Songbooks: A Basic Folk Library

Subject: A Basic Folk Library
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 06:34 PM

I'm frustrated.
I've been trying to research "12 Days of Christmas," and I'm not finding much information that sounds authoritative. I found a nice little story in a book by Alan Lomax, but that's all I ever find in Lomax - nice little stories and very few facts. I'm looking for books that have good scholarship and solid information about the stories behind the folk songs we love. What can you recommend?
-Joe Offer-

---

Let's talk about songbooks and books about folk music in this Basic Folk Library thread. This thread (click) is a better place to discuss the Twelve Days of Christmas.

See also Basic Folk Library New Resource and Basic Folk Library PermaThread.

Thanks.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 08:25 PM

well, Joe...there are lots of categories...here are 4 quick ones

"Scottish Border Battles & Ballads" by Michael Brander
1775 Clarkson N. Potter Inc., Publisher ISBN 0-517-552500-3 LC-75-44444

"American Murder Ballads and their Stories" by Olive Woolley Burt
1958 ..Oxford Univ.Press LC 58-5382

"Deep the Water, Shallow the Shore"..essays on shantying in the West Indies
Roger D. Abrams LC-73-19540.(American Folklore Society)

"Scalded to Death by the Steam"...Katie Letcher Lyle
stories of railroad disasters and the ballads about them
Algonquin Books, Chapel Hill, NC ISBN-0-912697-01-6
(this one is great!...and may even be easy to find)

also thinking of JoAnna Colcord's book on shanties...and a few others...

any specific areas, Joe

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 10:18 PM

Joe Hickerson prepared a superb bibliography for Duncan Emrich's American Folk Poetry, An Anthology, Little, Brown and Company, Boston-Toronto, 1974. This is a collection of texts, no tunes, but good footnotes pointing to sources, and a wonderful selection of songs. Find the book, if you can, and check out the bibliography.

Another significant study would be D. K. Wilgus' Anglo-American Folksong Scholarship since 1898, Rutgers University Press, 1959. Either of these books will direct you to other worthwhile studies.

Beware the addiction!

Sandy

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 10:56 PM

Yeah, Joe, remember you are semi-retired and the big bucks aren't just rollin' in like they used ta.

Big RiB

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: DonMeixner
Date: 21 Dec 99 - 11:24 PM

I recall a book about the songs of the Catskills by Norman Cazden. I think I'd reccomend that scholarly effort

Don

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: raredance
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 12:14 AM

Ah the life of a retired government worker, would that I could join the tribe and do some serious reading. On to the list.

Every time I look up something in the Frank C Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore I find that I am learning something new about that song that I didn't know before.

"The Ballad Of America" by John Anthony Scott includes a couple of background paragraphs on most of the songs in the volume.

Railrods, it's hard to beat "Long Steel Rail" by Norm Cohen

Cowboy and western material seems fairly abundant in the USA. Some with background material along with the songs are: "He Was Singin' This Song" by Jim Bob Tinsley; "The Hell-bound Train" by Glenn Ohrlin; "The Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing" by Guy Logsdon; "Songs of the Great American West" by Irwin Silber; the annotated version of "Songs of the Cowboys" by N Howard "Jack" Thorp with variants, commentary, notes and lexicon by Austin e & Alta S Fife.

Northwoods I like "Ballads & Songs of the Shanty-Boy" by Franz Rickaby, and "Lumbering Songs from the North Woods" by Edith Fowke.

For a very narrow focus, i.e. a book about one song look for "Hold the Fort! The Story of a Song from the Sawdust Trail to the Picket Line" by Paul Scheips (Smithsonian Studies in History & Technology #9, 1971) it's only 57 pages.

rich r

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From:
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 12:39 AM

Check out the Library of Congress. They used to have bibliography/discography list on lots of different subjects. Don't know if they still to or how often they update them but if you can get them they are worth it.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 02:51 AM

Cazden's collection (mostly Catskills) was published as The Abelard Folk Song Book. New York, 1958.

Sandy

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 03:27 AM

Looks like my addiction is doing pretty well. I have over half of the books you guys have listed, but I've been looking for a year for Long Steel Rail without any luck. Now that I'm fully retired, I can devote more time to finding that book.
I'm going to dare to differ a bit with Sandy, though. Norman Cazden's The Abelard Folk Song Book is much better than your run-of-the mill folk song book, and maybe a bit better in detail than the Lomax books. In 1982, the State University of New York Press published Folk Songs of the Catskills, edited by Norman Cazden, Herbert Haufrecht, and Norman Studer. If you do not have a copy of this book, remind me to hide mine before you come to visit, to help you avoid temptation. This is one heck of a good piece of work, often with two or three pages of fascinating text to tell the story behind one song. That's what I'm looking for - not just collections of songs, but books that tell the story behind the songs.
It will be interesting to see what else gets added to the list. I'm looking for folk music books of all varieties.
There is one particular area where I'm really lacking - gospel songs and spirituals, both black and white. I've got lots of hymnals, but they don't have the old-time religious songs that really have some power in them.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: _gargoyle
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 04:01 AM

Most of the depression era, "Writer's Project" books include sections with folk songs, the stories are immediate to the local area's history, rather than a "lineage of development" but the history is "real" to the immediate people involved.

Some day would like to have a collection from 48 states.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Abby Sale
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 10:34 AM

Joe,

Try ABE - Advanced Book Exchange. Better than eBay for folk books but eBay is good too. It will turn up sooner or later. _Long Steel Rail_ is worth waiting for. (I don't have it yet - but did read it off Inter-Library Loan.)

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 06:00 PM

George Pullen Jackson may have exhibited slight "racist" tendencies, but his White Spirituals in the Southern Uplands and other collections (Spiritual Folk-Songs of Early America; Down-East Spirituals and Others; White and Negro Spirituals, Their Life Span and Kinship; Another Sheaf of White Spirituals) set the standard for other collectors.

You're right, Joe. Abelard is primarily a songbook, designed for popular use. The 1982 SUNY publication (which I don't have) would certainly be better. I, too, have been scrounging around for Norm Cohen's Long Steel Rail for at least as long as your search has gone on -- to no avail, as yet. I don't sing a lot of railroad songs, but my library is incomplete without his book. Dammit! Now that you have more time on your hands, you'll probably beat me to it when it suddenly appears on some used book web site.

The Bertrand Bronson volumes of the Child ballads are essential to a folksong library, but they are painfully expensive these days. Now that Greenhaus has taken over Camsco, he won't have as much time as he once had to devote to getting Bronson's material into the DT. But the books are worth mortgaging the farm to obtain. I see that the Dover five-volume paperback edition of Child is being offered for $750 on one of the book sites. Unbelievable! One might even find the four volumes of Bronson for less than that! Keep looking!

Jazus! (as Big Mick would say), building a folksong library is becoming an expensive enterprise! Time to investigate Inter-library loan and invest in a good copy machine?

Sandy (the impoverished addict)

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 06:37 PM

Now - this is a thread! Maybe we should keep it open for requests/recommendations on good background books - rather than modern songbooks.

Regards

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 06:39 PM

Yeah Sandy, but you're probably a lot smarter than me. I have lent out SO many old books and mags, and never got them back. Course I've forgotten who they went to, and it is kind of a compliment that people appreciated my taste and ....um...um... Oh shit, why didn't I write them down?
Rick (poorer and no wiser)

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 09:04 PM

Rick: I apparently loaned my old copy of Belden's Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folk Song Society (a fine regional collection) to someone with the same return-policy as your friends enjoy. Looked for a long time to replace it, but good old "Liam's Brother" beat me to it. The shocker was, he got it to give to me! With friends like that, who needs philanthropists?

Keeping the thread going, however, I find Vance Randolph's Ozark Folksongs, four volumes, Columbia, Missouri, 1946-1950, invaluable. Vance did more research among old songsters than almost any other folksong collector, most of whom limited their studies to the more scholarly collections. Maybe that's because he was self-taught and not a timid academician unwilling to go out on a limb. I loved him!

The Frank C. Brown collection of North Carolina material, mentioned above, is a very important source, I agree, but be a little cautious. I can't tell you the page number, but I had to laugh when I saw that they printed "T for Texas, T for Tennessee" with the notation: "We have not found this piece reported in other collections." Randolph would have recognized it!

Sandy

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Joan
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 09:47 PM

We have The Country Bookshop here in Plainfield, VT that specializes in used folksong and folklore books. If you're after a particular collection or set, you can e-mail, write or call and see if they have it, or maybe they can get it for you. I've also stumbled upon some gems just poking around in there, and have seen a number of titles mentioned above.

