Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!

08 Jun 10 - 11:56 AM (#2923136)
Subject: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Desert Dancer

Jon Boden's got a new site on the web: A Folk Song A Day.

From the initial post:

"Welcome to A Folk Song A Day, the new project from Jon Boden. From the 24th June 2010 (midsummers day), Jon will be releasing a new version of a traditional folk song each and every day for a year.

"On this site we'll be bringing you the chance to listen to each new track for a short time after its initial release."

He's got a long post of explanation, which starts with this:

The main idea behind afolksongaday.com is to try and do my bit for raising the profile of unaccompanied social singing. Most of the songs on the site are songs that I have sung for years but rarely on stage and never on albums – songs that I have learnt because I wanted to be able to sing them in the pub.

--

I learned of it from EFDSS via Facebook. I'll be checking in...

~ Becky in Tucson

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http://www.afolksongaday.com/

Reinhard Zierke's index to the Boden project.

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Also see: Australian Folk Song a Day

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08 Jun 10 - 02:42 PM (#2923282)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Tootler

An interesting project.

Will have to try and remember to check it nearer the time.

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08 Jun 10 - 02:43 PM (#2923283)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: PercyBysshe

Really excited about this, and have already bookmarked the site.

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08 Jun 10 - 05:03 PM (#2923374)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: JohnH

EFDSS on facebook says it's a podcast as well!

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08 Jun 10 - 06:49 PM (#2923441)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: MC Fat

A few years ago the manificantly talented singers from East Yorkshire
(tho sadly no longer with us) Richard Wastling said that a challenge was put to the White Horse Folk Club, Beverley that singers not sing the same song for a year. he rose to that challenge, said it was hard, but in the end learned a load of new stuff. Basically your repetoire should evolve, keep the favs but add new favs

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08 Jun 10 - 10:47 PM (#2923600)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Desert Dancer

Yes, that's the other point of it, he says:

"Lastly I have noticed that, since becoming a parent, the rate of my song 'acquisition' has slowed significantly – basically because I find it much harder to get out to pub-sings these days. My current repertoire is something like 240 songs, so to complete the whole year I will have to learn half as many again. This is a tall order but there are so many songs that I've been meaning to learn for so long – I'm hoping this project will spur me out of song learning stasis and back into being in the habit of learning."

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24 Jun 10 - 03:23 AM (#2933749)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Rain Dog

The first song "The Larks They Sang Melodious" is up on the site now

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24 Jun 10 - 08:30 AM (#2933891)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Leadfingers

Be fun to find a GOOD parody of each song as they appear - I had the pleasure of joing Johnny Collins and a couple of others about thirty years ago doing The Sharks they played Melodions - A different last line all through !

Please note , I DID say a good parody !

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24 Jun 10 - 08:48 AM (#2933901)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: WalkaboutsVerse

That's quite a repertoire; also heard about a folk-clubs regular who'd go a year, I think, without repeating a song.

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24 Jun 10 - 10:10 AM (#2933951)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Leadfingers

When I was performing Solo a LOT I had all my 'Ready for Use' song titles in a book - 18 pages , 24 to a page , and used to do the Pick a numer game in Folk Clubs ! 1 to 18 ? thats that page - 1 to 24 ? Thats THAT song , then sing it !Four hundred and thirty songs !
Couldnt do half of them cold now ! Perhaps I ought to rehearse more !

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24 Jun 10 - 10:25 AM (#2933958)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: WalkaboutsVerse

For me, about sixty by-heart - in theory! P.S: never heard him live but, via myspace, I think Johnny Collins was a great folk-singer.

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25 Jun 10 - 04:31 AM (#2934431)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Lizzie Cornish 1

He should 'go electric'....Jon's great when he plugs in...if you'll pardon the expression..

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25 Jun 10 - 05:10 AM (#2934439)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: SteveMansfield

He should 'go electric'....Jon's great when he plugs in...if you'll pardon the expression..

But the first sentence of his explanatory post, http://www.afolksongaday.com/2010/05/21/a-folk-song-a-day-why/,, explicitly states that

"The main idea behind afolksongaday.com is to try and do my bit for raising the profile of unaccompanied social singing."

