Greatest Folksong Melodies

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: GUEST,Audi
Date: 02 Jan 01 - 05:59 PM

I love this thread.

I don't think anyone has mentioned one of my favorites, "Trees" (or in the db it's called "Daily Growing") and also I love "Grandfather's Clock".

Audi

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: GUEST,Oldtimemusic1
Date: 02 Jan 01 - 05:17 PM

someone posted "Four Strong Winds" (Ian Tyson)

How about "Catch the Wind" (Donovan) and "Crooked Jack" (by ???) "Whiskey in the Jar" (??) "Flower in the Wildwood" (Carter Family) and a similar tune: "Kentucky". Several by Jimmy Driftwood: "Mooshatanio" "Long Chain On" "My Little Betsy Brown".

What about "Wildwood Flower" (by every guitar picker and his brother (and sister)). "Rosewood Casket"

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: pastorpest
Date: 01 Jan 01 - 06:40 PM

So many good melodies and I agree with the choices made already! Add "Lagan Love" and someone said any O'Carolan so I name Blind Mary and Brigid Cruise.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: MarkS
Date: 01 Jan 01 - 01:51 PM

The greatest melody in terms of widest circulation has to be the tune from "Simple Gifts". Sometimes it seems that every other commercial has this playing somewhere in the backgound. Would also bet that very few people hearing the sales pitch recognize the tune. Sigh
MarkS

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: mkebenn
Date: 01 Jan 01 - 08:15 AM

"Roddy Mcorley" "Rose Connely{Willow Garden}" "Mary Hamilton" Mike

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: GUEST,Mickey191
Date: 31 Dec 00 - 10:50 PM

"When You and I were Young Maggie","Goodnight Irene," "This Land Is Your Land",

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: mg
Date: 31 Dec 00 - 07:34 PM

Oleana, Scotland the Brave, Hawaian War Song, Raglan Road, Old Lang Syne.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: jaze
Date: 31 Dec 00 - 06:52 AM

One I recently discovered and think is great is "Tonight My Sleep Will Be Restless"

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Amos
Date: 31 Dec 00 - 03:02 AM

I'll go with Liverpool, and Rose of Tralee, for abiding tunes that have merit beyond words. A couple of less obvious ones also come to mind. One is "Abide With Me", a haunting melody with words that do okay as well. Another is "Lili Marlene", whether sung in English, German, or with other words altogether. It is a timeless melody that creeps somewhere deep on hearing it. And an odd one that comes up is the "Banjo Song", a later tune (1920?) with really compelling transitions in it, which begins "I plays the banjo better now, than him that taught me so....". Finally, the Water Is Wide is plain but as beautiful a tune as any song could want, whatever name you call it.

A

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 31 Dec 00 - 01:40 AM

"The Leaving of Liverpool" is a melody that usually raises the little hairs on the back on my neck. With the passing of Bill Doerflinger last week, I expect it to mean even more.

All the best,
Dan Milner

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From:
Date: 31 Dec 00 - 12:20 AM

how about "no more auction block" which bob dylan later used for blowin in the wind. wild and wicked youth,(aka roving blade) trail of the buffalo,

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 11:12 PM

When first I came to Caledonia, Reynardine (June Tabor Version], Cape Breton Lullaby, Plains of Waterloo, The Handome Cabin Boy, The Patriots came, The light Dragoon..one could go one for ever, then there is Bonny Portmore, The Lass of Loch Royale,,,well, I must stop.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From:
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 08:57 PM

looking for a song, that I remember only i line. In the cold gray dawn of December. If anyone recognizes this song, please Email me. Thank you

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: kendall
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 03:54 PM

Probably my very favorite...Shenandoah

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Peg
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 03:41 PM

John in Brisbane: good point, altho as a singer and not an instrumentalist putting the tune in DT is hard for me,. I did offer a sol-fa version of a tune in the threead on the firewood song!

