It seems to me Eppie Morrie is one of the very least interesting Child Balads, as is "Thomas Rymer." Bronson says of both, that looking at the way the words don't fit the music in these songs is a good indication they do not have traditional roots. So as ballad are sung to a square rythm, "marry me, marry me, minister, or else I'll be your priest" does not work, for it the phrase has no impact unless the word "your" is stressed, and it can't be, and not even McColl was able to cause that to make sense.

One is willing to listen to one of those ballads all the way through, because they gather steam like a freight train and end by standing your hair on end. Lamkin! The Twa Sisters! Wow! But Eppie Morrie is an artificial ballad and has no emotional punch. It does not cause anyone to care how it will end. Some Romantic sat down and wrote Eppie Morrie to be what he/she imagined a ballad to be, and somehow age has not improved it. And as to the feminist theme, "Broomfield Hill" has a very similar theme and is an infinitely better song.