Not a chance, Friend Fielding!!!!! Why do I get this mental image of my cyber buddy Rick sitting at his keyboard chuckling right now??

I must say that I am always amused when I hear the comment "Let's stay with the music, people........." in a forum on folk music forum. Folk music is always inspired by the lives of people (folks) and the events that affect them. And those that think this is a phenomenon of the 60's are misinformed. Music has always been used to comment on political events of the day. Gutheries best music were his songs that commented on issues. Irish and Scottish folk music has always had a large body of political commentary. My opinion is that the thing that makes the Mudcat distinct is its diverse opinions and respectful discussion of issues. These discussions are so valuable because they lend context to the songs we sing. Otherwise they are just words on a page.

Want to know how valuable they are? Go back and do a forum search on the following titles. Read the threads all the way through. Sometimes they start slow and develope, but they are a primer on the Mudcat and why we need discussion of controversial ideas. It is what instructs us in our roles as bards of the modern era. I would not want the 'Cat to be exlusively or even majorly a discussion forum on issues. It is a music Forum. But I feel it is these discussions, with a healthy dose of friendship and respect that keeps our town unique. Check out some of these and others and you will know what I mean.

Has anyone the Courage Now?
Why We Sing
Man From The RUC
Back Home in Derry
Cheer me up, Please
Self Righteous Prats
Banned Songs
Loyalist (Ulster) songs
Songs about the Vietnam War
James Connolly/Lochnagar

There are many more threads that you could check out, these are just recollections.

Mick