Probably other resources for used folksong collections--couldn't hurt to search for what you're looking for on some of the used book websites, or folk links. j

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Murray on Saltspring
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 12:37 AM

Reference Books for Folklore and Folksongs: [I'm thinking of books likely to be in libraries; if you want to BUY them, you may have trouble!!]
For Nursery Rhymes: English ones are pretty well treated in Iona & Peter Opie, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (2nd edition, 1997)--and see their other books as well (The Oxford Nursery Rhyme Book, The Puffin Book of Nursery Rhymes; The Lore and Language of Schoolchildrenm Children's Games in Street & Playground, The Singing Game). They have a pretty good collection (selection) of The Classic Fairy Tales, with notes and nice illustrations.
For general folklore, consult Funk & Wagtnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend (1949-50, new ed. 1972; and a wee while ago in paperback). Edited by Maria Leach. This covers a lot of ground, but falls short in many many respects which I haven.t the patience to go into right now.
I don't know if all the requisites are still in print; but you may have access to a good library, so try to find Bernard Bronson's Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads; and the magisterial work on ballads by Francis James Child [reprinted by Dover a long time since--Dover's current catalogue might be interesting for stuff]. For tunes, there's Simpson's The British Broadside Ballad and its Music; and the older work of Chappell, Popular Music of the Olden Time.
Stith Thompson, The Folktale; his Motif-Index in 8 volumes tries to list all the little events and personalities one finds in tales and ballads etc., though it's irritating to use sometimes.
For bawdy songs, and limericks, and jokes, find the works of Gershon Legman, I'm sure they're in print yet. There's always the web, of course. For a lot of info on old songs, ballads and whatnot, consult Bruce Olson's excellent page: www.erols.com/olsonw.
Others will doubtless have other ideas.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Big Mick
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 01:52 AM

Well.......that'll about do it........whatever hope I had of ratholing some money just went down the tubes. This is a marvelous thread and is going to piss off my missus royally as some of these tomes start mysteriously showing up, as there is a corresponding dip in the savings account.......thanks.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: lamarca
Date: 25 Dec 99 - 02:05 PM

Greetings from frozen Minnesota! I have been indulging in the used book websites for about a year now, and have had wonderful luck in filling out my book collection, at the expense of my bank account. I've ordered song collections from bookstores in the US, Canada, France and Australia, a found wonderful things. At the risk of giving myself more competition, here is a good link to multiple used book search engines:

http://www.rarebooks.org/searcheng.htm

Rarebooks.org is also a good site to learn more about book collecting in general.

Now if I could just find a copy of volume 1 of Bronson that doesn't cost more than my house...

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Mar 00 - 06:42 PM

About once every three months, I go on a shopping spree, looking for CD's and songbooks in Berkeley and El Cerrito, California. One of my stops is Down Home Music (click) home of the Arhoolie Records label, and probably the best folk music store in the San Francisco Bay area. Well, yesterday I noticed that they have several copies of the out-of-print treasure, Sam Henry's Songs of the People, at $29.95 paperback and $39.95 hardcover (which is less than I paid for the book there two years ago, dangit). I don't see the book listed on their Website, but they said you can order it by phone or e-mail (click)
The book is a terrific collection of (mostly Irish) folk songs, with tunes for most. Lots of good background information, too.
The store also has a number of books from the "Music In American Life" series published by the University of Illinois Press.
-Joe Offer, who is not connected with Down Home or any commercial enterprise whatsoever-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: GUEST,Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Mar 00 - 07:36 PM

"Folk Song in England" by A. L. Lloyd.

"The Oxford Book of Carols"

"The Oxford Book of Ballads"

"The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs" ed. by Ralph Vaughan Williams and A. L. Lloyd.

And here's another web site to keep your eye on: http://www.bibliofind.com/

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 28 Mar 00 - 01:17 AM

A search on the night of March 27/28 turned up copies of some of Bronson actually available--for those with champagne pocketbooks. Vol 1 for $250, Vol 2. for $350, and Vols 1 AND 2 for $750. As a note on one of the sellers mentions, "invaluable, very scare..." If interested, check www.bookfinder.com or www.bibliofind.com.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: GUEST,Dan Keding
Date: 28 Mar 00 - 10:12 AM

Joe,
Thanks for starting this thread. I've been collecting books on ballads, folktales, fairy tales, etc. for over twenty years. Have about 2,000 plus volumes.
Here's a few that haven't been mentioned yet:

• "The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection" edited by Patrick Shuldman-Shaw, Emily Lyle, & Adam McNaughtan. This is an eight volume set on Scottish folk song.
  
• "The Critics & the Ballad" edited by MacEdward Leach & Tristm Coffin. Essays on the ballad.
  
• "A Literary History of the Popular Ballad" by David Fowler. Talks about the development of the ballad.
  
• "Come All Ye Bold Miners" edited by A.L.Lloyd. Ballads & songs from the mines.
  
• "The Ballad Book" edited by MacEdward Leach. A great source for ballad lyrics.
  
• Two studies by G.Malcolm Laws, "Native American Balladry" and "American Balladry from British Broadsides".
  

Good hunting!
Dan

Line Breaks <br> and some other fancy stuff added for easier reading.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Hollowfox
Date: 28 Mar 00 - 10:24 AM

There's some great stuff on this thread, and I love it to bits but I don't think any of these titles will help much in answering Joe's original question about 12 Days of Christmas. I couldn't find an answer to that one either, but some related stuff on seasonal/ritual songs is in A. L. Lloyd's Folksong in England (mentioned above) and R. J. Stewart's Pagan Imagery in English Folk Song. This book is also called Where is Saint George: pagan imagery in English folk song Sometimes this author publishes under "Bob", sometimes "Robert J.", sometimes "R. J." The book is out of print under either title, of course. All the neat books I really want are out of print. Long live interlibrary loan and the photocopier!

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: northfolk/al cholger
Date: 28 Mar 00 - 04:35 PM

Try the following for used books online: bookfinder.com addall.com

for new try;

abebooks.com bibliofind.co

I have had good luck finding out of print and rare reference books, and I like it better than giving my $$$ to amazon (which also is a productive resource, and gets more business from me than I care to admit)

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Art Thieme
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 11:26 AM

I do believe that Norm Cohen's Long Steel Rail is about to be reissued (new edition) by the University Of Illinois Press (Urbana, IL).

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: GUEST,bigJ
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 03:05 PM

Surely It's about time someone (Dover?) reprinted the Bronson volumes.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: RitchieOne
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 08:46 PM

Anyone know, FOLKSONGS OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND? It's edited by Peter Kennedy, Oak Publications- 360 songs, a fine book.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 05:22 PM

Refresh.

So.... is there a dictionary or encyclopedia of trad folk words no longer in *current* use?

Stuff that would not appear in a regular dictionary?

~S~

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From:
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 05:33 PM

What sort of words do you mean?

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Burke
Date: 28 Aug 00 - 05:47 PM

There's a United Methodist site that adds the information about a new hymn each week. Here's the archive HISTORY OF HYMNS.

The histories are written by William Reynolds who has written the hymnal companion for the Southern Baptist hymnal and was a historical consultant on the 1991 revision on the Sacred Harp.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 12:15 AM

Well, I pulled out "Oxford Book of Carols" and didn't even find 12 Days of Christmas, but there's a version in Ruth Crawford Seeger's "American Folk Songs for Christmas" and the notes refer you to "Folksongs of Florida" by Alton C. Morris, Univ. of Florida Press, p.416; Archive of American Folkt Song, Folklore Section, Library of Congress 989 A1; and game directions from "Folk Songs of Old New England" Eloise H. Linscott, copyright 1939, Macmillan, p.52

The song has a section explaining that 12 days of Christmas was used as a "forfeit" song, where each person has to sing it alone correctly or pay a forfeit.

Does that help at all?

---

Let's talk about songbooks in this thread. this thread (click) is a better place to discuss the Twelve Days of Christmas. Thanks.
(but I made sure this message was in both threads, because of all the songbooks that are mentioned)
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 01:15 AM

Cohen's Long Steel Rail is now back in print. I now have the Catskill collection, Joe. Your observations were right on the money! Now let me point people to Sandy Ives' (that's Dr. Edward Ives) studies of the lumbercamp songmakers Larry Gorman and Joe Scott. Sandy also recently published a superb study of "The Bonnie Earl o' Murray," and two song collections from New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Reading Sandy's notes is like chatting with him over a cup of coffee in his kitchen. I love his writing! Wish all scholars were half so human.

Sandy

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 09:26 AM

This thread has "Teal" written all over it. I wonder if a "wish list" is feasible? Each of us submitting what we are looking for with response from those who have found it. I have loaned or given away so many books over the years, I feel as if I am starting from scratch. I always thought my memory would serve but ...
I am thinking of a virtual card catalogue with synopses /reviews by Mudcatters. Any interest? Or ideas on what would work best at least to start?

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Shanti
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 09:35 AM

Another source, not for the particular song mentioned, but for lots of others is BALLADS AND SONGS COLLECTED BY THE MISSOURI FOLKLORE SOCIETY. It was edited by H.M. Belden, and published by the U of MO Press, sometime in the 40s. It was reprinted in the 60s, but I don't know if it's still around now. Try the ALIBRIS website for out of print and hard to find books.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: pastorpest
Date: 29 Aug 00 - 10:59 AM

Joe:

Thanks for starting this thread! I hope you make it a permanent reference. I am an avid colletor of folk song books and I will add them to the list as I dig them out of my library.