So, judging by that, the big electric band arrangements are probably going to be conspicuous by their absence ... meanwhile there's two good songs done and posted on the blog, a mere 363 to go!

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25 Jun 10 - 05:48 AM (#2934450)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,DA

I am a big fan of Jon's, but I fail to understand how making more recordings is helping social singing. There would have been far better ways to support this aim, and the whole project seems a bit... personality driven, which is - I'm sure - the opposite to what Jon is intending.

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25 Jun 10 - 06:25 AM (#2934468)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: matt milton

He's not aiming to help "social singing". As he says "The main idea behind afolksongaday.com is to try and do my bit for raising the profile of unaccompanied social singing."

I enjoy singing round the house, on my bicycle, when nobody else is around. Not social, but what's wrong with that?

I'm looking forward to hearing all Jon's songs. With 365 of them, there's bound to be loads I've never ever heard before.

Come to think of it, there's bound to be loads that might inspire others to go out and do some "social singing".

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25 Jun 10 - 07:23 AM (#2934499)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,DA

He's not aiming to help "social singing". As he says "The main idea behind afolksongaday.com is to try and do my bit for raising the profile of unaccompanied social singing."

eh?

My point still stands. How is releasing recordings of yourself alone in a room over the internet to be listened to by other people sitting in their rooms raising the profile of social singing? Publicising a network of places where social singing takes place, or making this a songbook instead might have been better ways to achieve the aim. I wholeheartedly support the sentiment behind what he's trying to do, but bringing the equivalent of a 30-disc set of rough and ready recordings into the world is a funny way to do this.

You can't get away from the fact that most people will just treat this as the new set of Jon Boden recordings. Its main effect will be raising the profile of Jon Boden.

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25 Jun 10 - 07:40 AM (#2934505)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Leadfingers

Getting a wide variety of unaccompanied songs in a place where people can hear them AND learn them will encourage people to sing the songs at sessions and in clubs ! Having to buy a CD to learn just one song is a bit daunting for a lot of people who dont have vast amounts of spare cash !

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25 Jun 10 - 07:58 AM (#2934515)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Geoff the Duck

Just listening to today's contribution as I type.
Had a look at the site and noticed that he is linking songs directly to lyrics and discussions here on Mudcat.
What a sensible idea Jon.
Quack!
GtD.

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25 Jun 10 - 08:21 AM (#2934526)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: matt milton

ah, hadn't noticed the "social" part of that quote - I just read it as "unnacompanied singing".

yes, I agree with you that there's not much that's "sociable" about posting up solo recorded performances on the internet.

but ultimately I don't think the degree of "sociability" is all that important.

what's important is:

1. whether the songs and singing are any good.

2. whether among the eventual 365 songs, there are any new discoveries for them that they might like to sing themselves.

"You can't get away from the fact that most people will just treat this as the new set of Jon Boden recordings. Its main effect will be raising the profile of Jon Boden"

Yeah, he's shameless that Boden man :)
Actually, the first thing I thought when I heard about the whole venture was "what a great way of getting some publicity for yourself!" (while also doing something fun)

I don't even especially like Jon Boden's voice/singing, but I'll be listening whenever I can.
They're certainly not rough and ready recordings. They sound like JB knows his home set-up well enough to have established some very good default settings (either that or he's doing a quick mix on each song every day)

I already use youtube frequently when I've come across an interesting song in a book that I've not heard before and I'm interested to see how other singers tackle it.

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25 Jun 10 - 08:32 AM (#2934537)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

"I already use youtube frequently when I've come across an interesting song in a book that I've not heard before and I'm interested to see how other singers tackle it."

Aye, I use YouTube loads. And there's a nice wee community of Tubers doing an internet version of 'social singing', more of them all the time it seems too.

Blogging songs sounds like another way to go about it. And who knows - whether or night it inspires 3D social singing - it might inspire peeps to do same as Boden. Song Blogs could catch on and add to the informal virtual communities of people currently making use of sites like YouTube and Music MySpace as a virtual singaround/session.

