Numbering Scheme and Cross References
The purpose of the index is to give each song a unique identifying number. The numbers were assigned on a more or less arbitrary basis, and are not intended to carry any significance in themselves. However, because of the practicalities of compiling the index (building on previously published sources) it is true as a general rule that older and better-known songs tend to occupy low numbers, while songs which are obscure have higher numbers.
Closely related songs are grouped under the same Roud number.
If a trusted authority gives the name of a song but not the words it is assigned Roud number 000.
The Index cross references to the Childs Ballad number, if one is available for the particular song in question. It also includes, where appropriate, the so-called Laws number, a reference to a system of codification of folk songs using one letter of the alphabet and up to two numeric digits, developed by G Malcolm Laws jnr in the 1950s.
Read more about this topic: Roud Folk Song Index
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