BTW "Blackberry Blossom" was recorded to lovely effect by Michelle Shocked.

my own favorite melodies:

The Butterfly
King of the Fairies
Westlin' Winds/Song Composed in August
Pretty Maid Milking a Cow
Crann Ull
Ca' the Yowes
Vincent (Don McLean)
Today (Jefferson Airplane)
Herne (Clannad)
Turlough og O'Boyle
The Two Trees (Loreena Mckennitt) Dark Innishowen

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Ribbit
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 02:36 PM

"Four Strong Winds" Ian & Sylvia
"Fundy Bay" Gordon Bok
"So Long It's Been Good To know Ya" Woody Guthrie
Thom

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: jaze
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 02:15 PM

Circle Game

Mary From Dunglo

Danny Boy

Red River Valley

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 10:32 AM

I've always been a fan of Boots of Spanish Leather by Bob Dylan.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Easy Rider
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 10:25 AM

I can think of half a dozen Paul Simon songs, but they won't qualify, as folk music, for at least another fifty years.

EZR

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Easy Rider
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 10:22 AM

A lot of great songs in this list so far, but mostly English, Irish, Scottish. Why no blues?

I have just a few that I can think of at the moment:

"Streets of laredo"
"O' Glory" (Rev. Gary Davis)
"Green Green Rocky Road" (Dave Van Ronk, from Len Chandler & Bob kaufman)
"Turkey in the Straw"
"Tom Dooley" (Doc Watson)

EZR

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: alison
Date: 09 Jun 99 - 09:05 AM

Hi John,

If "October winds" is the same as "The Castle of Dromore".... I have submitted the tune but it mustn't have made its way into the DB yet.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Gloria Tham
Date: 08 Jun 99 - 11:58 PM

O Waly, Waly (Water is Wide) Loch Lomond Danny Boy The Ashgrove

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: guy wolff
Date: 04 Jun 99 - 09:31 PM

My two faverite mellodies both came to me via listening to Martin Carthy in the 1970"s Brigg Fair & By the Banks of Green Willow.About 10 of June Tabor's things come quickly to mind as well.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: emily rain
Date: 04 Jun 99 - 12:57 AM

oh, my heart wells up with love as read!

do not forget:
willie's rare [jean redpath, _father_adam_]
bonnie susie cleland [ibid.]
carrigdhoun [cherish the ladies, _the_back_door_]
heiemo og nykkjen [nynorsk (new norwegian); kirsten braten berg, _nordisk_sang_] ya viene el cativo [ladino; i've never heard it sung by anyone but me]
fine horseman [silly sisters, _no_more_to_the_dance_]
pick an o'carolan, any o'carolan

etc!

i have a webpage that i got for free from geocities, and if anyone wants to hear these tunes, i would be honored to record a verse into a wav file and upload it. send me e-mail via mudcat.

love, emily

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 04 Jun 99 - 12:39 AM

OK, here he goes again preaching on his favourite. What do you notice about the following list of most beloved melodies?

SONG	Lyrics in DT	Tune in DT
Kisses Sweeter Than Wine	Y	N
Goodnight Irene	Y	N
Bells of Norwich	N	N
Donna Donna	N	N
The Ripe and Bearded Barley	Y	N
Bonny(ie) At Morn	Y	N
Otago (request made for this in thread)	N	N
For Our Lang Biding Here	N	N
Peter Amberlay (Peter Emberly)	Y	?
Come Me Little Son	N	N
St. Clairs Defeat	N	N
My Dearest Dear	N	N
Bonapartes Retreat	Y	N
Danny Deever	N	N
The Coo Coo (Cuckoo?)	?	?
The Hand Weaver	N	N
October Winds	N	N
When First I Came To Caledonia	Y	N
Slaney Valley	N	N
May The Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose	Y	N

Sure, I've probably made a few mistakes along the way, and some of the lyrics or tunes may be in the DT somewhere, but if these really are our most loved songs then we should be sharing the whole experience of the missing elements with others. Because most of the contributors to this thread are Mudcat veterans, I probably don't need to say too much more.