I like the idea and I'll be bookmarking Boden's blog anyhoo.

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25 Jun 10 - 08:40 AM (#2934542)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

"whether or night" ..that's gotta one of the oddest misspellings I've ever achieved.

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25 Jun 10 - 03:40 PM (#2934788)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Wyrd Sister

@ Guest 5.48: Jon does lots of social singing which is not in the least bit personality driven near his home. Perhaps he is using his public profile to introduce 'songs in common' to those who otherwise might not learn them. As he says, 'My hope is that afolksongaday.com will be a useful resource for anyone interested in getting in to social singing. As I have learnt these songs because they are fun to sing in the pub, not because I think they will work on a big stage or on CD...'

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25 Jun 10 - 06:32 PM (#2934882)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Ruth Archer

One of the first Spiers & Boden albums (maybe Songs?) included a note which said something like, "These songs sound best sung in pubs. Fill yer boots" - an indication that Jon has been interested in social singing for some time.

As someone has said earlier, Jon is very involved in social singing where he lives, from taking part in Sheffield Carols to setting up Royal Traditions, the club he runs at the Royal Hotel in Dungworth with his wife Fay. It specifically showcases and supports traditional singing. I think traditional song is a real passion for him, and that this project is very well-intentioned.

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25 Jun 10 - 06:51 PM (#2934888)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Tattie Bogle

Certainly the first two lend themselves to social singing, being huge chorus songs, and he does say in the blog about the great experience of large numbers of people singing together and raising the rafters with their singing. If his choice of songs gets more people singing, then good for him! I'll be singing along at home or with the free podcasts.
In any good singers' session, it will usually be a mix of all types of songs anyway.

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27 Jun 10 - 07:36 AM (#2935474)
Subject: Jon Boden Folk song per day
From: mikesamwild

I like Jon's project , it should be a great resource and it is obviously going to exercise his voice, which i think is getting better all the time. could it lead to a 'standardistion' process?

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27 Jun 10 - 11:49 AM (#2935565)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden Folk song per day
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

"could it lead to a 'standardistion' process?"

Perhps you could say more? I'm not exactly sure what it is you're suggesting.. Standardisation of what? Standards on other internet spaces where you have 'virtual singarounds/sessions' so to speak? For me, I think it's great that a pro. folk performer is putting himself 'out there' in a naked fashion. Especially as (IMO) there's nothing more musically exposing, than the unadorned voice.

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27 Jun 10 - 11:52 AM (#2935566)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden Folk song per day
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

Oh and I meant to quote this bit from his blog which I rather liked:

"afolksongaday.com is an opportunity for me to record my whole repertoire of songs without worrying about making any of them commercial, stylistically original, or fitting them in to a particular album concept."

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27 Jun 10 - 02:10 PM (#2935626)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Lizzie Cornish 1

Electric Jon's Myspace


Ya know, Jon REALLY needs to break right away from all The Luvvies wot surround him...and do what he's best at, and that' Electric Folk and Rock music, with none of the stranglededly strange sheep bleatingly awful sounds that come with his Traddie music...

Electric Jon's Myspace


Jon, do what comes *naturally*! It sounds soooooo much better..

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27 Jun 10 - 02:36 PM (#2935631)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

"Jon REALLY needs to break right away from all The Luvvies wot surround him"

I sorta thought singing on his own without anything or anyone else supporting him, pretty much covered that one!

"none of the stranglededly strange sheep bleatingly awful sounds that come with his Traddie music..."

I don't think his singing is basically any different to that when he's being supported by instruments. Are you saying that Jon can't sing Lizzie, and that he only sounds good when he's drowned out by other stuff?

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27 Jun 10 - 04:35 PM (#2935675)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Lizzie Cornish 1

Nope, I'm not saying that at all, person who I can't refer to 'cos man whom I also can't refer to won't let me, on pain of possible death from being tied to a WMD and fired to the moon and back...LOL

What I'm saying is that when he's Electric Jon he sounds normal.

When he turns into Traddie Jon he comes over all Woefully Warbly Rustic.

