Help: Millenium question for you

Subject: Millenium question for you
From: Terri
Date: 18 Dec 99 - 08:15 PM

I am fascinated by the number of "lists" generated by this New Year, top 100 songs,100 composers, 100 sportsmen/women etc. Most people seem to vote for the stuff that has been around for only a short time and I thought how folk songs would be much more appropriate for charting the history of music. So what would be your top 3 folk songs?

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Mbo
Date: 18 Dec 99 - 08:32 PM

Terri, would that be songs that I think important, or songs I like enought to be the top 3?

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: kendall
Date: 18 Dec 99 - 08:57 PM

The Fox 12th century

Greensleeves 15th century?

The Band played waltzing matilda 20th century

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Terri
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 10:43 AM

Well, Mbo, I guess either or both. I'm actually having a hard time with my own list since I tend to really like a song until I've performed it to death... then I can't stand it!

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Mbo
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 10:58 AM

Well, I would HAVE to go with:
Wild Mountain Thyme
Carrickfergus
Scots Wha Hae

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Micca
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 11:27 AM

How about
The Bonny Earl of Moray
She moved through the Fair
At the setting of the sun( you know the one that goes" and the lads all sitting sideways and singing as they go")

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Mary G
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 07:45 PM

The Ash Grove Swing Low Sweet Chariot Working on the Railroad

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: BobLusk
Date: 19 Dec 99 - 11:38 PM

I'll vote for "I've been working on the RR. Actually it's a melody of several tunes put together - Dinah blow your horn!

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Owlkat
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 03:20 AM

Hi hi, My votes would be for: The Water Is Wide I Can't Help But Wonder Were I'm Bound Hard Times Come Again No More Bye bye ;-) Mart

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 03:36 AM

Moved through the fair, anyone's version, but Les Barker's has the edge for sheer inventiveness and hysteria, but doesn't count as a folk song. Incidentally, there is a version of the Lord's my Shepherd to that tune around, quite good for a Sunday sing.

Tolpuddle Man - as the UK government does what it can to muzzle and emasculate the Unions, whilst doing precious little to lighten the load of the blue collar worker, but lining the pockets of the fat cats, this song should be made the national anthem..... I don't care that it isn't traditional - you should have insisted on the definition....

The Cruel Mother ~ love those kiddy killing ballads, many is the time I have been tempted to act one out on my own little darling.... don't worry, I've never gone beyond ripping the head off a teddy bear yet.... I think I subscribe to the King Herod school of childcare!!! Besides, the version I do is quite moving and the mother gets sent to hell in the end.

LTS

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 04:17 AM

I'll stick with the traditionals here:

"John Henry"

"Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye"

and a couple that're as close to being trad as any song whose writer is known can be:

"Waltzing Matilda"

"Titanic Blues," by Leadbelly

--seed

Oh, and of course, "Amazing Grace"

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: bassen
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 06:38 AM

Since you didn't specify language/nationality I'll be deliberately obtuse and say:

Fanitullen
Draumkvedet
Ak mon min vei (Grip version)

bassen

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Áine
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 08:21 AM

For pure, emotive songs:

Fill, Fill A Rún Ó
An Mhaighdean Mhara
The Water Is Wide / Waly, Waly

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Terry Allan Hall
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 08:34 AM

Tough call, but here's mine...in no particular order

(1) The Dutchman

(2) Shenandoah

(3) The Gallant Vanity

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Bert
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 11:08 AM

ONLY THREE!!!

Hmmm where to start. We each have to work within our own limited scope, so no one of us is really going to be right.

'Willikins and his Dinah' probably goes first simply because of the number of times the tune gets used.

The most important song isn't folk YET. But it has to be the song that started Rock and Roll. As I said it's not folk, but rock has made a very significant change to music. As far as I know, the first recognized rock song was 'Rock around the Clock' which cam out around 1954 but it doesn't get my vote because it was a complete rip off of 'Move it on Over' by Hank Williams which was recorded in 1947. So it's 'Move it on Over' for number two.

And for number three I choose a song, just because I like it. 'Believe me if all those Endearing Young Charms'.

So now let's hear from the experts.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Pete Peterson
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 11:20 AM

Boy this is hard. In no order, The Keeper Did a-hunting go, John Henry, Hard Times (and yes, we know exactly who wrote it, and when, and i still think it's a folk song). I think Pete Seeger said once that "before I let that steam drill beat me down, gonna die with my hammer in my hand" was the best (can't remember exactly how he put it) expression of the human spirit he knew.

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Peter T.
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 11:27 AM

If you picked covers and coverage, probably "Greensleeves," "The Great Speckled Bird"( in its various incarnations), "Londonderry Air".

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: TerriM
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 12:50 PM

I deliberately left it open to see what people would come up with and oh boy, what a diverse lot you are! :)

I have finally picked my three ( I think, subject to changes of heart at any moment)

Flowers in the Valley She moved through the Fair ( any version including Les's) Bright Lights ( Richard Thompson)

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: lajka
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 02:14 PM

Well,here we go!

Number one: Home boys home (OFCOURSE) Number two: Waltzing Mathilda (not bad either) And the third place:Raggle Taggle Gypse

This list could go on and on but in the end,most of the irish songs will be placed as no.1. New week, new favorite song.

Merry Christmas Eva

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: fulurum
Date: 20 Dec 99 - 08:29 PM

tough choices. i think a great song for any period of time would be 'when i can't sing'. number two would definitly be the dutchman and third would be circles by harry chapin. at least in my humble opinion

Subject: RE: Help: Millenium question for you
From: Alli
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 08:19 AM

Could not help but add my own ! 1. "Ride On" Jimmy McCarthy 2. "Song For Ireland" Mary Black 3. "Brave Companion Of The Road" Nancy Griffiths