I was "continuing the tradition" when I wrote of the sex, drugs and hang ups of being a teenager.

I doubt they were in the traditional style though. And certainly in the punk genre.

I mention this because I am reading one person convinced that it has to reflect people's lives and feelings to be folk, (that makes 98% of all songs folk..) another that it has to he about working lives, another that it has to be unaccompanied, another that it has to be pleasing to the ear of people who think they like folk...

And then we have Jim. If I get this right, in order to be folk in his opinion it cannot be copyrighted and he has to have interviewed someone who couldn't or wouldn't play instruments.

News for you Jim. 99% of people around the world who like folk music? They haven't even heard of Walter Pardon and doubt a committee sitting before they were born is relevant when it comes to pigeon holing a musical genre.

People who write folk songs have a good idea what their public like, and whilst difficult to pin down, recognise it.

And yes, many old songs of heritage status can make good songs. Many are even entertaining for a wide audience but collection based singing is not always a spectator sport.