Peter Bellamy did exactly the same thing..wobblewobblewarblewarblebleatwobble..I'm not having a go at the songs they sing, just the silly voices they use to sing 'em in.

Electric Jon should sing this one..bet he'd do it brilliantly..good social message in it too.

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27 Jun 10 - 04:51 PM (#2935685)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

Hehe! Thanks for the blast LC! Love to hear Jon doing *that* unaccompanied Traddie stylee, bleats and all.

Heh, come to think of it 'beats and bleats' sounds like a possible fusion...

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27 Jun 10 - 04:57 PM (#2935687)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Dave the Gnome

Sigh. I wish there were things we were still allowed to say.

:D (eG)

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28 Jun 10 - 11:51 AM (#2936035)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden Folk song per day
From: GUEST

And on top of his repertoire of around 240 songs he has another 120+ to find and record!!

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28 Jun 10 - 01:07 PM (#2936079)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,Stephen W

I'm enjoying listening to these unaccompanied pieces. Jon's diction is so clear that I can hear every word. Listen to "Earl Richard", it's a lovely, spooky, mysterious song.

Some people don't recognise a Good Thing when they see it!

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28 Jun 10 - 01:24 PM (#2936093)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST

Elsewhere, Electric Jon seems to be bleating up a storm singing about My Analogue Desk's Better Than Your Digital One

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28 Jun 10 - 07:05 PM (#2936309)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Tootler

You do spout some rubbish, Lizzie.

Listen again to Earl Richard. That's quality if ever there was and just the simple, unadorned human voice.

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29 Jun 10 - 04:13 AM (#2936487)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Phil Edwards

It's fantastic stuff - good singing, well-recorded, plenty of it and free! Much kudos to Jon for doing it. I'm looking forward to the back end of the year - he's already introduced me to a couple of songs.

(But I do think he overdoes the Lloyd/Bellamy vibrato a bit.)

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02 Jul 10 - 05:39 PM (#2938764)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Artful Codger

It's disappointing to see how quickly Jon has abandoned his stated "unaccompanied" focus--within the first week! Is it too challenging just to sing, without artificial support? Does he need to add something because his approach to these songs is too homogenous? If so, I'd rather have him introduce variety by spotlighting other unaccompanied singers. Stick to the program: no instruments! These songs survived decades, even centuries, without them.

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03 Jul 10 - 04:57 AM (#2939039)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Phil Edwards

Yes - he did say

the best social singing is, in my experience, unaccompanied and because of that the bulk of the songs on this site are songs that I sing unaccompanied.

In the 60's and 70's the status of unaccompanied singing was much higher within the folk scene, and most of my favourite albums from the revival are albums where the majority of the material is unaccompanied. This approach has fallen out of fashion and the commercial pressure is for modern day 'folk artists' to have, at most, one or two unaccompanied tracks on their albums, if at all. I have always thought of myself as first and foremost an unaccompanied singer so it was quite a shock to me to realise that, although I have now made 10 albums, I have never included a solo unaccompanied track on any of them.

To be fair, the first seven (of ten) were all unaccompanied - maybe the current run of three will be a blip.

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03 Jul 10 - 05:59 AM (#2939055)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: mikesamwild

Crow Sister, all I meant was that if a high profile person like Jon sings songs they can become the versions other people who don't bother to do any seeking out of source singers or versions local to them, adopt.


I think Jon has developed well beyond his early Bellamnite style and has found his own unique voice, and has taken risks doing it.

I go to sessions where he sings and plays and rate what he and Fay and friends are doing for communal singing . They are putting in a lot of hard work locally.

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06 Jul 10 - 03:30 PM (#2940801)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

'fresh

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06 Jul 10 - 03:35 PM (#2940803)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

Glad to hear JB is still doing unaccompanied songs here :)

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07 Jul 10 - 10:26 AM (#2941182)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,mattkeen

Great - JB is a real gem

He obviously has no trouble expressing all the muscial facets of his personality in differing styles.

Long may he continue

Thanks John

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08 Jul 10 - 11:56 AM (#2941799)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Desert Dancer

In support of Jon's project, EFDSS is providing some notes on the songs (starting with yesterday's) at this page.