If any newcomers need help in submitting tunes (in particular) let me know via this thread and I'll do whatever is needed to help you.

I'm off to a mini version of the Woodford Festival this weekend. Enjoy yours. Regards,
John

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 03 Jun 99 - 11:25 PM

Favorite song melodies:

I'll Bid My Heart be Still
Goodbye to the Thirty-foot Trailer [Ewan MacColl]
Guineverre [Donovan Leitch]
Queen of Hearts
Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortenin Bread
Eli Eli (Halicha L'Kesariya) [Hana Senesh)
Wild Mountain Thyme
Blue [Joni Mitchell]
My Old Man [Joni Mitchell]
Just a Closer Walk With Thee
Amazing Grace
Oh Suzanna
Eddystone Light
The Great Silkie
The Cruel Mother

Note: this list is subject to change without notice.
....and I know I'll think of more as soon as I hit "submit"

Mark

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Rhona
Date: 03 Jun 99 - 09:12 PM

My favourites are:

There'll never be peace till Jamie comes home Spancil Hill Black Velvet Band The Rantin Dog, the Daddie o't The Waukrife Minnie Maids when you're young, never wed an old man

And that's only a few! If anyone is looking for some great old Scots songs on CD or tape, Linn Records, www.linn.uk.com has brought out a series called 'The Complete Songs of Robert Burns' There are 12 volumes I believe and the artists include Christine Kydd, Janet Russell, Rod Paterson and other brilliant Scottish artists. I can't wait until Vol. 6 comes out. The best thing is that you can actually sing along because the words come with the CD and the voices aren't operatic.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: John OSh
Date: 03 Jun 99 - 07:15 PM

So many wonderful ones mentions, but a few perhaps forgot...

The lonesome boatman (Furey's version) Blackbird Bonnie Charlie MacPhersons Lament and Lady of Schalott (spelling?) as put to music by Loreena McKennit

And notice that some refer to it as "Londonderry Aire" and others "Derry Aire"? Guess it was what side your elders were on in the troubles, perhaps.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Dan
Date: 03 Jun 99 - 10:20 AM

"The Rose of Tralee" is stomp-down gorgeous.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Susan A-R
Date: 02 Jun 99 - 10:31 PM

Do yOu Love an Apple (though the lyrics are tough. Anyone thought of using this one as a sound track for a film on spouse abuse?) Jute Mill Song Open Thy Lattice Love (Stephen Foster) The Great Silkie It Was A For Our Rightfu King The Bonnie Bunch O' Rushes She Moved Through the Fair Billie In the Low Ground Wild Rose of the Mountain . . . ETc. etc. etc. and lots of the stuff mentioned above.

Susan

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Jun 99 - 12:20 PM

I think "BANKS OF THE OHIO" fits in this category. It's an absolutely beautiful tune - with nasty, nasty lyrics. Attempts to substitute less gory lyrics seem to end up in total failure. The traditional lyrics are awful - but other lyrics just don't seem to fit right.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Jack (who is called jack)
Date: 02 Jun 99 - 12:02 PM

How can I keep from singing.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Jeri
Date: 02 Jun 99 - 11:17 AM

Willie o' Winsbury - I've heard two tunes to for this song (Dick Gaughan does one and Martin Simpson does another) - and I love both tunes. There's one in the database at Willieclickie and it might be the one Simpson does, but it sounds a lot different to me.