Songs of England, Ireland & Scotland: A Bonnie Bunch of Roses: by Dan Milner: Oak Publications
The American Songbag: Carl Sandburg (out of print)
Maritime Folk Songs: Helen Creighton: Ryerson Press (out of print)
The Christmas Revels Songbook: compiled by Nancy & John Langstraff: Revels Inc. Publisher (includes an excellent CD)
The International Book of Christmas Carols: Walter Ehret & George Evans: Waltons Music Corporation Ft. Lauderdale, FL
The Robert Burns Song Book, Volume 1 by Serge Hovey ( a set of classical arrangements with excellent notes and historical detail) Hovey died in the middle of the project and sadly there will be no volume 2: Mel Bay
Folk Songs of Canada, Volume 1
Folk songs of Canada, Volume 2
Folk songs of Quebec
by Edith Fowke & Richard Johnson: Waterloo Music (These books have excellent notes, comb backs so they lie flat, and are available from Empire Music in Vancouver over the net)
Fireside Book of Folk Songs: selected and edited by Margaret Bradford Boni: Simon and Schuster, 1947 (out of print)
Old-Time String Band Songbook: edited by John Cohen and Mike Seeger: Oak Publications

Subject: Twelve Days of Christmas - moved
From: mousethief
Date: 30 Aug 00 - 05:51 PM

I hope you guys don't mind. I moved all the "Twelve Days of Christmas" stuff over to this thread (click). It was getting a bit far away from the topic of a basic folk library.
Thanks.
-Joe Offer-

---

This is a PermaThread from here on down. Any messages posted after this one are subject to editing, to preserve this thread as a reference bibliography of folk music books.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Sep 00 - 05:23 PM

I see that Hard Hitting Songs for Hard-Hit People has been reissued. It was compiled by Alan Lomax, Woody Guthrie, and Pete Seeger, and first published by Oak Publications in 1967. You'll find a list of the 165 songs in this book here (click). If you're interested in the songs of the activists in the U.S. in the first half of the twentieth century, you need this book.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Nancy-Jean
Date: 01 Sep 00 - 06:34 PM

For the New England Region, books by Helen Hartness Flanders (and various collaborators) describe the Flanders Ballad Collection at Middlebury Vermont (4500 folk songs and ballads collected over a 30 year period). The titles are:

• Vermont Folksongs and Ballads
• A Garland of Green Mountain Song
• The New Green Mountain Songster
• Ballads Migrant in New England
• Ancient Ballads Traditionally Sung in New England (4 volumes)

Anyone interested in making arrangements to hear the field recordings should get in touch with Mr. Terry Simpkins ([e-mail]). He is most enthusiastic about people interested in the Collection. I know. I spent a week there in May.

Nancy-Jean

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Lindsay
Date: 15 Oct 00 - 11:23 AM

As a member of historical reenactment group, i.e. 42nd Highland Regiment circa 1758, I am most interested in obtaining the music to "shanties". We already have a substantial library of words, but it would be so much easiser to learn the songs if we had the correct melody. Also, my wife is fairly accomplished on the flute (as well as piccolo, fife, recorder and tin whistle). I would certainly improve our music if she could accompany us. No, we are not professional performers! We simply enjoy singing the songs. Something about all the male voices blending together (okay, blending on a really good day).

Thank you in advance for any assistance provided.

Terry Wessling, aka Pvt Michael Lindsay, 42nd Regiment of Foote (but the corporal only bawls "LINDSAY!!!" when I'm in trouble.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: pastorpest
Date: 15 Oct 00 - 12:51 PM

Carl Sandburg's "American Songbag" has been reissued with an intro by Garrison Keillor. What a great folk song collection for all, but especially for Americans!

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Art Thieme
Date: 16 Oct 00 - 01:42 PM

A new book that I am definitely giving to a select small group of people for Christmas in this year of 2000 is one by my old friend and a great photographer, Rich Remsberg. Actually, it's not a music book -- unless by music you include the sounds of heavenly singers making their joyful noise.

The book is a new one from the UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS PRESS. (See my previous post here for the blue clicky thing to their website.)

The title of the book is RIDERS FOR GOD---The Story Of A Christian Motorcycle Gang. Photpgraphically and also through lyrically splendid printed rhetorical sections, the photographer/author from Bloomington, Indiana "takes us into a world generally inaccessible to outsiders, one situated at the crossroads of two seemingly incongruous realms; motorcycle gangs and Spirit-filled Christians."

Rich Remsberg, a photo journalist with an amazing eye, is also a long-time afficianado of things folk. He did a fine tape of folksongs a short few years ago.

I highly recommend this volume from Judy McCulloh and the U. of Illinois Press. Included is a beautiful situational perspective afterword by COLLEEN McDANNELL -- the Sterling M. McMurren Professor of Religious Studies and a professor of history at the University of Utah.

As Woody Guthrie might've said, "These pitchurs is good !!"

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Art Thieme
Date: 16 Oct 00 - 01:50 PM

Sorry if that was thread creep---but this old heathen folkie loves this book ! Any of the volumes listed in this thread would make great and loving mounds of love under the tree.

Art

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 16 Oct 00 - 02:26 PM

This is almost like a parent trying to pick his favorite child...

Here are some of my favorites:

Irish Street Ballads and More Irish Street Ballads, O Lochlainn

Sam Henry's Songs of the People, Huntington, Hermann, Moulden

Bothy Songs and Ballads, Ord

Traditional Singers and Songs from Ontario, Fowke

Shantymen and Shantyboys, Doerflinger

Songs of the American Sailormen, Colcord

Shanties from the Seven Seas, Hugill

I'm also very fond of a number of books mentioned above such as Belden, Sandburg, Cazden, Lomax, Flanders, etc.

All the best,
Dan Milner

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: GUEST,Becky N
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 01:25 AM

I don't think anybody's mentioned Traditional American Folksongs from the Anne & Frank Warner Collection, edited by Anne Warner (Syracuse Univ. Press, 1984). Wonderful, and way overdue. Some of the original field recordings are now on the CD, The Warner Collection, Vol. 1: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still.

Cazden, Haufrecht & Studer's Catskill text was the result of my first foray into on-line used books. I love it. (The book, and the used books on-line!) Where are the original recordings from that project?

- Becky Nankivell Tucson, Arizona

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: wildlone
Date: 17 Oct 00 - 04:11 PM

I have a copy of
Music for Patriots,Politicians and Patriots
harmonies and discords of the first hundred years
1975, Vera Brodsky Lawrence
that seems to have been printed for the Bicentenial that i picked up of my local rubbish dump,this must be one of my best finds

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 02:50 PM

I have a soft spot in my heart for the sentimental songs of the 19th century. Here are some books I'd recommend:

• Heart Songs (National Magazine & Chapple Publishing Co., 1909)
  The magazine surveyed its readers for suggestions for a collection fo the "popular melodies of today and the days gone by"). The book is available as a $40 paperback reprint from a genealogy publishing house, but I find copies on the original in used book stores for under $10.
  The magazine also published two volumes of sentimental poetry titled Heart Throbs - the poetry books don't seem to be as easy to find as the songbook.
• Read 'Em and Weep (1926 & 1945) and Weep Some More, My Lady (1927), by Sigmund Spaeth.
  These are very interesting and entertaining studies of the old, sappy classics. Spaeth also wrote an handy book called Barber Shop Ballads and How to Sing Them, and a number of other books on old popular music and on classical music.
• Songs That Never Grow Old (syndicate Publishing Co., 1909)
  This is a nice collection of familiar songs. There are some interesting photos of singers in the first several pages. I wouldn't say this is an "essential" book, but it's nice. Readily available for under $20.
• Lost Chords: The Diverting Story of American Popular Songs (by Douglas Gilbert, Doubleday Dorand and Co., 1942)
  Gilbert isn't as entertaining as Spaeth, but he tells some fascinating stories about the songs in his book.
• Song Dex Treasury of Humorous and Nostalgic Songs (Song Dex, Inc., 1956)
  This is an early fake book, designed, I suppose for electronic organs. It has 740 songs, enough to make you cry a big bucket of tears.
• My Pious Friends and Drunken Companions: Songs and Ballads of Conviviality (Frank Shay, 1927)
  I guess you'd call these songs "barroom ballads." They're certainly entertaining, although I wish the book had tunes for more of the songs. There's a More Pious Friends sequel, and both books are also available bound in a single volume.

I'd say the Spaeth books and Heart Songs and maybe Pious Friends are the "essential" books in this category.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Peter T.
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 05:32 PM

I know this will probably offend all purists, but I have always found Jerry Silverman's books to be a Godsend for the tunes that everyone knows but you can't find anywhere. I have often scoured the library for something, and ended up finding at least one version in one of his collections.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 05:56 PM

You're certainly right about Jerry Silverman's books, Peter. You'll find at least a dozen Silverman books in my library. My favorites are his huge Folk Song Encyclopedia and his Yiddish Songbook. For some reason, Mel Bay publishing has remaindered a number of Jerry Silverman songbooks over the last couple of years. You can still find a few at bargain prices at www.hamiltonbook.com (click here for songbooks).
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Stewie
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 08:27 PM

And if you are looking for a book on the blues, don't go past Lawrence Cohn (Ed) 'Nothing But the Blues: The Music and the Musicians' Abbeville Press 1993. Paperback edition ISBN 0-7892-0607-2. It has the appearance of a large coffee table book but, in content, it is nothing of the sort. It has excellent photos and essays by Sam Charters, Dave Evans, Dick Spottswood, Charles Wolfe, Mark Humphrey etc.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 20 Apr 01 - 02:11 PM

You can find almost all the books named above (at least all to do with ballads) by reading Bertrand Bronson's acknowledgment pages to THE TRADITIONAL TUNES OF THE CHILD BALLADS- any volume. All right, Sandy- may I brag a little? I have all the volumes, but volume 111 is AUTOGRAPHED to me on my birthday! We never lock out kitchen door, but something tells me I'd better, from now on... Jean

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: GUEST,bigJ
Date: 20 Apr 01 - 02:33 PM

Volume 111???????

