Spencer the Rover is said by some to be about a wanderer who has had some kind of mental collapse.
Having studied workhouse vagrancy these people were common, expecially homeless soldiers back from war campaigns.
Contemporary songs might include The Dutchman, and Reg Meuross new song about Alzheimers, brian Dewhurst was the man who found the song Boys of Bedlam as adopted by Steeleye Span, crazy man michael is not a traditional song.