~ Becky in Long Beach

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12 Jul 10 - 06:46 PM (#2944075)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

'fresh

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16 Jul 10 - 07:52 AM (#2946115)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,Two of a Hind

Question, how long will this collection remain on the web in the public domain and is there a way of dowloading the odd song onto your own PC, if there's a song you want to learn.
These recordings will I believe become an incredibly valuable archive for all of us interested in this particular subject. Providing it remains accessible.
Thank you Jon for the time and efford you are putting into this project, we certainly appreciate it down here in South Wales.
Terry

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16 Jul 10 - 08:01 AM (#2946117)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: The Borchester Echo

how long will this collection remain on the web

For a month, I think. But you can download them into iTunes. Then, if you can't be arsed to burn the tracks yourself, Navigator will be flogging CDs of each month's output once completed.

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16 Jul 10 - 03:12 PM (#2946336)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: JohnB

Just echoing Mr Echo, that is exactly what I read on the site too.
I appear to have 23 songs right now.
JohnB

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16 Jul 10 - 03:43 PM (#2946357)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

Regards "Mr Echo" you need to swap an 's' for the 'r' there. But anyhoo, I wasn't aware that the songs could be downloaded, I'll keep that in mind for any songs I might fancy learning.

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16 Jul 10 - 05:32 PM (#2946398)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Geoff the Duck

Info about getting the podcasts HERE.
If you want to download the podcasts they are at http://www.afolksongaday.com/podcast/podcast_feed.xml.
To automatically download the MP3 files you need a PodCatcher programme. iTunes is one, but there are others such as Juice which is easy to install and use.
What you do is copy the address then paste it into your "Catcher" in the bit that adds new podcast feeds. You will probably find it is set to start downloading from the next day, so may have to click some selection boxes to get older podcasts, but once clicked, you should be able to collect all that haven't reached their expiry date.
Quack!
GtD.

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17 Jul 10 - 01:53 AM (#2946552)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Artful Codger

Does EFDSS have a more central page linking to the relevant note pages, one that folks can create a static bookmark for, instead of having to search separately for each song?

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24 Jul 10 - 04:46 PM (#2951533)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

frsh

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29 Jul 10 - 06:26 AM (#2954361)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Phil Edwards

Jon's given us a terrific Child Morris today. Listen!

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29 Jul 10 - 07:47 AM (#2954388)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,Ralphie

It's really rather depressing to read some comments on this thread.
It's a free world guys. If Jon wants to set up a website and sing a song a day, why not?
What harm is it doing?
If you don't like it, don't listen. It's very simple.
To those people who are telling him to do more electric stuff, or strictly accapella. Tough.
It's his project, and he will do what he feels is appropriate.
As some have said, Jon is doing sterling work for the community in the part of the world he lives in, alongside his more high profile work with his various bands.
So, I applaud the idea behind this song-a-day project. How many of you would attempt it? Not me, that's for sure.
And as for saying that it's all about publicity, well. Don't make me laugh. You obviously don't know Jon.
If you don't like Jons voice, Don't listen.
It's that easy

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29 Jul 10 - 09:16 AM (#2954427)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Phil Edwards

I don't want to complain about someone complaining about someone complaining, but I think that's a bit of an over-reaction. Jon said at the start of the project that

the bulk of the songs on this site are songs that I sing unaccompanied.

and

I have always thought of myself as first and foremost an unaccompanied singer so it was quite a shock to me to realise that, although I have now made 10 albums, I have never included a solo unaccompanied track on any of them.

so I don't think it was unreasonable for some of us to express a bit of disappointment when Jon posted up a series of accompanied songs - particularly when we've also praised the stuff we liked.

But really I'm just posting this to refresh the thread and draw attention to the site, and that rendition of Child Morris in particular.

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29 Jul 10 - 09:32 AM (#2954430)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Roberto

The Folk Song a Day has become a very special daily date. So many excellent recordings, from the Banks of Red Roses to the Rain it Rains. It is an amazing present, I do thank Jon Boden.

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29 Jul 10 - 09:36 AM (#2954432)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: The Borchester Echo

JB talks about the project in yesterday's Grauniad.