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 20 Apr 01 - 06:37 PM

Yep, says so right on the dust jacket. It begins with Child # 114, "Johnie Cock." But I'm wrong- it was Volume 11 that's autographed, the one beginning with #54, "The Cherry Tree Carol."

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 20 Apr 01 - 09:23 PM

bigJ: that was VOLUME III (i.e., 3).  Surely not that difficult to understand?

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 22 Apr 01 - 05:16 PM

Malcolm and BigJ, Thanks for the gentle lesson... I should've used the I instead of the 1- but on my old typewriter, the 1 looked better and I was used to that. I guess the lesson underneath is that one should not brag!

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: sian, west wales
Date: 24 Apr 01 - 04:55 AM

May I throw in "Jongleur Songs of Old Quebec" by Marius Barbeau? Copyright 1962, Rutgers, The State University; Library of Congress 58-10828? Might be out of print, I suppose. A good collection of jongleur and voyageur songs recorded by the author between 1916 and 1925 along the St. Lawrence. Melodies, French texts and singable English translations plus full commentaries and bibliography.

Oh dear. This is going to be a VERY expensive thread to keep on the tracer...

sian, west wales

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: artbrooks
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 10:41 PM

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see "Rise Up Singing" mentioned previously. It gets some bad press, primarily from those who object to its ubiquitous use in song circles, but it includes a lot of songs, with reasonable source and discography information. Besides, any song book with an introduction by Pete Seegar can't be all bad!

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: nutty
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 04:51 AM

I have recently acquired the following books

MISS BROADWOOD'S DELIGHT - Folk Songs from Sussex and other English Counties (ISBN 0 9526363 1 X)
and
SWEET SUSSEX - Songs from the Broadwood Collections(ISBN 0 9526363 0 1)

Both are available from

Ferret Publications
34 Maney Hill Road
Sutton Coalfield
West Midlands
B72 1JL
England

BUSHES AND BRIARS - Folk Songs collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams , Edited by Roy Palmer (ISBN 1 86143 072 2)
This was re-released by Llanerch Publishers in 1999

All are worth having but Bushes and Briars is a gem and its great that such books are available again.
If , like me, you missed them the first time round - don't let them slip by this time

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Lin in Kansas
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 04:56 AM

A couple of the most-frequently used books from our collection:

One of the best source books for bawdy and old-time cowboy songs we've run into is The Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing (and Other Songs Cowboys Sing), collected and edited by Guy Logsdon, another one from the University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0-252-06488-7 (paperback). Melody line shown for most of the songs.

Also:

Negro Folk Music U.S.A. by Harold Courlander, published by Dover in 1992, ISBN 0-486-27350-4.

A Treasury of American Ballads Gay, Naughty, and Classic, edited and with an intro and notes by Charles O'Brien Kennedy, published by the McBride Company, New York (1954), ISBN 54-12427. Many interesting songs (text), but no melodies.

Silverman's Guitarist's Treasury of Songs is a good addition to his two-volume Folk Song Encyclopedia mentioned above.

Excellent information in this thread--thanks, everyone!

Lin and John

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Aidan Crossey
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 07:26 AM

Haven't seen it mentioned but Breandan Breathnach's Folk Music and Dances of Ireland has to be a must in anyone's folk library.

Ciaran Carson's "Last Night's Fun" by the poet, musician and philosopher.

Brian Hinton's "Country Roads"

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: pavane
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 07:39 AM

What about Kidson? I don't see him in here yet

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: pavane
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 07:44 AM

I suppose I should have given full details: Traditional Tunes Frank Kidson 1891. I used to use a copy in our library, but that was in the 1970's. I seem to remember he had 4 tunes to Scarborough Fair, all major key. None like the one we use today.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 08:28 AM

A reprint of Frank Kidson's Traditional Tunes is available from Llanerch, mentioned above by Nutty.  They have had to wind up the original business, but the mail-order side at least is continuing as Llanerch Press, at a new address:

Llanerch Press
Penbryn Lodge
Pandy
Cribyn
Lampeter
Wales
SA48 7QH

Their website has not so far been updated, but contains a full list of reprints available:  http://www.llanerch-publishers.co.uk/

Dave Herron (Eckersley) of the Traditional Song Forum has compiled a useful list of folk song books in print in Britain and Ireland, an updated version of which can be seen at the  South Riding Folk Network  site:

David Herron's Chapbook

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 09:55 AM

A small selection of interesting (for varying reasons) books on the blues:

Alyn, G. (1993) 'I Say For Me a Parable' The Oral Autobiography of Mance Lipscomb, Texas Bluesman. New York: Da Capo.

Calt, S. (1994)I'd Rather be the Devil: Skip James and the Blues. New York: Da Capo.

Calt, S. and Wardlow, G.D. (1988)King of the Delta Blues: The Life and Music of Charlie Patton Newton: Rock Chapel Press.

Cook, B. (1995) Listen to the Blues. New York: Da Capo.

Evans, D, (1982) Big Road Blues: Tradition and Creativity in the Folk Blues. New York: Da Capo.

Finn, J. (1986) The Bluesman: The Musical Heritage of Black Men and Women in the Americas. London: Quartet.

Palmer, R. (1981) Deep Blues New York: Viking Press.

Wardlow, G.D. (1998) Chasin' That Devil Music: Searching For the Blues. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books.

And any number of books by Paul Oliver.

Brian

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 11:17 AM

This thread is so long, I can't possibly read all of it now. Just a suggestion; check with your local university library to see if they have any of the wonderful holdings listed here. Many times they do and you can copy the songs your would like rather than buying the whole thing for just a few songs. The music librarian might be of good assistance.

One suggestion: The Dulcimer Chord Encyclopedia is indispensible for any serious dulcimer player.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Nerd
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 05:34 AM

One of the more challenging folk books out there is Fakesong by Dave Harker. It deserves careful reading and consideration, but ultimately it deconstructs folk song as a category and leaves us without our favorite genre! It takes potshots at all the sacred cows of English folksong scholarship, and takes everyone from Sharp to Lloyd down a peg.

Alan lomax's The land Where the Blues Began is a beautifully written book.

for sea songs, look to Bill Doerflinger and Gale Huntingdon as well as Hugill.

Kenny Goldstein and Edith Fowke's book on Bawdy Ballads and Dirty Ditties should be coming out soon, if it's not out already; Rochelle Goldstein told me they had a publisher almost two years ago.

Like everyone else, I have too many favorite folk books to pick from--but how about Banjo Patterson's Old Bush Songs; Kenneth Peacock's set of Newfoundland and labrador ballads (soon to be out on CD-ROM); and Anthologie de la Chanson Francaise: La Tradition. So many great songs...

Steve

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: IanC
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 06:48 AM

As Walking Eagle said, this thread is now too long to make much sense from the point of view of finding relevant books. It's also, being a forum thread, not organised in any way.

Yeasterday, I spent an hour or so filtering the references out of the thread and categorising them to a degree (not yet in any real order). I have temporarily stuck them in a corner of my (not yet constructed) web site HERE.

If anyone wants to look at them and make any comments or suggestions as to how they can be better organised, any additions, corrections etc. then let me know. In the meantime, I'll sort them out a bit more and properly HTML them when I get a chance.

Is this useful?

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: pavane
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 07:03 AM

A couple more, not yet on your list, may be of interest: The Cruel Wars by Karl Dallas - Soldiers songs from Agincourt to Dunkirk, and The Seeds of Love by Stephen Sedley. Both contain a good deal of background information on the songs within.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 07:08 AM

Ian:  It would be a good idea to include publisher's details, and indicate whether or not books are in print.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: pavane
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 07:35 AM

I am sure that the two I mentioned have been out of print for many years. Karl Dallas himself contacted me some years ago, looking for a copy of the Cruel Wars.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 07:45 AM

I second Winick's suggestion of Dave Harker's book Fakesong and also suggest another 'academic' book: Boyes, G. (1993) The Imagined Village: Culture, Ideology and the English Folk Revival. Manchester: University of Manchester Press.

Also:

Rosenberg, N. (Ed.)(1993) Transforming Tradition: Folk Music Revivals Examined Urbana: University of Illinois Press.

Brian

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 Jul 01 - 08:02 AM

Since I have sorted out most of the stuff in the "Folk Library" thread – up to 12JUL01 – for my own use, it occurs that this might be handy for some of the rest of us. Because the list is so long, I would suggest that Joe or the Joe Clones make a decision whether it should be kept. Won't hurt my feelin's if it's too much baggage and needs to be killed (mercifully please).
It was a lot prettier before I took out the tabs. They don't do a good job of lining things up in HTML anyway. I don't like using dashes, but some net readers do bizarre things with spaces (or even dots).
There are a couple of web addresses that were in the originals that may be garbled because I had to replace "&" with the HTML "&" to keep the rest of the list from exploding. I think the only one likely to be affected appears at "Hard Hitting Songs for Hard Hit People," but there could be others.
Anything in quotes EXCEPT titles is probably my attempt to convey comments made by contributors. Apologies if I've mangled them too much.
I have attempted mainly to take out duplications, and merge multiple contributions to get the best "identification" I could. My definition of identification is what you would need to be pretty sure you're getting the book you want – before you send somebody your hard-earned.
Entries are in my own version of alphabetical order. It's pretty loose, but should be useable.
For the curious - I count 127 titles so far.

PLACES TO LOOK FOR BOOKS

Title:----------------addall.com
Comments:--------"good for used books."

