G'day again Mark,

I have always suspected that both Mick McGuire and Hot Asphalt were scurrilous English libels on the Irish, dating from the Music Hall period and using an older traditional Irish tune. That was confirmed recently by notes on Hot Asphalt that identify the tune as Napoleon Crossing the Rhine. The Irish were quite partial to Napoleon ... he didn't like the English either!

Re questions to John Dengate: if you have any queries, float them past me as I will be talking to John (who lives not far away)about some music and chords for his songs ... and raising the possibility of a third songbook (My Shout! - yet again?.

Regards,

Bob Bolton