"I have it down to I think 19 verses with a fair bit of pruning.."

NINETEEN?????

Richard, people may have died of old age by the time you get to 17!

(methinks he's not going to be laughing at that one..)


Yes, I do write a load of old codswallop at times, but I think it's a backlash against the stultifying seriousness that surrounds so much English folk music. (Yes, I know I just lost 65 Brownie points for even referring to it as 'folk' music.)

I mean is it forbidden to be able to laugh in it's presence? Do you have to worship at the Holy Altar of Folk Music?

Gawd, I recall being in The Sealed Knot about a hundred years ago, and a chap started singing a song...30 minutes later, he was STILL singing it and most of the room had emptied, but he hadn't even noticed! It was one of those moments when you just knew you should have packed a shepherd's crook in your 17th century handbag.

Oh..and Richard, it took They Who Must Not Be Mentioned SIX years to say anything, despite one of them watching the BBC board for years...Shame they went over to The Traddie Side,(visions of a Star Wars Traditional Movie are now in my head) but heyho..

Come on, Richard, lighten up a little, eh? :0)