GUEST,S O'P (Astray): 'It's not even a proper folk song'. Even if it's roots lie in America and it has been Anglicised it relates back to historical events relayed above by Dave Bridge. Just because it is, in the grand scale of things a relatively modern song doesn't mean it is not a proper folk song. There are 'proper' folk songs being written today!

Darowyn & Murray MacLeod: don't be too precious about subject matter of a song, how many traditional songs do we sing dealing with murder, rape, theft, etc etc. we all sing them, but it doesn't mean we condone the subject matter. As Dave Bridge rightly says, given events at those two mines, the reaction to a blackleg seems to me to be understandable.

I appreciate that there are always going to be some things that will really hit a nerve with some people, but I take the view that I will sing a song even though I may not agree with views or events expressed if I can justify it from a 'historical' perspective. If I didn't do that, I'd lose half my repertoire!