Well said Joe, good common sense a usual.

It's the notion of validity or of being the 'real thing' that I have trouble with. If it works musically then that is all that matters to me, for it is music we are talking about.

The words to a song like 'The Mountains Of Mourne' are not traditional or from the tradition but are pure Music Hall, written by Percy French. That does not mean that the emotions created by the words (and it's wonderful tune) are any less than those created by a 150 year old ballad.

Bobby Bob, good points again.

As to what you were saying about the 'singers take' on a song. Could the version of Buddy Holly's 'Rave on', performed in a 'Young Tradition'/'Waterson's' fashion by Steeleye Span, some 20 years ago, be considered a traditional song?