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What are the most popular folk song? |
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Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Genie Date: 02 Oct 06 - 01:32 PM Well, Clinton, we could rehash the whole lengthy "What is folk music?" discussion, I guess. But I hope most people will recognize that many songs we now accept as part of our "folklore" or "folk tradition" once had known authors (and maybe still do) and were played, sung, and even published for profit. Plus, the tunes and words to popular songs often get modified as they turn into songs the kids sing around a campfire. As for what folk songs are most "popular" as opposed to "best known," I really think that varies a lot from region to region. "Roll On, Columbia" is probably more popular in the Pacific Northwest than in Appalachia. Here on the west coast, I find some of John Prine's and Malvina Reynolds's or Kate Wolf's songs very popular in the folkie crowd. E.g.: Paradise Across The Great Divide Give Yourself To Love Flag Decal Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness Little Boxes But then, so are some Northeasterners' songs such as Gordon Bok's " Isle Au Haut Lullabye" and Dave Mallett's "The Garden Song." Some of Joni Mitchell's classics are also very popular and well known, such as "Both Sides Now" and "The Circle Game." And, although he's not "folk," a lot of "folkies" know and love many of Hank Williams's songs (Jambalaya, Your Cheatin' Heart, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Hey Good Lookin', I Saw The Light, etc.). Q: Is "country" necessarily further removed from "folk" than "popular" or "rhythm & blues" is? (Oh, wait. I probably shouldn't open a can of worms like that in this thread.) ;-D |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Scoville Date: 02 Oct 06 - 12:58 PM Ha! I have an aunt named Eileen and we always deliberately sang it "Goodnight, Eileen". Took me years to learn it the proper way. We must have grown up on the same wavelength. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Clinton Hammond Date: 02 Oct 06 - 12:50 PM Heh.... Popular FOLK song.... That's funny! |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Genie Date: 02 Oct 06 - 12:41 PM LOL, Scoville. You just reminded me, one place to find commonly-known songs is Sesame Street. Of course, they also use some songs composed just for the show and other recently-written children's songs, but I've heard them do former pop (broadly construed) hits that have made their way into our shared 'folk trove' such as "Catch A Wave" (Beach Boys), "Doggie In The Window," and "Three Little Fishies." I should add a few more to the well-known "folk" songs list: When The Saints Go Marching In Michael, Row The Boat Ashore This Land Is Your Land Puff, The Magic Dragon Roll On, Columbia Goodnight, Irene 16 Tons Banana Boat (Day-O) Hey, Good Lookin' Wimoweh (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Scoville Date: 02 Oct 06 - 11:43 AM Oh, my Lord, Genie--I think I sang ALL of those in elementary school. We also did a little dance to "Jamaica Farewell", of all things, complete with the bottle of rum part. I guess parents were less squeamish in the Eighties. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Genie Date: 02 Oct 06 - 11:07 AM If you go to your local library and look up "folk music" books or CDs, you'll find a motley collection, including compilations by the late Tom Glazer and other collectors. As to what songs are commonly known and sung, that does vary widely depending on location, ethnicity, etc. Here are a few songs I find just about everyone knows (can sing along with) in just about any song circle or sing-along I find on the west coast of the US: Will The Circle Be Unbroken The Last Thing On My Mind (Tom Paxton) Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Me & Bobby McGee (Kris Kristofferson) Amazing Grace Red River Valley The Wabash Cannonball Tennessee Waltz (pop song from 1951) Take Me Home, Country Roads (sung by John Denver) Leaving On A Jet Plane (as recorded by PP&M) Blowing In The Wind (Bob Dylan) Danny Boy Tom Dooley Sloop John B You Are My Sunshine Over The Rainbow (from The Wizard Of Oz) Hard Times Come Again No More Edelweiss (from Sound Of Music) (Of course on some of these songs, it's just the chorus that everyone knows.) In Jewish-American communities everybody knows Hava Nagila and Tumbalalaika (the chorus anyway) and Havenu Shalom Aleichem, for example, as well as Sunrise, Sunset (from Fiddler On The Roof). Mexican-American groups will know Cielito Lindo, De Colores, La Bamba, etc. (I lead sing-alongs in a variety of settings and it's not unusual for a group to be heavily represented by people of one ethnic heritage or another.) Songs "everybody" knows in the US but few people ever sing outside of children's or senior citizens' (e.g., nursing home) groups include: Take Me Out To The Ball Game Shine On, Harvest Moon My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean I've Been Workin' On The Railroad Down In The Valley My Darlin' Clementine O Susanna! I realize that many of the songs I've listed aren't "folk songs" as most people define that term, but in a way, once a song becomes so commonly known that pretty much a whole population, spanning more than one generation, spontaneously sings along with it and knows it by heart, you could say it's become a "folk song" even if its author is known and it's not PD. