The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #128012 Message #2862786
Posted By: Don(Wyziwyg)T
12-Mar-10 - 02:12 PM
Thread Name: What defines a traditional song?
Subject: RE: What defines a traditional song?
For Mudcat purposes, "traditional" whatever JC says it is.
Folk is whatever is enshrined within the 1954 definition, plus some "in the style of the tradition" new songs by composers whom JC respects, admires, or actually enjoys.
Anything else is lumped together as "Anything Goes", and is absolutely beyond the pale, and both "traditional", and "folk" should, if necessary be allowed to die, rather than be corrupted by the presence, in the same program, of music or song of which JC does not approve.
Those of us who write "in the style of the tradition", but are unknown to JC, should simply give it up and get a proper job.
Those of us who run folk clubs which fail to offer a written warranty of totally traditional content should do likewise.