Myth or history

Subject: RE: Folklore: Myth or history
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 05:03 PM

Neither one nor the other.
History can be got from books while myth is invariably the record of aspiration.
History is usually written by winners so who is to say which is more important - or accurate for that matter.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Folklore: Myth or history
From: Bert
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 04:40 PM

However good a song may be to sing I find that it is offensive if it propagates lies.

Take "The Battle of New Orleans" for example. It implies that the British were cowardly and that they ran away.

Recently, I was reading a report of the battle which said that there were about 2,000 British troops and that they attacked the American fortifications three times. When they finally withdrew they left 1,971 dead and wounded on the field.

Not quite what the song implies.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Myth or history
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 04:16 PM

There are too many dimensions to the idea of 'important' to answer the question directly. I think I know what you mean, and I tend to agree with you if you mean what I think you mean. I think. ;/
Of course history is important; if the facts of a thing are knowable they ought to be preserved and respected in some way.
But much of the impact a song has on a hearer is derived from outside the song itself, from the emotional and mythic resonance it brings along with it. And in many cases the popular, if mistaken, idea about the meaning of a song carries more emotional weight than the bare boring facts would.
So in that sense I think the myth may be more 'important' in the moment of experiencing a song than the fact. Nevertheless I still enjoy learning the truth about the background of songs when I can, even if it goes in the face of what most people assume it means.
-Glenn

Subject: Folklore: Myth or history
From: Davetnova
Date: 07 Apr 10 - 03:30 PM

Some of the recent acronimious threads got me thinking. When it comes to song which is more important, myth or history, truth or legend? I know history is important but in song and story I can't help but thinking that the myth is more important, no matter what is known historically about any figures involved. Anybody any thoughts? DaveT