Many thanks to Brian and Jim for such considered and well structured answers.

I am frequently reminded of a saying from Dale Carnegie's book - how to win friends and influence people - 'no one evr kicked a dead dog'.

I'm pretty sure most of the texts discussed will stimulate thought and discussion for many years ahead. Even those we may not agree with.

The elephant in the room of course is without denying folksong at one time had a shelf life, why do so few people relate to it and what it expresses?

i remember as a young man seeing a surrealist painting. People standing round at a cocktail party apparently not noticing an express train headed through tunnel in the centre of the mantle piece. It seemed to me at the time a damn good metaphor for the folkscene in Exeter in the 1960's Down at The Jolly Porter every Tuesday, there seemed to be an express train of traditional folksong headed through the room, totally indifferent to how the modern world had dissociated itself.

as I look down the topics of mudcat , i see several of the songs we sang at the Jolly Porter fifty odd years ago.

The truth it seems to me is that we are all embarked on a voyage that we do not fully comprehend. Quite early on I can remember someone dissing the work of the Hammonds because, (forgive me if my memory has deserted me) they transcribed lyrics and not melodies.

Is the squabbling productive or necessary? if we are truly embarked on a campaign to preserve something of our folk heritage, that is.