Please don't tell me that I must follow the somewhat vague standards of the 1954 definition in order to "undertand" and thoroughly appreciate the songs and tunes I sing and play

I've no idea what you're talking about - can you explain? I mean, as far as I can see the 1954 definition is a way of telling one set of material from another. You've said that you play traditional material, so, er... what's the problem?