Title:---------------ABE – Advanced Book Exchange
Comments:--------"Better than eBay."

Title:---------------abebooks.com
Comments:--------"good for new books."

Title:---------------http://www.bibliofind.com
Comments:--------suggested by multiple postings.

Title:---------------bookfinder.com
Comments:--------"good for used books."

Title:---------------The Country Bookshop, Plainfield, Vt
Comments:--------"Specializes in used folksong and folklore books."

Title:---------------http://www.rarebooks.org/searcheng.htm
Comments:--------"good link to multiple used book search engines."

BOOKS AND OTHER IDENTIFIABLE (MORE OR LESS) SOURCES

Title:---------------The Abelard Folk Song Book
Comments:--------Cazden's collection, mostly Catskills.
Author/Editor:----Cazden
Publisher:----------New York, 1958

Title:---------------American Balladry from British Broadsides
Author/Editor:----G. Malcolm Laws

Title:---------------American Folk Poetry, An Anthology
Comments:--------"Joe Hickerson prepared a superb bibliography. All text, but good footnotes pointing to sources, and a wonderful selection of songs."
Author/Editor:----Duncan Emrich
Publisher:---------Little, Brown and Co., Boston Toronto, 1974

Title:---------------American Folk Songs for Christmas
Author/Editor:----Ruth Crawford Seeger

Title:---------------American Murder Ballads and Their Stories
Author/Editor:----Olive Wooley Burt
Publisher:---------Oxford Univ Press, 1958, LC 58-5382

Title:---------------The American Songbag
Comments:--------Original copyright 1927. Reissue has intro by Garrison Keillor
Author/Editor:----Carl Sandburg
Publisher:---------Reissued by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York 1990 ISBN 0-15-60560-X (paperback)

Title:---------------Ancient Ballads Traditionally Sung in New England (4 Volumes)
Comments:--------See the Flanders Ballad Collection at Middlebury, Vermont
Author/Editor:----Helen Hartness Flanders

Title:---------------Anglo American Folksong Scholarship Since 1898
Comments:--------"will direct you to other worthwhile studies."
Author/Editor:----D. K. Wilgus
Publisher:---------Rutgers University Press, 195

Title:---------------Another Sheaf of White Spirituals
Author/Editor:----George Pullen Jackson

Title:---------------Archive of American Folk Song, Folklore Section, Library of Congress
Publisher:---------An Archive

Title:---------------The Ballad of America
Author/Editor:----John Anthony Scott

Title:---------------The Ballad Book
Author/Editor:----MacEdward Leach

Title:---------------Ballads Migrant in New England
Comments:--------See the Flanders Ballad Collection at Middlebury, Vermont
Author/Editor:----Helen Hartness Flanders

Title:---------------Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folk Song Society
Comments:--------Original printing in the 40s. Reprinted in the 60s.
Author/Editor:----H. M. Belden
Publisher:---------University of Missouri Press

Title:---------------Barber Shop Ballads and How to Sing Them
Author/Editor:----Sigmund Spaeth

Title:---------------Big Road Blues: Tradition and Creativity in the Folk Blues
Comments:--------A book about blues.
Author/Editor:----D. Evans
Publisher:---------Da Capo, New York, 1982

Title:---------------The Bluesman: The Musical Heritage of Black Men and Women in the Americas
Comments:--------A book about blues
Author/Editor:----J. Finn
Publisher:---------Quartet, London, 1986

Title:---------------Bothy Songs and Ballads

Title:---------------Bushes and Briars: Folk Songs Collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Comments:--------Re-released by Llanerch Publishers in 1999, ISBN 1 86143 072 2
Author/Editor:----Roy Palmer
Publisher:---------Llanerch Publishers

Title:---------------The British Broadside Ballad and Its Music
Author/Editor:----Simpson

Title:---------------Catskill text (?)
Comments:--------Not sure whether this is the "Abelard Folk Song Book," "Folk Songs of the Catskills," or something else??
Author/Editor:----Cazden, Haufrecht and Studer

Title:---------------Chasin' That Devil Music: Searching For the Blues
Comments:--------A book on blues
Author/Editor:----G. D. Wardlow
Publisher:---------Miller Freeman Books, San Francisco, 1998

Title:---------------The Christmas Revels Songbook
Author/Editor:----Nancy & John Langstraff
Publisher:---------Revels Inc.

Title:---------------Country Roads
Author/Editor:----Brian Hinton

Title:---------------The Critics & the Ballad
Author/Editor:----MacEdward Leach & Tristin Coffin

Title:---------------David Herron's Chapbook
Author/Editor:----Dave Heron (Eckersley)
Publisher:---------The Traditional Song forum
Availability:------http://ww.folk-network.com/newsletter/features/daveherrons.html

Title:---------------Deep Blues
Comments:--------A book on blues
Author/Editor:----R. Palmer
Publisher:---------Viking Press, New York, 1981

Title:---------------Deep the Water, Shallow the Shore
Comments:--------Essays on shantying in the West Indies
Author/Editor:----Roger D. Abrams
Publisher:---------American Folklore Society

Title:---------------Down East Spirituals and Others
Author/Editor:----George Pullen Jackson

Title:---------------The English and Scottish Popular Ballads
Comments:--------Five volumes, paperback: Originally published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1882 – 1898.
Author/Editor:----Francis James Child
Publisher:---------Dover Publications, Inc. New York, 1965
Availability:------Out of Print.

Title:---------------Fireside Book of Folk Songs
Author/Editor:----Margaret Bradford Boni
Publisher:---------Simon and Schuster, 1947
Availability:------out of print

Title:---------------The Flanders Ballad Collection at Middlebury, Vermont
Comments:--------Anyone interested in making arrangements to hear the field recordings should get in touch with Mr. Terry Simpkins ([e-mail]). He is most enthusiastic about people interested in the Collection.

Title:---------------Folk Music and Dances of Ireland
Comments:--------Brendan Breathnach's "Ceol Rince na hÉireann" was published in Dublin, 1963, as a "Department of Education" project, with the reported purpose of recording specific performances of noted players (apparently mostly fiddlers) of various regions. Most references to "Breathnach" are to this collection. Reports vary as to how many volumes (and under what titles) have been published. The original issue appears to have been 3 volumes, but there is evidence of later partial reprints, and printings of tunes selected from several of the originals, possible for use as school texts. Recent web offerings run to $200 to $400 per volume, with sellers vaguely believing that theirs is "The real book" – but not really knowing even the title. (This includes amazon.com) A very desirable set, but - Caution advised? "Folk Music and Dances of Ireland" is probably one of his later books, but people are SO CONFUSED about the guy....
Author/Editor:----Brendan Breathnach (one of many spellings seen)

Title:---------------Folksong Books in Print
Comments:--------A list of folk song books in print in Britain and Ireland.
Author/Editor:----Dave Heron (Eckersley)
Publisher:----------The Traditional Song Forum
Availability:-------http://ww.folk-network.com

Title:---------------Folksongs of Britain and Ireland
Author/Editor:----Peter Kennedy
Publisher:----------Oak Publication

Title:---------------Folk Song in England
Comments:--------Also submitted as "Folksong In England."
Author/Editor:----A. L. Lloyd

Title:---------------Folk Songs of Canada, Vol 1 & 2
Author/Editor:----Edith Fowke & Richard Johnson
Publisher:---------Waterloo Music
Availability:-------Available from Empire Music in Vancouver

Title:---------------Folk Songs of the Catskills
Author/Editor:----Norman Cazden, Herbert Haufrecht, and Norman Studer
Publisher:---------State University of New York Press, 1982

Title:---------------Folksongs of Florida
Author/Editor:----Alton C. Morris
Publisher:---------University of Florida Press

Title:---------------Folk Songs of Old New England
Comments:--------heavy on childrens' songs and singing games. Original 1939, Macmillan, also printed by The Shoestring Press, 1962, 1990.
Author/Editor:----Eloise H. Linscott
Publisher:---------Dover Books (reprint of the second edition), 1993

Title:---------------Folk Songs of Quebec
Author/Editor:----Edith Fowke & Richard Johnson
Publisher:---------Waterloo Music
Availability:-------Available from Empire Music in Vancouver

Title:---------------The Folktale
Comments:-------"Motif index in 8 volumes, tries to list all the little events and personalities one finds in tales and ballads, etc."
Author/Editor:----Stith Thompson

Title:---------------Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore
Comments:--------No indication by contributor whether this is a published work or a resident collection – somewhere.

Title:---------------Funk & Wagtnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend (1949-50, new ed. 1972)
Comments:--------recently reissued in paperback
Author/Editor:----Maria Leach

Title:---------------A Garland of Green Mountain Song
Comments:-------See the Flanders Ballad Collection at Middlebury, Vermont
Author/Editor:----Helen Hartness Flanders

Title:---------------The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collections
Author/Editor:----Patrick Shuldman-Shaw, Emily Lyle, & Adam McNaughtan

Title:---------------A Guitarist's Treasury of Song
Comments:--------ISBN 0-7866-0555-3
Author/Editor:----Jerry Silverman
Publisher:---------Mel Bay, #4 Industrial Drive, Pacific MO 63069-0066
Availability:-------"remaindered" bargains may be available at http://www.hamiltonbook.com/cgi-bin/hamiltonbook.storefront/

Title:---------------Hard Hitting Songs for Hard Hit People
Comments:--------A reissue. Index at http://www.lib.utk.edu:90/cgi-bin/music/songwizard.cgi?command=search&type=6&keywords=892
Author/Editor:----Alan Lomax, Woody Guthrie, and Pete Seeger
Publisher:---------Oak Publications, 1967
Availability:-------http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0803279914/qid=967842771/002-4625673-2151210

Title:---------------He Was Singin' This Song
Author/Editor:----Jim Bob Tinsley

Title:---------------Heart Songs
Publisher:--------National Magazine & Chapple Publishing Co., 1909
Availability:------"A paperback reprint is available from a genealogy publishing house ($40), but used copies can be found ($10?)"

