In a way all the theorising is in vain. Future generations, living lives undreamed of and in circumstances unimaginable will surely decide what is folksong. Just as our generation has made its mind up about what constitutes folksong - living lives so different from the four loom weaver and the farmers who sang about the darby ram and the Lincolnshire poacher.

All we can do is what we believe to be right - but who really knows?