please understand..*smile*,,,I'm not trying to put anyone down. But the question was asked "How old is a trad song", and I'm speaking toward how it might be approached so as to have SOME general understanding and agreement....it is not crucial that is be '50 years' or be known by 67.215% of all singers...just that there is 'some' sense that a song can't be called 'folk', 'trad', or 'classic' simply beacuse it sells a million copies or is a cult favorite of some group.

That's why Alice was bemused by Humpty-Dumpty's attempt to over work his words...(He did say he paid them overtime when he made them do extra duty..*grin*)