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: GUEST,Shimrod Date: 02 Oct 06 - 07:44 AM Please, please, please learn to question such statements as: "In the old days itinerate harpers would pass on tunes they learned while learning new songs when they went from town to town". They (the itinerant harpists) may have done, at certain times and in certain places, but they may not have had an awful lot to do with folk music! One of the reasons why the terms 'folk music' and 'folk song' are so hard to define is that people will insist on making things like this up. Still, it's probably better than the marketing man's definition which is: "anything acoustic but excluding 'country & western' and 'blues' but including 'folk rock'". In the UK the marketeers also include under 'folk' things like military bands - which don't fit in any other of their cretinous categories. As you may be, possibly(?), primarily interested in American songs you may want to look for a book called: 'Dear Companion: Appalachian Traditional Songs and Singers from the Cecil Sharp Collection' compiled and edited by Mike Yates, Elaine Bradtke and Malcolm Taylor, published by English Folk Dance & Song Society, 2004 (ISBN: 0 85418 190 3). And you may also might like to look out for recordings of traditional singers and musicians made by your great countryman, Alan Lomax. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Big Al Whittle Date: 02 Oct 06 - 03:26 AM I'd just like to back that one up - Spider John. a GOOD idea! |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Celtaddict Date: 01 Oct 06 - 09:46 PM One more hint: when you go to a festival, of course see and hear as broad a variety of performers as you possibly can, but stay after!! This may mean the parking lot area, or camping if people stay over, or sticking to someone who has been there many times, to find where folks go after, or even volunteering for cleanup duty. The performers at a festival will often be making the effort to present unusual material, but the informal gatherings afterward tend to be filled with the 'classics' that folks have loved for years and that 'everybody' knows and can sing along. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Bob the Postman Date: 01 Oct 06 - 09:17 PM ffolke, you should check out Spider John Koerner's CDs on Red House Records: "Raised By Humans" and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Been". To my mind, the track lists on these two albums constitute as definitive a selection of "most popular folk songs" as a person could wish. Even though the songs are mostly old chestnuts, Koerner's versions are fresh and hot. Recently, Springsteen's "Seeger Sessions" has attempted in a rock modality what Koerner accomplished so brilliantly with a picked band of elite acoustic musicians. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Celtaddict Date: 01 Oct 06 - 09:11 PM Welcome, ffolke, and I hope you decide to join us. (I wrote this all out earlier and got dumped off before I sent it; bet you can't tell where in the thread) I would offer two pieces of general advice for the Mudcat: (1) don't ever be put off by arguments about 'what is really folk' because there are as many definitions as there are 'folks' and you can join in if you are so inclined or ignore them if you aren't, and (2) don't worry about discussions of what songs have been 'done to death' because they were so popular in some time and place that someone got tired of hearing them. Older songs that have been very popular and have endured for decades, generations, centuries even, tend to be both singable and memorable. Specific suggestions, in addition to the good ones already posted: Invest in a copy of "Sing Out" which has a large number of songs that 'everybody knows' in one place. You might also check whatever local store carries Scout (or even campfire) supplies; they will often have a sturdy paperback of 'campfire songs' and that is where many Americans learn common popular traditional songs. When you browse for recordings, remember that the big chains carry what sells fast, so they will have top-40 pop but not much traditional; the specialty stores may have several different headings worth checking. 'Folk' in merchandising terms generally means singer-songwriter. 'World Music' often has Irish and Scottish, which will often include traditional songs and ballads; these may also be together under 'Celtic.' Check 'Children's' too because they will often have collections of the sort of song sung in schools and camps (and cars on the highway) and often will include (or be entirely) standard traditional songs. The word 'ballad' is often used in popular music to suggest a slower, more lyrical song, but its traditional meaning is a song that tells a story; these are some of the most wonderfully enduring of songs, and there are quite a few collections. I like to pick up the compilation 'sampler' CDs which often have many performers I might not otherwise hear, or that I might decide to search for online for full CDs. Often titles contain words like 'favorite' or 'best' along the lines of "Favorite Irish Pub Songs" or "Border Ballads of Scotland" or descriptions such as "Music of Beech Mountain." Stores that cater to travelers can be good sources for these, as they often try to have a small selection of the most