Hi Julie,
I think it was just the sheer joy of being able to sing something other than hymns in school. I remember it fondly. Having become a folksinger with a lot of pretty rough songs in my repertoire (at one point even including the even worse English relative of Streets of Laredo) it amuses me that I have very fond memories of 'Once there was a wild rose gay' by an operatic female singer, and pieces like Marianina and songs in other languages. Also the very first song I sang in a folk club in about 65 was the version of 'Sally Brown' from ST memories.