The definitive folk song

Subject: The definitive folk song
From: Bert
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 11:30 AM

Which song for you is "The definitive folk song"

I'll go for "The Old Sow Song"

One song only please.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Jack Campin
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 11:34 AM

Never heard of it.

"Barbara Allen", the rest nowhere.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Amos
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 11:41 AM

Definitive of what?

I think this is a nonsensical question, like asking if there is a definitive letter in the alphabet or a definitive color in the spectrum, or a definitive baby's name.


A

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Bert
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 11:53 AM

Amos,

When someone says "folk Song" what is the first song that comes to mind. Is it 'Freight Train', 'This Land is Your Land', 'Tom Pierce', 'Lincolnshire Poacher', or whatever.

That is what I'm looking for, but that wouldn't fit in the thread title, so give me a break!

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: The Sandman
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 12:03 PM

Tie the yellow ribbon round the singers neck

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 12:10 PM

Tam Lin does it for me. (Steeleye Span version though - does that count?)

DeG

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 12:20 PM

Just as the Tide was Flowing - wonderful melody, pastoral setting, pretty fair maid, lucky sailor, instant seduction. It has it all.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Beer
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 12:33 PM

Jessie Winchester with his moving song "Sham-A- Ling- Dong- Ding".

Beer (adrien)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uKGWpqnS8E

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: theleveller
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 12:40 PM

Reynardine.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 12:54 PM

Pentangle - Bruton Town:

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 12:56 PM

Bruton Town

I first heard Pentangle at about fifteen, and found these songs with odd lyrics thoroughly different to anything I knew. I wasn't a folk music fan - and didn't know at that time that these songs were so old.
I revisited Pentangle twenty years later, and the penny dropped.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Lighter
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 01:04 PM

Just one? That pops into my head instantly?

John Henry.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Art Thieme
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 01:08 PM

The Old Woman Who Loved A Swine

I know an old woman who loved a swine,
"PIGGY" said she.
"Piggy, dear, will you be mine?"
"SNORT" said he!

I'd get kids to snort along with me on this one. They would often tell me, "Oh, what a silly song. A woman would never fall in love with a pig!"

Then I'd tell them, Kids, just wait 'til you grow up. It happens all the time!"

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 01:13 PM

I'll go with Bert singing "The Old Sow Song." It's an absolute classic - but I can't sing it. I've tried to snort and squeal and whistle like Bert does, and it just doesn't come out right.
Bert, you're my hero. I'd be proud to sing at a campfire with you any time.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Amos
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 01:28 PM

I LOVE Art's contribution to this thread.

Bert, I apologize for being snippy. I am not too good at handling what was meant when it is different than what was said, due to an inherent addiction to propositional logic. My bad.

Being a walking jukebox, like many folksingers, an array of platter titles starts spinning across my field of view when the notion "folk song" is raised. Barbr'y Allen, Lord Randall, John Hardy, John Henry, Tom Dooley, Gypsy Davy, Mary Ellen Carter, Kevin Barry, Rosie McCain, and High-Chin Bob all jump up demanding to be Queen for a Day.


A

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: GUEST,woodsie
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 01:30 PM

Blowin' In The Wind

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: olddude
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 01:42 PM

Wabash Cannon Ball

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 04:06 PM

The Water is Wide

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: mkebenn
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 04:15 PM

Matty Groves.. Mike

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Joe_F
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 04:19 PM

Dink's Song.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 05:21 PM

The Trees They Do Grow High (as sung by Tony Rose)

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Paul Burke
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 05:23 PM

Dido Fido.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: RTim
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 05:24 PM

Polly Vaughan

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Tootler
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 05:34 PM

Brigg Fair

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Bernard
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 05:46 PM

Molly Malone... as far as I can remember, the first song identifiable as a folk song I can recall from when I was in primary school.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Bounty Hound
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 06:57 PM

Matty Groves - all the essential ingredients, sex, murder, 57 verses.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Commander Crabbe
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 08:02 PM

Lady Franklin's Lament

CC

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 08:10 PM

Frankie and Johnny

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 09:17 PM

Depends on my mood. Sort of between Fair Annie or Three Months Late. Ask me via pm about three months (by da yoopers)

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: ClaireBear
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 10:27 PM

First one that came to mind was Dame Durden. Why? I couldn't possibly say. But "Humphrey with his flail" demanded to be heard!