traditional and most typical songs of an area. Most important, get together with people and sing. You can develop a terrific library of recordings and books, but until you have shared singing them with other living human beings, also known as 'folk,' you have missed much of the richness of this tradition. Check for local listings such as concert, coffeehouse, song circle, folk club. When you go, you will not only hear that performance, but you will meet folks with similar interests and often will make contacts for house concerts, open mikes, getaways, song circles, house hoots, and similar gatherings for the purpose of sharing tradition-based music. Enjoy the learning, but especially, enjoy the music! |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: ffolke Date: 01 Oct 06 - 07:49 PM Thanks for the suggestions. I am in the US, for those who were concerned. I know about half of the songs already mentioned, but I have a bad memory so sometimes I only know the 1st verse or so. I collect public domain mp3s of all musical styles and that is how I usually hear older stuff. There is an awesome folk shop in town, and there's also a folk festival every year that I want to check out. And of course the library is a good source for folk/traditional music information. Catlin said: Folk songs and music are "the peoples music". -of course they are. I meant "folk" as a broad sense of the term (blues, spirituals, Stephen Foster songs, other countries songs, etc), not just the folk-style singer-songwriter genre. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Snuffy Date: 01 Oct 06 - 07:24 PM Wild Rover surely, not Irish Rover? |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Tootler Date: 01 Oct 06 - 06:30 PM You left Danny Boy off your list. Always popular with non-folky drunks. Last Thursday night we got a request for a Pink Floyd song!! |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: GUEST,thurg Date: 01 Oct 06 - 05:12 PM Heard a great take-off on Sonny's Dream this summer, destined to become another done-to-death classic; the chorus went something like, Sonny, please go away,/And leave me alone;/You're thirty-years-old,/And still living at home. But let's not forget, there was a time when it was the folky drunks that were requesting those songs we folky drunks now sneer at (or folky teetotallers, as the case may be). |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: GUEST,Bee Date: 01 Oct 06 - 04:40 PM Non-folky drunks must have the same tastes the world over - but here in Nova Scotia you'd have to add 'Sonny's Dream' written by Ron Hynes, a wonderful songwriter, but his Dream has been done to death. He said he once heard it done in Denmark by Korean(?) buskers who thought the lyrics actually were about the Sun. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Mo the caller Date: 01 Oct 06 - 03:39 PM When there is singaround in an English pub the one the non-folky drunk always requests is Irish Rover. Or In my Liverpool Home or maybe Whisky in the Jar or "play Irish Washerwoman" |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: GUEST,thurg Date: 01 Oct 06 - 02:20 PM "Played too often" is relative, especially in the context of this thread - our young friend commented that he(she?) had never heard You Are My Sunshine until he listened to Mississippi John Hurt. If you spend a lot of time in Irish pubs, you may well be sick of Dirty Old Town; however, if you only end up in an Irish pub once a year or so, it may have retained its appeal. And of course a lot of people like to go to the pub and sing along with familiar songs every Saturday night - nothing wrong with that, but it can be hell on those who don't share that particular enthusiasm. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: GUEST,William Date: 01 Oct 06 - 12:07 PM In Ireland the most popular is Dirty Old Town .every folk/ballad singers play it to death,Ewan McCall has a lot to answer for, It was most likley a great song when it was written in 1946 but it has been played too often. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Big Al Whittle Date: 01 Oct 06 - 10:16 AM yeh Maggie May - good old Rod Stewart! (only joking) I suspect if you were American you cold sign up to do a module at your local college Folkmusic 101. As it is you'll have to go round a few folk clubs and festivals, and just find out. always remember ...you are a folk. and your opinion of what is folkmusic is just as valid as anybody else's |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: chrisgl Date: 01 Oct 06 - 09:37 AM I have _such_ a hard time remembering the lyrics to verse seven of Duelling Banjos. It's surely going to vary depending where in the world you live... I have to say I have a bit of an aversion to the "well known" songs - a simple way to find them is to take a look at the folk song books most music stores sell. I've just had a skip through the Digital Tradtion (available not a million clicks from here and worth grabbing a copy of (tho' the tune examples are generally go at a snail's pace but good for learning)) and come up with the following titles that I recognise - not entirely sure how 'folk' they all are - not all have tunes available in the DT and there's, oo, 8948 other titles many of which also 'fit the bill'. [FX: gasps for breath] A fair few are still under copyright. ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ All Through The Night Auld Lang Syne Barbara Allen Barley Mow, The Billy Boy Blow The Wind Southerly Blue Tailed Fly Bobbie Shafto Boney was a warrior Botany Bay Dance To Your Daddy Donkey Riding Down By The Riverside Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes Foggy Foggy Dew, The Green Grow The Rushes Greensleeves Heart Of Oak Maggie May Mattie Groves Morning Has Broken My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean Nick Nack Paddy Whack(This Old Man) Pick A Bale Of Cotton Scarborough Fair Soldier, Soldier, Will You Marry Me South Australia Tavern In The Town Vicar Of Bray, The Waltzing Matilda When I First Came To This Land Widdecombe Fair Wild Mountain Thyme ^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ chris ;-) |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: breezy Date: 01 Oct 06 - 08:29 AM Role Britannia and Swing Low are the only sogs the English know along with Duelling Banjos and American Pie snuf to bring tears to yer eyes |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: GUEST,Marion Date: 01 Oct 06 - 07:28 AM Hi Ffolke, and welcome to Mudcat. I assume from the three singers that you mention that you're North American - is that right? Anyway, I bet you know more traditional songs than you realize, because many of the most popular old songs are sung to children. Here are some more well-known titles for you: Will the Circle be Unbroken Swing Low, Sweet Chariot When the Saints Go Marching In Home on the Range Old Folks at Home (Way down upon the Swanee River...) Oh Susanna I've Been Working on the Railroad On Top of Old Smokey My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean Kumbaya Cheers, Marion |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: Leadfingers Date: 01 Oct 06 - 07:28 AM ffolke - Why not join this site ? Its free and membership gives you access to other bits of the site . As Catlin said , Where are you ? If You are in US I cant help much as I am in UK !! |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: GUEST,dax Date: 01 Oct 06 - 06:30 AM Hi ffolke, It's nice to see young people take an interest in traditional music. It has many definitions and subjective borders, and stuff that appeals to many different tastes. I would suggest that you have made a key start in locating Mudcat. Spend some time reading through the DT lyrics and the forun archives. There is much there to be learned, but you will also find garbage so don't believe everything. You Are My Sunshine, by the way, is not public domain as it's author, Jimmie Davis, died in recent years. |
Subject: RE: What are the most popular folk song? From: GUEST,catlin Date: 01 Oct 06 - 05:57 AM What do you consider folk music? I generally consider it anything that I can play in my living room on recorder(flute), guitar, mandolin and harp that wouldn't annoy my mother and I could probably play in church. Unplugged, as it were. Where do you live? Do you have access to National Public Radio and if so does the local programming have a "folk show" feature? WPSU from State College, Pennsylvania has the Folk Show on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (check out the live streaming music). We also get The Thistle and Shamrock on Sunday afternoons and The Prairie Home Companion on Saturdays. These are two programs with lots of folksy music. If you live on the East coast, go to the Old Songs Festival in Guilderland NY or the Philadelphia Folk Festival. I've been to Old Songs and you'd learn a lot. Folk songs and music are "the peoples music". In the old days itinerate harpers would pass on tunes they learned while learning new songs when they went from town to town. A many songs were "local" in style and not even heard the next valley or two over. The artists you mention were our nation's folk musicians and there are many more for you to discover. And yes, church is a good place to get more music! Check out the Oxford Book of Carols and then check out the group Nowell Sing We Clear. Everything they sing is from that book. We use it in church during Advent, Christmas and the Easter seasons. The new addition to our hymnal as a tune by Dylan and songs about segregation and Martin Luther King jr in it. Enjoy your search! Dig away merrily. And google a lot. |
Subject: What are the most popular folk songs? From: GUEST,ffolke Date: 01 Oct 06 - 05:34 AM I'm 20 years old and have been interested in folk music for a while. Unfortunately I have no background in much of what I have heard and know. My interest began with people like Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and Mississippi John Hurt. Searching through this site makes me realize how distant my knowledge is of traditional songs (but maybe not as bad as other teenagers). But being of a newer generation where I was hardly ever shown these songs in the media, by friends or family, or anywhere else, I have an unfilled desire to catch up on all historical music. What I'd like to know is what are some very common public domain songs? I do know of a lot of old songs, but not which are popular (like on John Hurt's album, he essentially says that everybody knows how to sing "You are my Sunshine," but I actually heard it from him first). Are there any other songs that you think us younger people should know and remember? The only song I can think of off the top of my head that's popular is Amazing Grace. |
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