Why did Ewan MacColl write new songs?

Subject: RE: Why did Ewan MacColl write new songs?
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 06 May 05 - 02:04 PM

Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger always charged more than other folk singers around the folk clubs during their performing years and in return they always gave full value for money. In one of the coversations with MacColl when I was present he defended their fee by saying that he was a union man and therefore he worked for the best union rates - something I'm sure we all strive to do. I certainly never complined about paying to hear MacColl and Seeger(I paid twenty odd quid for my wife and I to see Peggy last October)or paying him his fee at the end of a night. But songwriting for money? I don't think that he wrote "Fields of Vietnam", "China Rag" or "Brother Did You Weep?" with one eye on the dollar.

Subject: RE: Why did Ewan MacColl write new songs?
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 06 May 05 - 02:35 PM

"Yes but getting paid for something isn't the same as doing it for money"
Pardon ?   I'm sorry but you will need to explain that for me.

Subject: RE: Why did Ewan MacColl write new songs?
From: GUEST,Allen
Date: 06 May 05 - 02:59 PM

Let's see if I can explain this.
I'm writing a novel. I would be delighted if it were published, I'd get paid of course, but that's not why I'm writing it. It's because I feel I have a story to tell.

Subject: RE: Why did Ewan MacColl write new songs?
From: Kim C
Date: 06 May 05 - 03:03 PM

People who write songs do it for the same reason they have to pee - i.e., there's something in there that has to come out.

Subject: RE: Why did Ewan MacColl write new songs?
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 06 May 05 - 10:17 PM

Amen, Kim C. Absopositiv-eye-lootly. Hit THAT nail square on its head.                        Tw

Subject: RE: Why did Ewan MacColl write new songs?
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 May 05 - 11:24 PM

Because he wanted or needed too?

Subject: RE: Why did Ewan MacColl write new songs?
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 07 May 05 - 09:18 AM

Alan

If you write a book because you have a story to tell and it gets published then you are doing it for money.

If you write a book not wanting monetary reward and not expecting to get it published then the story will not get told. This means I guess that you are doing it for self satisfaction. Now isn't that what a certain cockney above suggested with regard to MacColl? - not that I agree with him I might add.

Hoot

Subject: RE: Why did Ewan MacColl write new songs?
From: GUEST,Allen
Date: 07 May 05 - 11:08 AM

The story gets told by getting out there on paper. If I get paid- marvellous, I won't complain.
It's not the motive though.