Thank you again for all of your input and opinions. I have lots of folk songs, because I've been singing folk music for....well, many years.
I was not very specific. We started by studying a couple of ballads--Edmund Fitz and Erlking. The resulting discussions showed that the students are interested in stories containing ghosts, death, gore--and I commented that I know a lot of songs with those things in them. I thought of some of the pop songs of the 60's--Teen Angel, and so forth. I would like to look at some other genres that sing of the death of a loved one. St. James' Infirmary is another example.
What I need help with is picking the corners of your brain and coming up with various genres and time periods.

Another note: The Grey Cock is indeed a night-visiting song. The lover is dead. Sorry, Malcom, but I disagree with you.

Thank you Charley, for the Soldier's Revelry. I'll nose around and see if I can find a melody.

Susanne, I will follow up on your suggestions. Thanks again, everybody. Meanwhile, I told my class what I had been doing and they were quite pleased that you took the time to answer on their behalf. I thank you, too.