Yes the song forum site is useful. I was familiar with the childlaw talk. It is a source for my forthcoming book.

I have worked with Martin Graebe who came to visit me a few years back. He is a brilliant source of all kinds of things specializing in Baring-gould materials. He is responsible for the forum site.

Good that you mentioned wassail- I challenge anyone to find any reference to moderate or low level consumption of alcohol in the many many historical accounts of wassail.

I fear that folk music has fallen into the hands of a rather cromwellian puritanical group. Perhaps this has something to do with alternative lifestyles and focus upon sexual activity in modern society. I have seen a revival in our area of bawdy song nights.... Perhaps these alternative types, oft found in folklore circles (great people they are too) encountered the relationship between alcohol and "brewers droop" which I can see as spoiling some fun. So perhaps as sexuality has taken more of a center stage alcohol is seen as a threat.

Many of you would do best giving up contemplating your own contempoary practice navels and study some folklore.

Conrad