its when it comes to the practice of songwriting and performing that the shit starts to hit the fan.

think of MacColl with his 'trembling heart of a captive bird' and wide and wasteful ocean. think of Steve Knightley's 'this land is barren and broken'.....
this is the language of poetry , not folksong. folksong is more like the popsongs that get people singing. the language is spare and disciplined. like the best of dylan, before he decided he wanted to be Ezra Pound referencing folksong rather than using them as blueprints.

think of my father in law Harold Walker. he started going to folk clubs because his daughter married me. Harold was a factory worker, miner....a not unintelligent member of class that gave you all the folksongs that you say you value.

One night he takes his wife to the local folk club. Both are utterly bewildered by singing style and songs on offer from one Peter Bellamy.

these are people who have sat and enjoyed MacColl and Seeger.

the traddies are sure they've got it right, i'm equally sure they haven't. however they have all the power and prestige of the press, the university system, the bbc. i still think they've got it wrong.