Dink's song was quite interesting. Initially collected by Lomax from a womam called Dink, washing clothes and living in a tent on the banks of the Brazos River.

In the 1960's the catchy chorus was used as the basis of a song by numerous flash acoustic guitarists and the narrators sex was frequently changed.

It was a golden time for acoustic guitarists - many of the greatest folk style players emerged at that point. they harnessed the power of a folksong into another more fashionable form.

Really in a way - you need look no further than Bob Dylan - who used franklin, Lord randall, Nottanum Town and others- to make existentialist and political statements. Another reshaping of folksong for contemporary values. Tom Paxton used The Limerick rake for The High Sherriff of Hazard.

That's what an artist does. Re-shape and re-ignite the power within the song. this business of being a curator of tradition and not changing anything - well it has its adherents - lets leave it at that. I don't want to kick that hornet's nest over.