Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: GUEST,Joe Moran
Date: 24 Dec 06 - 05:08 AM

Re: The Stones " The Last Time" was inspired by ( i.e. ripped-off ) a gospel number ( I think, but I'm not sure, it's by The Staple Singers); anyway, a very fine English blues performer, Raphael Callaghan, does a medley of the two numbers in his act.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 06:54 PM

"If You Want to Be Happy" sung by Jimmy Soul (?) based on the calypso, "Ugly Woman".
"Yellow Bird," the Mills Brothers and "Don't Ever Love Me," Harry Belafonte to a French Haitian melody, "Couchoune". I know that is not the spelling of the French title, but it is something like that.
The Cadence song mentioned by Bert, was from the film "Battle Cry" and was a huge hit for Art Mooney.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 06:35 PM

Further to my previous post, the only connection between "Those Were The Days" and Paul McCartney was that Mary Hopkins recorded the song on the Apple recording label that was owned by The Beatles.

                                                SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Rabbi-Sol
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 06:29 PM

Bernard,

"Those Were The Days" was written by Gene and Francesca Raskin, not by Paul McCartney. It was not until Mary Hopkins recorded it that it became famous. My authority for this information is Oscar Brand who had Gene and Francesca at one of his WNYC shows at Cooper Union. I was present that night when they performed this song.

                                              SOL ZELLER

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 06:07 PM

Lonesome EJ-
The tune to "Silkie" that you refer to is by no means traditional (or it least it waasn't when James Waters wrote it). I believe that the copyeight was assigned to someone named Sandy Paton.

It's still not clear whether Johnny I Hardly Knew You came before or after When Johnny Comes Marching Home, but the real popularization of the tune was when they shifted the rhythm a bit and came up with "Ghost Riders In The Sky"

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: oldhippie
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 05:46 PM

I believe the correct title for Guy Mitchell's "Dark and a Roving Eye" is "The Roving Kind".

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: pdq
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 05:33 PM

Minor point about "Those Were The Days". If it was credited to Paul McCartney at some time past, it is not now. Author credit is one 'Gene Raskin'.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 05:14 PM

Bert you are quite correct but he was singing a number of them before he had a "POP" hit with that song which was his first success.

I should also have mentioned Guy Mitchell's "Dark and a Roving Eye". I believe the song from which it was lifted was The Fire Ship. Correct me if I am wrong, I'm sure somebody will.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 04:06 PM

Nazim Hikmet is the poet's name. My dyslexia kicking up again.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 04:01 PM

The tune for The Great Silkie of Sule Kerry reappeared in the mid sixties on the Byrd's album 5D as the melody for the Hakim Nizmet poem "I Come and Stand at Every Door." I don't know if this was the first appearance of this poem/melody combination. This song was often heard in coffee houses, at protests etc during the 60s, and I didn't realize the tune was traditional until I heard Art Theime sing it on his album "The Older I Get the Better Was".
More on the Nizmet poem here.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 02:06 PM

I was sure the stones had credited Robert Johnson with Love in Vain, didn't they.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: pdq
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 01:55 PM

It would be much easier to answer to this question if Joe Offer would explain (in 50 word or less, of course) precisely 'what is a folk song'.

---

Never. [grin]
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Bert
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 01:52 PM

Hootenanny. It applies to almost everything that Lonnie Donnegan sang.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: jonm
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 01:46 PM

Whiskey in the Jar - Thin Lizzy?

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Tootler
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 11:13 AM

"It's Now or Never" and "Surrender" by Elvis Presley.

Both based on Italian songs.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Bernard
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 10:54 AM

'Those Were The Days'...

Recorded by Mary Hopkin, and 'written by' Paul McCartney...

Except he bought it from someone who had based the song on a Russian folk song 'The Long Road', if I recall correctly.

Slightly off topic... 'A Groovy Kind Of Love' by the Mindbenders was really a sonatina by Clementi...

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 10:31 AM

Guy Mitchel with "Black Eyed Susie"

Alma Cogan with "Bell Bottom Trousers"

Danny Kaye with a version of "The Lincolnshire Poacher"

    ?       "Dance With a Dolly With a Hole in Her Stocking"

Donegan with "Rock Island Line" of course

Chris Barber had some success with "Bobby Shaftoe"

The Vipers "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O" from the fiddle tune Darneo/Sally Ann.