And there's a ballad tune I can't recall any name for, but I have Ewan McColl singing it in my head, and I think there's a Lord Arnold and a Lady Margaret in there somewhere, but I could be wrong - maybe if I hum a few bars? It's not pretty - it's powerful. (Aarrgh - maybe it'll come to me.) Sorry.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Matthew B.
Date: 02 Jun 99 - 08:32 AM

I'll go with barbara's list, but I'll add (in no particular order):

Kisses Sweeter than Wine (Weavers version)
Rosebud in June
Mingulay
Goodnight Irene
House of the Rising Sun
Greenfields
Tammy
It was a Very Good Year
Those were the Days
Bells of Norwich
Erev Shel Shoshanim
Dona Dona

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: harpgirl
Date: 02 Jun 99 - 12:30 AM

I have to add Ganglat Fran Mockfjard here...harpgirl

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: johnm
Date: 08 Jan 99 - 08:09 PM

Art Thieme Where would I find that tune by Joe Heaney and Ewan MacColl for Morrissey and the Russian Sailor?

On the general topic, try Evening Bells a great Russian tune

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Allan S.
Date: 08 Jan 99 - 07:24 PM

Jean Redpath singing "Mill'o Tifties Annie" Flowers of the forest The Fatal Wedding my Favorate at present

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Wolfgang
Date: 08 Jan 99 - 12:42 PM

many of my favourites have been mentioned. so I only add:
Geordie
Lord Franklin (Lady Franklin's lament)
Cuilin
An bunnan bui (The yellow bittern)

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Jan 99 - 11:55 AM

the Gregorian monks were not exactly common folk...no matter how beautiful their music is..

(sorry, *grin*...just the purist snob in me popping out)

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Reta
Date: 08 Jan 99 - 01:59 AM

'Slaney Valley'" has a beautiful melody, as does 'I'll Take You Home again Kathleen', Danny Boy', and a thousand others. I still think for pure beauty it's the Gregorian Chants. If they don't qualify as folk music, what can?

Blessings Reta

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Gearoid
Date: 07 Jan 99 - 04:36 AM

My Favorites

"Roisin Dubh" and of course "The Derry Air"

thanks

Gearoid

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From:
Date: 06 Jan 99 - 09:03 PM

Interesting Choices! Since it doesn't seem to be limited to just Songs, but does include pure instrumentals, what about Niel Gow's Lament for his Second Wife

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 30 Nov 98 - 09:53 AM

How about 2 Bluenose melodies: Farewell to Nova Scotia & When First I came to Caledonia to join the aforementioned Peggy Gordon?

All the best, Dan Milner

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Sir
Date: 30 Nov 98 - 03:10 AM

Some super tunes have been given. I'd like to submit "The Parting Glass" and "October Winds" for the slow, pretty catagory and for a couple of lively tunes "Redwing" and "The Keeper Did a Hunting Go".

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 29 Nov 98 - 09:35 PM

Oh I forgot the Waterson's take on John Barleycorn ...........

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: McMusic
Date: 29 Nov 98 - 12:24 AM

John in Brisbane, Check the thread about favorite lullabyes for more on The Castle of Dromore.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 28 Nov 98 - 09:50 PM

The Banks of Green willow..via Martin Carthy Country life ...via the Watersons The Coo Coo... via Clarence Tom Ashley My dearest dear ....??? THe Hand Weaver...English ? and over half of June Tabor's collected works!.......

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: Annraoi
Date: 28 Nov 98 - 04:40 PM

I must say, I didn't recognise many of the "greatest" melodies mentioned. Anyway, here are my nominations: An Chúilfhionn, Connlach Ghlas an Fhómhair, Sliabh na mBan, a Spailpín, a Rún, Amhrán Phádraig Shéamais / an Chéad Mháirt de Fhómhar. But it's all so subjective, really.

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: BSeed
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 11:44 PM

Ah, here you are again, Gargoyle, spreading joy wherever you go. "May the Bird of Paradise Fly up Your Nose" is not one of the most beautiful folk melodies, but the thought is quite appropriate at times. --seed

Subject: RE: Greatest Folksong Melodies
From: gargoyle
Date: 27 Nov 98 - 10:59 PM

So, sorree, dinna giv a link

To dem, tha lika ta think,

A connection ta yuree

"Intellectual Pro-per-tur-ee."

The B.S. Thread