Yes, Child Morris is fab.

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Text of article added so it won't get lost. -Joe Offer-

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Colin Irwin guardian.co.uk,
Wednesday 28 July 2010 22.15 BST

A few weeks ago Jon Boden, the current BBC Folk Singer of the Year, went to a friend's home studio in Sheffield and recorded an unaccompanied version of the famous old folk song The Larks They Sang Melodious (alternatively known as Pleasant and Delightful). On Midsummer Day (24 June) he posted it on a new website he'd created and embarked on the first step of a strange and demanding odyssey, in which he vows to record and post a different folk song every day for a year.

A far cry from his more familiar role as extrovert frontman with the 11-piece folk big band Bellowhead, the Folk Song a Day concept has already attracted accusations that Boden has either lost his marbles or become a shameless self-publicist. Yet behind this novel initiative lies a serious intent, which poses profound questions about the changing role of song in society. Namely, have we lost the joy of singing for its own sake, and the social benefits of community, self-expression and identity that go with it? And, if so, can they be recovered?

Time was when locals would get together in pubs, private houses or at public gatherings, joining in song as a matter of course. Stimulated in part by many inviting anecdotes of these occasions from England's most revered traditional singers, the Copper Family, several of the early British folk revivalists of the 1960s were driven by the dream of breathing life into old folk songs and restore them to community life. These revivalists achieved much, notably a nationwide circuit of clubs, which attracted devoted enthusiasts and supported a network of professional musicians as folk music blossomed into a thriving art form. But in a fast-moving world, their original ideals were strangled by the march of television, communication and globalisation – with the inevitable decline in pub culture and community spirit itself – and some of those early performers such as Norma Waterson consequently now regard the revival as a failure.

Yet a vibrant new generation of folk musicians have imaginatively reinvigorated the genre in recent years. The title of Jim Moray's award-winning 2008 album, Low Culture, was a deliberate expression of what he felt folk music should represent. "The tradition isn't something out of the ordinary, it's the very definition of ordinary," he says. "If folk is the music of the people then it's surely wrong to treat it as 'high art' that should be preserved unchanged. Folk music is low culture."

Similar thoughts occupy Boden. He says he regards himself primarily as an unaccompanied singer, despite his membership of Bellowhead, but insists that A Folk Song a Day is a serious effort to raise the profile of social singing. He has also launched a monthly Saturday night folk club encompassing an informal singaround at his own local, the Royal Hotel in Dungworth, which is already embedded in folk music lore as one of the South Yorkshire pubs maintaining a unique local carol-singing tradition of songs exclusive to the area.

"The Dungworth carol singing is extraordinary, but it shouldn't be extraordinary," says Boden. "People who wouldn't do it in any other context go to the pub at Christmas and sing those songs properly – really, really loud. But then you get to the end of the carol season and you think, 'Why the hell don't we do this all year?'"

So he decided he would do it all year – and the Dungworth experiment seems to be working as villagers with no interest in the formal folk song movement descend on the bar to exercise their lungs on a round of populist chorus songs, such as The Larks They Sang Melodious and others that have made early appearances on Boden's site.

"I'd love to see more singing sessions in pubs – ideally unaccompanied – without the pub getting freaked out," Boden says. "The biggest challenge is to get a pub to turn the TV or jukebox off, but the chance is there to find a common cause because pubs are under so much threat. Some people feel uncomfortable – they think their space is being invaded, and if you suddenly enter a random pub and burst into song you're more likely to be thrown out than be bought a drink. I've certainly been told to shut up on occasions. You have to get people used to the idea. It's not the fault of the song, it's the fault of lack of song. People get paranoid about singing in public and I think it stems from parents telling their children they can't sing. It happens a lot. You wouldn't tell someone they have an awful talking voice or they have bad breath, but there seems to be no problem in telling someone they can't sing."

There's no shortage of scientific research to support his theory that social singing is good for body and soul. Professor Graham Welch, the chair of music education at the Institute of Education in London, declares that everyone has the ability to sing and, irrespective of quality, it enhances our mood and reduces stress. "The health benefits of singing are both physiological and psychological," he says. "Music is very good for every aspect of you as a human."

