From: Joseph C Fineman Subject: The Erotic Music To: cray@bcf.usc.edu Message-Id: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Status: RO X-Status: A Dear Mr Cray: I am delighted to hear that you are preparing a new edition of your classic compilation. However, I was surprised to see your solicitation on the folk_music mailing list and not on the rec.music.folk Usenet newsgroup, where it is sure to receive far more replies & where in fact a good deal of bawdry has appeared from time to time. If you do not yet subscribe to that newsgroup, you will surely find it helpful. I will make a compilation of the bawdy songs I happen to have on disk and send it to you presently. If you will send me a snailmail address, I'll send you photocopies of some unusual versions of songs that I learned at St Andrews University in Scotland in 1958-9. In your first edition you give the date of _Songs of Raunch and Ill Repute_ as "circa 1960". In fact it came out in May 1958, while I was a senior at Caltech. I supplied some of the texts, but did not participate in its production, which is why there are so many typos in it. I later heard that the following year the compilers were stopped for a traffic offense & found with a stack of copies in the back seat of the car. They had been so incautious as to print a price on the cover, and so they were obviously guilty of intent to sell. In order not to force them to miss any classes (thereby endangering their careers, the progress of science, and the national survival), they were put in jail for all the weekends of the spring term. Such was the quality of justice & of mercy in 1959. Enjoy, Joe Fineman jcf@world.std.com 239 Clinton Road (617) 731-9190 Brookline, MA 02146