The Blacksmith (Andy Irvine) - Chris Thile & Band | Live from Here 

Singing an English traditional song.

In my experience, it's been more common in Irish folk traditions than in American folk to leave the gender pronouns "as is." With the caveat that this is entirely speculation, beyond the puritanical American "hang-ups" around gender, I think it's more common when Americans cover a song that they feel a need to "make it their own," and thus perhaps they feel that switching the gender pronouns aids in the molding of the song to their lived experience. Whereas, in the Irish folk tradition, there's less of a sense of "ownership" over these traditional songs that get passed down. The song isn't necessarily about their personal lived experience as much as it is about the shared experiences of their people and culture, though the songs do contain relatable themes about the human condition. I'm basing this speculation on the fact that I was born and raised in the U.S. and over time I've noticed that our culture tends to place a lot more emphasis on the individual than the collective, especially compared to other cultures.

@@johnrake6692 That's really interesting! I've definitely noticed it seems more prevalent when covering a pop song to change the gender (and I remember being suggested to do that when I was studying jazz standards, too). But I prefer it when artists don't do that because the song doesn't have to be the singer's life story.

@@johnrake6692 'The Blacksmith' is a traditional English song - and it would have been sung without accompaniment and with the lyrics as written whether sung by a man or a woman.

Yes, it is.

Yes, but this is very good. Great songs should be done again.

I think I have a recording of that somewhere. They mashed up Crooked Jack with The Blacksmith.

Your right that is it. Thanks

This is the song Chris sang, while Sara sang Crooked Jack. I know that it was two songs being sung at the same time. Now I know what they are.

LOL which one? They did two completely different version ... one from Hark! The Village Wait and one from Please to See the King. Your comment about staying pure cracks me up since Steeleye were a folk rock band ... which is about as far away from being pure as you can get.

@@jsimes1 Unless sung unaccompanied no version is 'pure'.

@@YorkyOneAnd even that isn’t necessarily ‘pure’. (Indeed the whole concept of ‘pure’ being applied to the oral tradition is a bit barmy really.)

@@qwafgjolmfpjbfszxgg1142 I was thinking more about the performance. But yes, in the context of traditional song, 'pure' is nonsense.