I'm neither middle-class nor a graduate, I'm a fresh enthusiast who sings and thinks that the history adds interest - and indeed respect to the songs originators. If it doesn't add interest for someone else, there's no reason to sweat it? No-one's forcing anyone to write a thesis. I don't know a lot about the songs I sing to be honest - I check out some of the information available and store the bits that interest me away, much gets lost too (but like Lizzie, I'm not a walking archive either). But where I do read stuff about them, I like to know it's at least right. And I don't expect a lengthy lecture at a singing session either. Though some brief conversational intro's are indeed most engaging. I do however think, that professional recording artists have a degree of responsibility, to ensure that they get whatever historical facts they choose to publish about the songs they record, as up to date as possible (because the public will trust it's correct). Same care shown with key details as you would any piece of publishing surely? Mistakes will of course always be made, but that's not a very good excuse for willfully perpetuating them IMO, or indeed abandoning the history altogether as irrelevant. I don't know where Lizzies's coming from in her assertions that 'professors stole it off the peasants'. This entire thread seems daft - maybe they're a nicer bunch now? There's an argument being made out of no argument, or so it seems to me! Like I said, Lizzie's style makes me bloody laugh sometimes. Though I do wish she could back off the academic bashing. I don't see what her justifications really are, except that they can be grumpy old men at times - though usually amongst themselves. Then again, that makes me laugh too...
What is this thread all about? I'm off to skin me a ferret pelt bikini.