Ok, so it's just one person's opinion -- but I think Ashokan Farewell should be left as a tune and not sung -- the tune itself speaks to you and leaves the words to your own interpretation -- lets each listener/player bring his/her own meaning and experiences to the tune.

I will say that I am primarily a singer and tend to want words to everything. I have heard several versions of words for the tune, and for me, the words lessen the impact of the tune. Another point is that the range of the melody is enormous by folk standards and few singers can carry it off well without drawing attention away from the tune and to the "voice".

Now Lover's Waltz, which at times I love more than Ashokan Farewell -- would be really beautiful with the right words. But again, would the words do the tune justice?