I'm sure there are several more.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Rasener
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 10:25 AM

How about Little Red Rooster by the Rolling Stones and written by Willie_Dixon

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 09:02 AM

Forgot to say that was in 1960

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 09:02 AM

Adam Faith made #5 in the UK charts with "When Johnny comes Marching Home" which was based on "Johnny I hardly knew ye". The Faith recording had a typical John Barry pizzicato string arrangement and a fairly uptempo beat.

R

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Bert
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 02:00 AM

From the Forties there was "There is a Tavern in the Town" and "The Old Sow Song"

In the early Fifties there was a remake of "The Crawdad Song" with modernised verses such as

"I'm engaged to marry Sue
Honey
I'm engaged to Marry Sue
Oh Babe
I'm afraid to get undressed
Mary's tattooed on my chest
Honey, Oh Baby, Mine.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Gypsy
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 10:50 PM

Morning has Broken............covered by Cat Stevens. Might not be quite old enough at 100+ years, but close, yes?

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Joe_F
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 10:25 PM

I seem to remember, in the 1950s, "Dodi Li" coming out of the loudspeakers as an unrelated love song in English.

Likewise, "Down by the River Side", with a change in rhythm that has since corrupted most people's singing of the original spiritual.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 08:15 PM

Plaisir d'amore / Elvis's Can't Help Falling In Love With You

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: GUEST,Barnacle
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 07:32 PM

Bob Dylan also produced a song based on the American trad song "What did the deep sea say"

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: mrdux
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 06:38 PM

Dylan took the "Lord Franklin" tune and set "Bob Dylan's Dream" to it (on Freewheelin').

the Stones' "Prodigal Son" was reworked from the Rev. Robert Wilkins' "That's No Way To Get Along."

all for now.

michael

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Richie
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 05:53 PM

Man of Constant Sorrow (no surprise)
Cotton-Eyed Joe (with a disco dance beat)
Love's in Vain (Stones- who claimed to write it)

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Jack Campin
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 04:48 PM

Eartha Kitt's "Uskudar" - a Turkish folksong from the 18th century. She probably got it from a recording by Zeki Muren which had been popular in Turkey a few years before.

I have heard the same tune with Greek words on a collection of field recordings from Crete. The tune doesn't sound either very Greek or very Turkish to me, it wouldn't surprise me if it were originally Egyptian or Palestinian.

A more recent one - "Gallows Pole" by, um, Robert Plant? A version of Macpherson's Farewell. And from the 1990s, wasn't GRiD's "Swamp Thing" based on a real old-time banjo tune?

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Padre
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 04:32 PM

'Michael Row the Boat Ashore' by the Highwaymen reached #10 (I think) in 1961

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: RTim
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 03:38 PM

I may be thick or something - but I think Steeleye DID re-arrange All Around My Hat into a pop song, I know it is much changed from the original unaccompanied song!!!! - As was Scarborough Fair by Paul Simon and the other guy - Didn't Simon learn it from the singing of Martin Carthy and then copywrite it?
As did Dylan with the melody of Lord Franklin that he uses for ??? oh What is the bloody song?
Yes - All Around My Hat by Steeleye was from 1975 and it reached No. 5 in UK hit parade.
Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: oldhippie
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 03:34 PM

And didn't "Wimoweh" become "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"?

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: harpmolly
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 03:12 PM

Does it count that "Love Me Tender" stole the melody from "Aura Lee"? ;)

M

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: MartinRyan
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 02:58 PM

Joe

Don't know about a spiritual root - but I have a vague recollection of hearing an old blues head singing a song on an old 78 recording and thinking to myself "That's surely where The last Time came from. May well have been gospel type setting.

Regards
p.s. Happy Christmas!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAST TIME (Rolling Stones)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 02:46 PM

Greg, tell me more about the roots of "The Last Time." I suppose there are a number of song from the Rolling Stones that have traditional roots. Same with stuff by Led Zeppelin.

