OK Bert - can I buy it? Of course it would be something to have a version on each one - I thought several of the tunes to the ballads were lost...

I too have seen references to Bronson - I found "The Ballad As Song" Berkeley: U oc California, 1969 through bibliofind (don't know if I'll get it - haven't gotten confirmation from the store that they still have it - darn).

Haven't heard of the Niles book but I'll check it out. Sounds great.

The tunes in child vol 5 are certainly great historically, but not much musically - John Davis has sequenced a couple of arrangements based on them for me. I myself can't do anything with them. When I win the lottery I'm going to take music lessons - then in about 20 years I might have some skill (good thing the women in my family are long lived).

Actually someone from the UK sent me an e-mail wanting to sell a Dover edition of Child. (I bought a battered but really cool set of Jamieson from her). If anyone is interested e-mail me and I'll pass her name and e-mail on. I don't think she's found a buyer yet.