Ron et al, I think you may have been thrown off by the way I phrased my argument. I never said, nor meant to say these songs shouldn't be sung, or shouldn't be sung in a different way, or any of those things. Folk music, BY DEFINITION, is not static, it is the continued enjoyment of and performance of folk songs. What I object to is that this film in its essenc and in its hype by studio and critic portrays these performances as 'the real thing', as 'real American roots'. I also think perormers who are still around should be given an opportunity to perform thier own songs, and get some larger exposure for them, but that is a minor point. 'Paper Moon' was a pretty fair movie, not great, but the soundtrack was great, vintage recordings. Woody Allen has done some great, funny movies using real recordings, Dennis Potter, who was a genius, did it best in his films, and even the American remake of 'Pennies from Heaven' was great, especially as to its use of music, some period, some 'done up' for the film. many people got turned on th Scott Joplin and his music from 'The Sting' soundtrack, which was a weak approximation of his style. A good thing seems to me. As to humor, John Hartford wrote some very funny songs in an old time traditional style, they will probably live on, where as the clever cutesy too contemporar stuff of Christine Lavin and the like, even John Prine, etc. will not be remembered or performed. and finally, O brother must be 'pop' because it is so popular. It is not folk, it is not old time, it is not bluegrass, both of which are rooted in folk. It is contemporary adult, perhaps, which is not folk.