Here are the lyrics from "Last Time," copied from Lyrics World:

The Last Time
The Rolling Stones
Mick Jagger and Keith Richard


I've told you once and l've told you twice
You'd better listen to my advice
You don't try very hard to please me
With what you know it should be easy

Well this could be the last time
This could be the last time
May be the last time
I don't know

I'm sorry girl but I can't stay
Feeling like I do to-day
Staying here is too much sorrow
Guess I'll feel the same tomorrow

Well this could be the last time
This could be the last time
May be the last time
I don't know
Oh no

Well this could be the last time
This could be the last time
May be the last time
I don't know
Oh no

I've told you once and I've told you twice
Someone'll have to pay the price
Here's the chance to change your mind
I'll be gone a long long time

Well this could be the last time
This could be the last time
May be the last time
I don't know
Oh no

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: pdq
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 02:44 PM

Dean Martin had a huge hit with "Memories Are Made of This" which is credited to "Richard Dehr/Terry Gilkyson/Frank Miller". I seem to believe it was another Weaver's song but could be wrong.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Goose Gander
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 02:31 PM

I think Boogie Chillun by John Lee Hooker and Can't Be Satisfied by Muddy Waters might qualify (maybe?).

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: greg stephens
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 02:23 PM

I think we should take note of what Joe Offer is actually looking for. He doesnt want folk songs that became hits in their own right, he wants folk songs that were re-processed into quite different pop songs.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: NH Dave
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 02:15 PM

I believe the approximate date for All Around My Hat, in the UK, was the early 70's.

Elvis' Wooden Heart was from Muss I Den

A number of slightly rewritten folk songs were charted by The Weavers during the early 50's, among them On Top of Old Smokey, The Rovin' Kind, Kisses Sweeter than Wine, and Woody Guthrie's Good Night Irene. Most of these were slightly adapted and copyright under the nom de tune of Paul Campbell, the name The Weavers used to copyright arrangements they had adapted.

Dave

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: pdq
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 02:14 PM

Here are some songs by The Weavers that were either Pop hits for them or were borrowed by others:

"Goodnight Irene"

"Rock Island Line"

"Kisses Sweeter Than Wine"

"If I Had a Hammer"

"This Land Is Your Land"

Jimmy Rodgers (II) and Trini Lopez were not folksingers, they were Pop stars. Johnny Cash was either Rock'n'Roll or Country, depending on the stage of his career.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 02:03 PM

One of the best examples is Scarbourough Fair. I heard it playing over the radio where I worked about 15 years ago, and the guys didn't believe how old it was till I brought in a book.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Peace
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 01:55 PM

"Amazing Grace" by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. I was surprised that it caught the imaginations of so many people that it became a #1 hit in lotsa countries.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Tweed
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 01:51 PM

Like Stack O'Lee, Stag O'Lee, Stack a Lee, Stackerlee, Skeeg O'Lee?

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: greg stephens
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 01:50 PM

The Stones' first self-penned hit(I think) was "The last time", which was a re-worked spititual.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: MMario
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 01:46 PM

Loreena McKennit reworks a bunch of traditional stuff - and so do Medieval Babes; but I don't think most of their fans realize it.

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 01:41 PM

Lavender's Blue is another. I don't know if I'd class Steeleye Span songs in this. Certainly, they made the charts and certainly they had pop arrangements - but I think it was well known that Steeleye Span songs had traditional roots. This thread indicates that "Twelfth of Never" may have thraditional roots, too.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: greg stephens
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 01:40 PM

Wasn't Elvis' "Wooden Heart" based on a German folksong?

Subject: RE: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop Songs
From: RTim
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 01:15 PM

I can remember - All Around My Hat by Steeleye Span in the UK hit parade, and they even appeared on Top of the Pops.
But what year was that?

Tim Radford

Subject: Folk Songs That Hit the Charts as Pop
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 01:10 PM

The Doris Day recording of "A Guy Is a Guy" came out in 1951, when I was three years old. Until the A Knave Is a Knave thread, I didn't know that "guy" started life as a folk song (well, maybe it wasn't "folk" when iut started, but you know what I mean...). The 1952 Doris Day recording of Sugarbush is another, created by Josef Marais by combining Dutch and African songs. Fireship was another, titled "One of the Roving Kind." Iko Iko is another, which made the charts more recently.

Are there others we can add to this list? I'm not talking about the Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul, and Mary songs that were billed as folk songs and hit the charts. I'm talking about ones where there's an element of surprise that the song had far older roots.

-Joe-