As I've mentioned earlier, the Holy Modal Rounders gave the finger to the folk music Olde Guard. Lyrics weren't sacrosanct, melodies could be appropriated, and enthusiasm was paramount. The HMR said "We ARE the folk, and this is how we do it!" Not really, I'm guessing, with the various drugs involved -- they seem like a band who fell into their approach to the folk tradition.
And to some, their "approach" was more like an attack: reckless abandon lyrically (if they didn't know the words, they'd substitute sometimes random, sometimes bawdy variations -- "Black Eyed Susie" anyone ?!?)
Lots of 'trad. arr.' on their first 2 LPs, or as the liner notes list it, "trad err": ("The Holy Modal Rounders" and...wait for it... "The Holy Modal Rounders 2"). Love "Flop Eared Mule" from HMR2 -- they get the lyrics wrong at one point, but soldier on. Brilliant!
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