Title:---------------Heart Throbs
Comments:--------"Sentimental Poetry."
Publisher:--------National Magazine & Chapple Publishing Co., 1909
Availability:------"Harder to find than "Heart Songs.""

Title:---------------The Hell-Bound Train
Author/Editor:----Glenn Ohrlin

Title:---------------History of Hymns – Archive, http://www.umr.org/soul.htm
Comments:--------"United Methodist site."
Author/Editor:----William Reynolds

Title:---------------I'd Rather Be the Devil: Skip James and the Blues
Comments:--------A book about the blues.
Author/Editor:----S. Calt
Publisher:--------Da Capo, 1994

Title:---------------The International Book of Christmas Carols
Author/Editor:----Walter Ehret & George Evans
Publisher:---------Waltons Music Corp., Ft Lauderdale, FL

Title:---------------Irish Street Ballads
Comments:-------See also "More Irish Street Ballads"
Author/Editor:----O' Lochlainn

Title:---------------I Say for Me a Parable: The Oral Autobiography of Mance Lipscomb, Texas Bluesman
Comments:--------A book about the blues.
Author/Editor:----G. Alyn
Publisher:---------Da Capo, New York, 1993

Title:---------------Jerry Silverman's Folk Song Encyclopedia, Volume I and Volume II
Comments:--------Vol I ISBN 0-88188-103-7, Vol II ISBN 0-88188-104-5
Author/Editor:----Jerry Silverman
Publisher:---------Chapppell/Intersong, 1975: Distributed by Hal Leonard
Availability:------"remaindered" bargains may be available at http://www.hamiltonbook.com/cgi-bin/hamiltonbook.storefront/

Title:---------------Jongleur Songs of Old Quebec
Comments:--------Collected 1916-1925 along the St Lawrence
Author/Editor:----Marius Barbeau
Publisher:---------Rutgers, The State University, 1962

Title:---------------King of the Delta Blues: The Life and Music of Charlie Patton
Comments:--------A book about the blues
Author/Editor:----S. Calt and G. D. Wardlow
Publisher:---------Rock Chapel Press, Newton, 1988

Title:---------------Last Night's Fun
Author/Editor:----Ciaran Carson

Title:---------------Listen to the Blues
Comments:--------A book on the blues
Author/Editor:----B. Cook
Publisher:---------Da Capo, New York, 1995

Title:---------------A Literary History of the Popular Ballad
Comments:--------"Talks about the development of the ballad"
Author/Editor:----David Fowler

Title:---------------Long Steel Rail
Author/Editor:----Norm Cohen
Publisher:---------University Of Illinois Press, Urbana, IL
Availability:------A new edition may be out, or soon coming.

Title:---------------The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren: Childrens Games in Street and Playground
Comments:--------Nursery Rhymes.

Title:---------------Lost Chords: The Diverting Story of American Popular Songs
Comments:--------Some fascinating stories about the songs.
Author/Editor:----Douglas Gilbert
Publisher:---------Doubleday Dorand & Co., 1942

Title:---------------Maritime Folk Songs
Comments:--------out of print
Author/Editor:----Helen Creighton
Publisher:---------Ryerson Press

Title:---------------Miss Broadwood's Delight: Folk Songs from Sussex and other English Counties
Comments:--------ISBN 0.9526363.1.X
Publisher:---------Available from Ferret Publications, 34 Maney Hill Road, Sutton Coalfield, West Midlands, B72 1JL, England.

Title:---------------More Irish Street Ballads
Comments:-------See also "Irish Street Ballads"
Author/Editor:----O' Lochlainn

Title:---------------Music In American Life Series
Comments:--------Down Home Music, home of the Arhoolie Records label – a number of books from this series.
Publisher:---------University of Illinois Press
Availability:------http://www.downhomemusic.com/

Title:---------------Music for Patriots: Politicians and Patriots – harmonies and discords of the first hundred years (1975)
Author/Editor:----Vera Brodsky Lawrence

Title:---------------My Pious Friends and Drunken Companions: Songs and Ballads of Conviviality
Comments:--------1927: Also available bound with the companion "More Pious Friends."
Author/Editor:----Frank Shay

Title:---------------Native American Balladry
Author/Editor:----G. Malcolm Laws

Title:---------------Negro Folk Music U.S.A.
Author/Editor:----Harold Courlander
Publisher:---------Dover Books, 1992, ISBN 0-486-27350-4

Title:---------------The New Green Mountain Songster
Comments:-------See the Flanders Ballad Collection at Middlebury, Vermont
Author/Editor:----Helen Hartness Flanders

Title:---------------Nothing But the Blues: The Music and the Musicians
Comments:--------Excellent photos and essays.
Author/Editor:----Lawrence Cohn
Publisher:---------Abbeville Press, 1993, Paperback edition ISBN 0-7892-0607-2

Title:---------------Old-Time String Band Songbook
Author/Editor:----John Cohen and Mike Seeger
Publisher:---------Oak Publications

Title:---------------The Oxford Book of Ballads

Title:---------------The Oxford Book of Carols

Title:---------------The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (2d Edition 1997)
Author/Editor:----Iona & Peter Opie

Title:---------------Ozark Folksong, 4 Volumes
Author/Editor:----Vance Randolph
Publisher:---------Columbia, MO, 1946-1950

Title:---------------Pagan Imagery in English Folk Song
Comments:-------Also called "Where is Saint George: pagan imagery in English folk song." Author publishes as "Bob," "Robert J.," and "R.J."
Author/Editor:----R. J. Stewart

Title:---------------The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs
Author/Editor:----Ralph Vaughan Williams & A. L. Lloyd

Title:---------------Popular Music of the Olden Time
Author/Editor:----Chappell

Title:---------------The Puffin Book of Nursery Rhymes
Comments:--------Nursery Rhymes

Title:---------------Read 'Em and Weep (126 & 1945)
Comments:-------"studies of old, sappy classics." See also "Weep Some More, My Lady"
Author/Editor:----Sigmund Spaeth

Title:---------------Rise Up Singing
Comments:--------Available paperback, spiral-bound, or library bound.
Author/Editor:----Peter Blood and Annie Patterson
Publisher:---------Sing Out!, PO Box 5253, Bethlehem PA 18015-0253, [phone]
Availability:------Most good book stores(?)

Title:---------------The Robert Burns Song Book, Volume 1
Comments:--------Hovey died during the project, so there will be no Volume 2.
Author/Editor:----Serge Hovey
Publisher:---------Mel Bay

Title:---------------Sam Henry's Songs of the People
Comments:--------Several copies at $29.95 paperback and $39.95 harcover (16APR01)
Author/Editor:----Huntington, Hermann, Moulden
Publisher:---------Down Home Music, Home of the Arhoolie Records label
Availability:------http://www.downhomemusic.com/

Title:---------------Scalded to Death by the Steam
Comments:--------Stories of railroad disasters and the ballads about them
Author/Editor:----Katie Letcher Lyle
Publisher:---------Algonquin Books, Chapel Hill, NC ISBN-0-912697-01-6
Availability:------May be easy to find.

Title:---------------Scottish Border Battles & Ballads
Author/Editor:----Michael Brander
Publisher:---------ISBN 0-517-552500-3, LC-75-44444

Title:---------------Shanties from the Seven Seas
Author/Editor:----Hugill

Title:---------------Shantymen and Shantyboys
Author/Editor:----Doerflinger

Title:---------------The Singing Game
Comments:--------Nursery Rhymes

Title:---------------Song Dex Treasury of Humorous and Nostalgic Song
Comments:--------A fake book for electronic organs. 740 songs.
Publisher:---------Song Dex, Inc., 1956

Title:---------------Songs of the American Sailormen
Author/Editor:----Colcord

Title:---------------Songs of the Cowboys
Author/Editor:----N. Howard "Jack" Thorpe

Title:---------------Songs of the Great American West
Author/Editor:----Irwin Silber

Title:---------------Songs of England, Ireland & Scotland: A Bonnie Bunch of Roses
Author/Editor:----Dan Milner
Publisher:---------Oak Publications

Title:---------------Songs That Never Grow Old
Comments:--------"Readily available for under $20."
Publisher:---------Syndicate Publishing Co., 1909

Title:---------------Spiritual Folk-Songs of Early America
Author/Editor:----George Pullen Jackson

Title:---------------Sweet Sussex: Songs from the Broadwood Collections
Comments:--------ISBN 0.9526363.0.1
Publisher:---------Available from Ferret Publications, 34 Maney Hill Road, Sutton Coalfield, West Midlands, B72 1JL, England.

