Dear Lanfranc

Some good points there about 'No Man's Land'. As it happens, I'm fond of the version by The Men They Couldn't Hang but that's just me.

Interesting point, however, about the phenomenon for songs by identified, living authours to get lumped together as 'trad. arr..' especially when people assume they're Irish songs. Lots of people still seem to asssume that the Irish invented traditional music and they are the only ones who've got any of it. i wonder if Nic Jones got anything out of Mary Black after she pinched 'Annachie Gordon' (yes, I know it's traditional) or 'Rose Of Allandale' (an English victorian poular song) or from Christy Moore for nicking his arangement of 'Little Musgrave'?

Before anyone starts, I'm Irish myself but I often feel quite embarrassed by the lack of interest on the part of many Irish singers as to the source of so many of these songs. Plus, of course, people get gipped out of royalties. Ask Jimmy Crowley...