How did Folk Song start?

Subject: RE: How did Folk Song start?
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 12:28 PM

Here's the first close encounter between two rival Morris sides

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZieSsxPkMwk&feature=related

At this early date of course it was not possible to make bells, baldrics or indeed pewter tankards.

Subject: RE: How did Folk Song start?
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 12:32 PM

How did Folk Song start?

Dream up a 'theory' (I suppose, strictly speaking, that should be an 'hypothesis' ... ?) any 'theory' and, in the absence of any evidence, that's as good as any other 'theory'!

Subject: RE: How did Folk Song start?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 02:51 PM

FOLK sONG STARTED WHEN bAEZ SAT ON A STILL-WARM SEAT RECENTLY VACATED BY aLAN lOMAX. ---- a PARAPHRASE OF pETER cOOK AND dUDLEY mOORE

THE rESULT IS WHAT NOW PASSES FOR FOLK.

Subject: RE: How did Folk Song start?
From: gnomad
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 04:19 PM

Doesn't a horse feature in this somewhere?

Subject: RE: How did Folk Song start?
From: Tim Leaning
Date: 20 Feb 10 - 06:51 PM

Neigh Lad.

Subject: RE: How did Folk Song start?
From: Paul Reade
Date: 21 Feb 10 - 06:34 PM

I must admit when I started this discussion didn't envisage going back as far as some contributors, to the Romans or even to pre-history.

I was thinking more on the lines of "what sort of environment did the songs we now regard as traditional come from?"

Thanks everyone for the excellent contributions though.

Subject: RE: How did Folk Song start?
From: mikesamwild
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 11:03 AM

I reckon there was always some talented individual with a creative urge. I've known some very 'ordinary' people who were genius songwriters and musicians. Sometimes a response to a local or national event could spark off quick stuff sometimes doggerel or parody. I bit like jokes etc.

Also the influence of broadheets, street singers and a chance to make a few bob in hard times. Then cast into the great streamm to sink or swim