Title:---------------Traditional American Folksongs from the Anne & Frank Warner Collection
Comments:--------Some of the original field recordings are on CD, "The Warner Collection, Vol. 1: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still."
Author/Editor:----Anne Warner
Publisher:---------Syracues University Press 1984

Title:---------------Traditional Singers and Songs from Ontario
Author/Editor:----Fowke

Title:---------------Traditional Tunes
Comments:--------Original 1891
Author/Editor:----Frank Kidson
Publisher:---------Reprint Llanerch Press, Penbryn Lodge, Pandy, Cribyn, Lampeter, Wales, SA48 7QH
Availability:------http://www.llanerch-publishers.co.uk/

Title:---------------The Traditional Tunes of the Child Ballads
Comments:--------Four volumes: Reportedly contains an excellent bibliography as well.
Author/Editor:----Bertrand Bronson
Availability:------Scarce and costly.

Title:---------------A Treasurey of American Ballads: Gay, Naughty, and Classic
Comments:--------Interesting songs, text only.
Author/Editor:----Charles O'Brien Kennedy
Publisher:---------McBride Company, New York, 1954

Title:---------------unknown
Comments:--------"Sandy Ive's studies of lumbercamp songmakers Larry Gorman and Joe Scot"
Author/Editor:----Dr. Edward Ives

Title:---------------unknown
Comments:--------"Sandy Ive's study of "The Bonnie Earl o' Murray"
Author/Editor:----Dr. Edward Ives

Title:---------------unknown
Comments:--------"Sandy Ive's song collections from New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island."
Author/Editor:----Dr. Edward Ives

Title:---------------unknown: "book on shanties"
Author/Editor:----JoAnna Colcord

Title:---------------Various "For bawdy songs, and limericks, and jokes."
Comments:--------G. Legman carried on a running battle over many decades with the "academics" who disparaged his collections as "unscholarly." An example of his "unscholarly work" is in the "JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN FOLKLORE SOCIETY," Vol 103, No 410, October-December, 1990, pages 259-413, in his article ""Unprintable" Folklore?: The Vance Randolph Collection." His coup was the printing, in the same volume of JAFS, his "Erotic Folksongs and Ballads: An International Bibliography," (page 453 & on & on & on) consisting of several hundred pages of fine print listings of "sources" so arcane and inaccessible that it is unlikely anyone will ever find a single one of them – if any of them exist. A couple of years ago, Mr. Legman was listed at the JAFS web site as a participant in an upcoming conference. Sadly, G Legman died shortly after, and so far as I can determine his name and all reference to him (including previous listings of him as participant in past conferences) has been expunged from the site. Byline usually just "G. Legman" for those who want to search.
Author/Editor:----Gershon Legman
Publisher:---------Various
Availability:------None known in print.

Title:---------------Vermont Folksongs and Ballads
Comments:-------See the Flanders Ballad Collection at Middlebury, Vermont
Author/Editor:----Helen Hartness Flanders

Title:---------------Weep Some More, My Lady (1927)
Comments:-------"studies of old, sappy classics." See also "Read 'Em and Weep"
Author/Editor:----Sigmund Spaeth

Title:---------------White and Negro Spirituals, Their Life Span and Kinship
Author/Editor:----George Pullen Jackson

Title:---------------White Spirituals in the Southern Uplands
Author/Editor:----George Pullen Jackson

Title:---------------The Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing (And Other Songs Cowboys Sing)
Comments:--------Good history, melody line shown for most songs.
Author/Editor:----Guy Logsdon
Publisher:---------University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0-252-06488-7 (paperback)

Title:---------------"Writer's Project Books." Various titles, usually containing "WPA" somewhere in the title.
Comments:--------An example I have is "The WPA Dallas Guide and History," This happens to be one never published during the WPA years, but eventually published 1992 by Dallas Public Library and the University of North Texas Press. Seven pages of text on "Music." The State Guides were mostly completed, but many local guides may still exist only as manuscripts. An excellent article at Smithsonian Magazine, March 2000 is HERE
Author/Editor:----Various. Some attributed to individuals, some only to "workers of the Writer's Program of the Work Projects Administration"
Publisher:---------Various: Usually local to the area described
Availability:------Writer's Program roughly 1936 – 1942. Some reprints, or like the above "late prints," appear sporadically.

Title:---------------www.erols.com/olsonw
Comments:--------Site recommended for info on old songs, ballads, and miscellany.
Availability:------current July 2001

Title:---------------Yiddish Song Book
Author/Editor:----Jerry Silverman
Availability:------"remaindered" bargains may be available at http://www.hamiltonbook.com/cgi-bin/hamiltonbook.storefront/

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 Jul 01 - 08:08 AM

Well, my blue-clicky isn't very blue, but it worked for me. (Look hard at "Writer's Project Books."
Hope someone finds this helpful.
John

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: IanC
Date: 16 Jul 01 - 12:29 PM

JiK

Could I use some of your comments and hints on where to get books in my resource site (see above)?

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 16 Jul 01 - 05:15 PM

IanC
Comments and hints in my "summary" post are those that were in the thread, posted by a variety of people. I haven't checked any of them out in any detail, but I believe that they are all "public" resources.
By all means, feel free.
John

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: IanC
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 04:15 AM

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: masato sakurai
Date: 12 Aug 01 - 03:21 PM

The following reference books, all published by Garland Publishing, are probably not for general use but useful and informative, so they are on the list of my basic folk library. The first 4 are bibliographies with short annotations.
Terry E. Miller, Folk Music in America: A Reference Guide (1986)
James Porter, The Traditional Music of Bitain and Ireland: A Research and Information Guide (1989)
Mary L. Hart, Brenda M. Eagles, and Lisa N. Howorth, The Blues: A Bibliographic Guide (1989)
W. Edson Richmond, Ballad Scholarship: An Annotated Bibliography (1989)
Florence E. Brunnings, Folk Song Index: A Comprehensive Guide to the Florence E. Brunnings Collection (1981)
Norm Cohen, Traditional Anglo-American Folk Music: An Annotated Discography of Published Recordings (1994)

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: IanC
Date: 13 Aug 01 - 04:27 AM

Thanks, Masato. I've grabbed your post for the Basic Folk Library (in This Thread).

Cheers!
Ian

Subject: RE: Basic Folk Library PermaThread™
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Nov 01 - 10:14 AM

I'd like to recommend the songbooks published by Albert E. Brumley & Sons. Joe, I believe you're acquainted with these; I think you once mentioned them in another thread.

By the way, Joe, Ian, and John: You've done a beautiful job of designing and organizing this thread!

Subject: Book Review: READING LYRICS
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 03:12 PM

Well, I suppose it isn't folk, but I think it's appropriate for folk musicians to know the songs of Tin Pan Alley. I just came across a book called Reading Lyrics, edited by Robert Gottlieb and Robert Kimball (Pantheon Books, 2000). The dust jacket blurb says the book has "more than a thousand of the finest lyrics from 1900 to 1975. A celebration of our greatest songwriters, a rediscovery of forgotten masters, and an appreciation of an extraordinary, popular art form."
The lyrics appear to be strictly from American songwriters, the so-called "standards." I don't see any folk or blues, or rock 'n' roll. There are songs I love to sing. I know the tunes, but the lyrics help my fading memory. I'm sure I'll spend hours singing my way through this gem of a book.
Gottlieb has another book called Reading Jazz but I don't know anything about it. Kimball edited The Complete Lyrics of Lorenz Hart, along with similar books on Cole Porter, Ira Gershwin, and Irving Berlin. The Kimball books tell the stories behind the songs, and include lots of great photos. Reading Lyrics doesn't have the photos and has only biographical information about the songwriters - but the selection of songs is terrific.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: masato sakurai
Date: 04 Mar 02 - 03:28 PM

"Introdution" to Reading Lyrics is online (Click here).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Basic Folk Library PermaThread™
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 May 02 - 08:29 PM

I recently acquired and LOVE The Rough Guide to Irish Music by Geoff Wallis and Sue Wilson. It's 600 pages packed into pocket size, about 6" by 4" by 1".

Here's the same book at Amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble.

Subject: RE: Basic Folk Library PermaThread™
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 May 02 - 08:30 PM

I just picked up a terrific book called Windjammers: Songs of the Great Lakes Sailors (by Ivan H. Walton and Joe Grimm - published in 2002 by Wayne State University Press, Detroit). Ivan Walton, a folklore professor at the University of Michigan, completed virtually all of his collecting and writing by 1952, two years before co-author Joe Grim was born. Walton died in 1968, his work uncompleted. Grimm assembled Walton's work into a fine book, full of lyrics, tunes, sketches, and photographs. The book includes a 15-cut CD of some of Walton's field recordings.

You can get the book at the website of Great Lakes folksinger Lee Murdock for $25 paperback and $40 hardcover. The paperback may be a bit cheaper at some of the online bookstores.

This is one delightful book.

-Joe Offer, born in Detroit and raised on the Wisconsin shore of Lake Michigan-

Subject: RE: Basic Folk Library PermaThread™
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jun 02 - 12:33 PM

The Oxford Book of Sea Songs (chosen and edited by Roy Palmer, Oxford University Press, 1986). This is a very nice collection of songs of the sea. The annotations are brief, but very helpful. The book was out of print, but it was reissued and expanded in August, 2001, as "BOXING THE COMPASS" Sea Songs & Shanties Edited by Roy Palmer.
(Information from Harry Oldham)

Subject: RE: Basic Folk Library PermaThread™
From: Hrothgar
Date: 08 Jun 02 - 06:16 AM

Re your comment on EDWARDS, RON "The Big Book of Australian Folk Song" (Rigby, 1976).

Ron also published "Great Australian Folk Songs" through Ure Smith Press in 1991. It is shown in the colophon as "First published by Rigby, 1976."