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: olddude
Date: 22 Mar 10 - 10:38 PM

i will also add greensleeves

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 12:08 AM

olddude, is that to be added to your folksinger costume? :-)

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: GUEST,Folkman
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 02:54 AM

Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 03:46 AM

It's not a song - just a tune. It's the one that goes:

diddly diddly diddly diddly
diddly diddly diddly diddly
diddly diddly diddly diddly
diddly diddly diddly diddly
diddly diddly diddly diddly
diddly diddly diddly diddly
diddly diddly diddly diddly
diddly diddly diddly diddly ........

Come on, youve heard it before. You know which one I mean!


DC

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 03:55 AM

Matty Groves - all the essential ingredients, sex, murder, 57 verses.

I'm jealous now - I put together bits from a few different versions and mine was still only 29 verses. I guess there are a few places where it could be spun out a bit more - I'll have to work on it.

Right well I like your wardrobe, he replied,
And also your new candelabra,
But as he spoke, he with anguish sighed,
For he didn't like the way this conversation was going...

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Bounty Hound
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 05:22 AM

Pip: 'I'm jealous now'

Please dont feel to bad, I only actually sing 19 of them!

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 06:03 AM

Searching for Lambs

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Tootler
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 06:11 AM

It's not a song - just a tune. It's the one that goes:

diddly diddly diddly diddly...

Only if it's Irish.

If it's English it's:

rumpty tumpty tumpty tumpty
rumpty tumpty tumpty tumpty
rumpty tumpty tumpty tumpty
rumpty tumpty tumpty tumpty
rumpty tumpty tumpty tumpty
rumpty tumpty tumpty tumpty
rumpty tumpty tumpty tumpty
rumpty tumpty tumpty tumpty

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 06:50 AM

Given the lack of specification, one answer beats all: "Yerakina".

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 08:02 AM

Anyone ever heard Stan Accrington's ultimate folk song - All the elements in one verse. OK - One line does go on for about 10 minutes but it is still one verse:-)

DeG

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: mkebenn
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 08:40 AM

As we're not stickin' to one song, I'll add willow Garden/Rose Connely. Mike

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: deepdoc1
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 09:01 AM

My take on the "definitive" aspect would be a song like House of the Rising Sun. This is a song that has its origins somewhere in the murky past, some have suggested as far back as 1600's, and has been brought along the generations in one form or another into today's folk, blues and rock music. I'm sure there are other, undoubtedly better examples; this just seems to be the very essence of folk music - traditional music brought along from generation to generation, morphing as it goes, influencing singers along the way, ending up with an eclectic mix of traditional and modern renderings.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: GUEST,Albert Broccoli
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 09:13 AM

'Root's' by Show Of Hands

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: GUEST,Jonny Sunshine
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 11:25 AM

As ballads go you really can't beat The Famous Flower Of Serving Men. What's not to like about a song with all the classic ingredients of family jealousy, infanticide, cross-dressing, talking white doves and bloody revenge- and goes on all day.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: GUEST,Bardan
Date: 23 Mar 10 - 01:56 PM

Sovay maybe or king Henry

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: TinDor
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 12:05 AM

Stagger Lee or John Henry

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 07:38 AM

Searching for Lambs.

Fhir a Bhata.

Ar Hyd y Nos.

Glen Swilly.

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 08:42 AM

Searching for Lambs indeed ···

++ any song featuring a girl called Nancy or Polly or Sally ... [esp if her male oppo is called William or Jack].

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: mikesamwild
Date: 24 Mar 10 - 08:48 AM

She had a dark and rolling eye but the other was blue and static. Was that from John Kirkpatrick or The Kippers? 'and another one quite similar'

Subject: RE: The definitive folk song
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 10 - 02:09 AM

Talkin' Hava Negeilah Blues