Don T. seems to have things well under control. He speaks true, even if it is over the heads of some people.

As to my current project, it's not a matter of learning a ballad in the sense of just memorizing the words and tune. I'm trying to learn Sir Patrick Spens, one of the oldest of the classic ballads.

I've shied away from it because, although I've heard it sung a number of times by various people, the melodies have all sounded vaguely inappropriate. I DID hear it once, sung at an end-of-school-year get-together and party of the students in Dr. David C. Fowler's "English and Scottish Popular Ballads" class at the University of Washington. It was sung by Dr. Fowler himself, and it was spellbinding! The ominous story was set to a rather eerie tune.

My big mistake was in not asking Dr. Fowler at the time where he learned that particular tune. So I'm on a quest.

I shall probably take this question "above the belt" where folks are talking about music, a more appropriate place than here.

Anyway, if one wants to do it right, there is more to learning a ballad than just memorizing the words and tune.

Don Firth

P. S. Now, back to our regular program of screaming and throwing things.