I think this is the same book. Reference:

Edwards, Ron; "Great Australian Folk Songs;" Ure Smith Press, 1991. Copyright R. G. Edwards 1976. ISBN 0 7254 0861 8; 507 pages, including 92 pages of indices etc; Words, music, collection dates and sources.

Subject: Index: Folk Songs of Old New England (Linscott)
From: Gerard
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 02:06 PM

FOLK SONG OF OLD NEW ENGLAND collected and Edited by Eloise Hubbard Linscott, 1939, 1962 344 pages

SECTION ONE: SINGING GAMES

COUNTING OUT
DID YOU EVER SEE A LASSIE?
THE FARMER IN THE DELL
GO IN AND OUT THE WINDOWS
GREEN GRAEL
GREEN GROWS THE RUCHES, OH!
HERE COME THREE DUKES A-RIDING
HERE STANDS AN OLD MAID FORSAKEN
HERE WE GO GATHERING NUTS IN MAY
HOW MANY MILES TO LONDON TOWN?
I AM A RICH WIDOW
I'LL GIVE TO YOU A PAPER OF PINS
I PUT MY LITTLE HAND IN
JENNIA JONES
KING'S LAND
LAZY MARY LONDON BRIDGE
LUCY LOCKET
MULB'RY BUSH
MY FAIREY AND MY FOREY
THE NEEDE'S EYE
OLD WOMAN ALL SKIN AND BONE
ON THE GREEN CARPET
POOR MARY SITS A-WEEPING
RIGN AROUND O' ROSIES
SHALL I SHOW YOU HOW THE FARMER?
THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
WATER, WATER, WILD FLOWER

SECTION TWO: THE COUNTRY DANCE

GLOSSARY OF DANCE TERMS
FORMATIONS
STEPS
CALLS FOR THE PROMPTER
GENERAL TERMS

DANCE FORMATIONS

BONAPARTE CROSSING THE RHINE (MARCH)
BOSTON FANCY, OR LADY WALPOLE'S REEL
CHORUS JIG
DEVIL'S DREAM
THE DUCHESS
FISHERS' HORNPIPE
FRENCH FOUR
THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME
GRAND MARCH, FOLLOWED BY SICILIAN CIRCLE
GREEN MOUNTAIN VOLUNTEERS
HAYMAKERS' JIG
HIGH, BETTH MARTIN
HULL'S VICTORY
LADY OF THE LAKE
THE LONDON LANCIERS
MAID IN THE PUMP ROOM
THE MERRY DANCE
MISS BROWN'S REEL
MONEY MUSK
MORNING STAR
NINEPIN QUADREILL, OR THE CHEAT
OLD SIP COON
PETRONELLA
PLAIN QUADRILLE
POP! GOES THE WEASEL
PORTLAND FANCY
SOLDER'S JOY
SPEED THE PLOUGH
STEAMBOAT QUICKSTEP
THE TEMPEST
TWIN SISTERS
VIRGINIA REEL
THE WALTZ
THE WHITE COCKADE

SECTION THREE: SEA CHANTEYS AND FO'CASTLE SONGS

AMSTERDAM
BLOW, BOY BLOW!
BLOW THE MAN DOWN
CAPTAIN KIDD
THE DEAD HORSE
THE GALLANT VICTORY, OR LOWLANDS LOW
HAUL AWA, JOE!
HAUL THE BOWLINE
HOMEWARD BOUND
JOHNNY BOKER
A LONG TIME AGO
OLD HORSE
REUBEN RENZO
RIO GRANDE
SHENANDOAH, OR THE WIDE MISSOURI
TOMMY'S GONE TO HILO
WHISKY JOHNNY

SECTION FOUR: BALLADS, FOLK SONGS, AND DITTIES

ALL BOUND 'ROUND WITH A WOOLEN STRING
AWY DOWN EAST
THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER OF ISLINGTON
BARB'RY ELLEN OR BARBARA ALLEN
A BEAR WENT OVER THE MOUNTAIN
BILLY BOY
BINGO
BLOW, YE WINDS, BLOW, OR THE ELFIN KNIGHT
BOLD DICKIE
THE BROOKFIELD MURDER
THE BUNNIT OF STRAW
THE BUTCHER BOY
CANADAY-I-O
CAROLINE OF EDINBORO TOWN
THE CARRION CROW
COMMON BILL
THE DEVIL AND THE FARMER'S WIFE
DIRANTE, MY SON, OR LORD RANDALL
FAIR ROSAMOND, OR ROSAMOND'S DOWNFALL
THE FARMINTON CANAL SONG
FIDDLE DEE DEE
FIRST FAMILIES OF FALL RIVER
A FROG HE WOULD A-WOOING GO
A FOX WENT OUT ON A STARRY NIGHT
FROG IN THE WELL
GO TELL AUNT RHODY
GYPSY DAISY
HERE WE GO UP
I HAD A LITTLE NUT TREE
I'LL NOT MARRY AT ALL
IN GOOD OLD COLONY TIMES
JACK HAGGERTY, OR THE FLAT RIVER GIRL
THE JAM ON GERRY'S ROCKS
THE JOLLY MILLER
JOLLY OLD ROGER
JULIA GROVER
KATY CRUEL
THE LADLE SONG
LAVENDER'S BLUE
LET'S GO TO THE WOODS, OR THE HUNTING OF THE WREN
LORD LOVELL
THE LUMBERMAN'S ALPHABET
MAPLE SWEET
THE MILL
THE MONKEY'S WEDDING
MY GRANDMOTHER LIVED ON YONDER LITTLE GREEN
THE OCEAN BURIAL
THE OLD MAN WHO LIVED IN THE WOOD
OLD POD-AUGER TIMES
THE OLD SOW SONG
THE OLD WOMAN IN DOVER
THE OLD WOMAN WHO WENT TO MARKET
OUR GOODMAN
OVER THE WATER TO CHARLIE
THE OXEN SONG
PERRIE, MERRIE, DIXI, DOMINI
PETER EMILY
POLLY OLIVER
POLLY VAN
THE QUAKER'S WOOING
THE ROLLING OF THE STONES, OR THE TWA BROTHERS
THE SAWMILL SONG
SCOTLAND'S BURNING, AND THREE BLIND MICE
A SHIP A-SAILING
SPRINGFIELD MOUNTAIN, OR THE BLACK SARPENT
SWEET KITTY CLOVER
THREE CHILDREN SLIDING ON THE ICE
THREE CROWS
THREE JOVIAL HUNTSMEN
TITTERY NAN
TOO-RIL-TE-TOO
TYBURN HILL
WASHING DAY
WILL YOU WEAR THE RED? OR JENNIE JENKINS
WILLIKINS AND HIS DINAH
YOUNG ALANTHIA
YOUNG CHARLOTTE

APPENDIX
THE SINGERS
REFERENCE
ADDENDA AND CORRIGENDA

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Frankham
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 04:34 PM

Joe,

Don't forget Archie Green's wonderful book, "Only A Miner". Archie is a great folklorist in my book.

Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 05:04 PM

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 05:06 PM

Whoops, sorry about the empty post ... trigger happy. I was going to add that there is some excellent material in Bethelheim's (sp?) work regarding both folklore and folkmusic but he's been challenged on lots of his thinking in the same way Freud has been. Still, interesting stuff when viewed in it's own timeframe.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Folkiedave
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 05:33 PM

Anyone seeking some of these books can certainly get in touch with me both for folk books and folklore books.

The website is a bit out of date because my webmaster has been busy fighting the licencing bill here in England.

However try me if there is something you want. I have loads of contacts and can get things often unobtainable.

Regards,

Dave
www.collectorsfolk.co.uk

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jul 03 - 08:34 PM

Bill Clifton's Book 150 Old-Time Folk and Gospel Songs. Bill is the man who wrote the origional Springhill (Mining) Disaster (with help from one of the survivors).

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: GUEST,Jo
Date: 17 Aug 05 - 07:06 PM

I have a copy of Heart Songs published by National Magazine. It is pretty worn, but still readable. Do you have any suggestions of it's value.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: masato sakurai
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 12:16 AM

See the comment on the reprint edition of Heart Songs here.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 12:33 AM

Copies of the 1909 hardbound "Heart Songs" in good to very good condition are still available for $10-12. Abebooks has many listings at various prices depending on condition and, in some cases, wishful thinking on the part of some booksellers.
$37 for the reprint, considering publishing costs, is not out of line, but pick up a good used copy for much less.

Subject: RE: A Basic Folk Library
From: Joe Offer
Date: 18 Aug 05 - 04:14 AM

I'd agree with Q. Heart Songs is a wonderful book, but the original 1909 edition is readily available. Copies usually sell for $10-$12, but I regularly find copies for $5; so I buy them and give them away.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songbooks: A Basic Folk Library
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 23 Dec 10 - 09:27 PM

Here's another vote for Heart Songs. I did it a little differently though.   I gave away the reprint and kept the original. Another worth having, though it is usually in poorer shape than Heart Songs is Songs That Never Grow Old, also copyright 1909. Finally, there's the New Blue Book of Favorite Songs, all three can be found quite reasonably priced. If you pay more than $15 for any of them, you're almost certainly paying too much.

Hymnals ~~ I mostly rely on two, Heavenly Highways Hymns and its immediate Stamps-Baxter predecessor, Favorite Songs and Hymns, 1939.