lad (mid to late 60s). Nevertheless, the fact that a few enthusiasts still sing old songs that, in the past, were often (though not exclusively) sung by working people is not, in any way, relevant to this debate. If we all stopped singing old songs tomorrow the 'workers' (whoever they are these days!) would NOT automatically fashion a wonderful new folk culture - there are much more powerful forces active in our society which would tend to work against that happening.