One unlikely convert to the power of social singing is Brian Eno, who hosts regular a cappella singing sessions at his London studio with friends, who have included Paul McCartney. "It's all about the immersion of the self into the community and that's one of the greatest feelings," he says. "I stop being 'me' for a little while and become 'us', and that way lies empathy, the great social virtue."

Yet the only public places you can have a good sing without risking ridicule or abuse are either churches or football grounds. Boden is an atheist who doesn't like football so he's opted instead for the pub-singing option and A Folk Song a Day podcasts. There were 6,000 hits for his opening rendition of The Larks They Sang Melodious, and interest has grown rapidly since, sparking lively debate on the comment pages, especially over his recent inclusion of Mercedes Benz, a gospel pastiche written by Janis Joplin, Michael McClure and Bob Neuwirth. Joplin sang it unaccompanied, and although Boden paradoxically adds a mournful concertina, he's happy to classify it as a folk song. "I learned it as a folk song at Forest School camps before I'd ever heard the Janis Joplin version," he says, amused by the fuss its inclusion has caused. "People criticise me for doing that but don't bat an eyelid about the Kipling-Peter Bellamy songs I have done."

He's got a whole year of this and knows that tougher terrain lies ahead, especially as his repertoire extends to only 200 songs and he'll need to learn more by next spring. There are also the practical problems involved in making daily recordings during forthcoming extensive tours with both Bellowhead and his other band, the Remnant Kings. "I should have got an iPhone when I had the chance. I might have to borrow one to record stuff when we're on the road. But it's really interesting and it's nice not to have to worry about commercial pressures. Apparently I'm No 1 in the music podcast charts. I've no idea what that means but it sounds good."

Jon Boden can be heard daily on afolksongaday.com

---

30 Jul 10 - 12:44 AM (#2954942)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,Ralphie

Actually, Thinking about it in a practical way, considering the amount of travelling/gigging/recording that Jon does, there are going to be days when he has to put 15 or maybe 20 songs in "the can" so to speak!
Mind you, it might be fun to here him do a Child ballad whilst driving down the M1!
That wouldn't be accompanied!
(In the UK you can get arrested for using a mobile phone whilst driving, I'm not sure if the same applies to singing!)

---

30 Jul 10 - 07:13 AM (#2955063)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: mikesamwild

The Coilin Irwin piece in the Guardian seems to imply that he , or Jon or other folk people think people have stopped singing communally in pubs etc.(as opposed to in upstairs clubrooms)

In my experience song and tune sessions, working mens clubs, acapella, unplugged, open mic, acoustic nights, karaoke, post rugby club songs, singing on the chara, etc etc. Noone queried the relevance of Mercedes benz as opposed to 'Folk' tunes. they just went into the eclectic bag and got selected or rejected by the community process.muisc

have been going strong and continued the tradition of tune ups, free and easies and singalongs since I can remember and I'm 70.

I welcomed the folk revival but never stopped singing what I'd grown up with and which accompanied most of my social activities.

My partner and I have had two pubs where singing went on every night in the public space as well as a folk club upstairs.


By the way who is writing the notes to the songs on Jon's web pag?

---

30 Jul 10 - 03:47 PM (#2955329)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: mikesamwild

Re the notes Fay Hield says its someone from Proper Distribution called Chris (I think)

---

10 Aug 10 - 12:27 AM (#2961704)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Zhenya

I just found out about this project and then found the Mudcat thread here. I go to a singer's group where we sing mainly traditional music, completely unaccompanied, both solo and songs with choruses.

Sometimes new people join us who have heard a bit of this music and are interested, but don't know where to find songs. I think Jon Boden's project is a great resource, and I just sent out the link to several people. Not only renditions of the songs, but background information and additional links as well. I'm happy to listen to these songs myself, and I think this is a great introduction for people just starting to listen to and sing traditional music.

---

10 Aug 10 - 08:36 AM (#2961942)
Subject: Song a Day-- Jon Boden
From: GUEST,schlimmerkerl

Just that--

http://www.afolksongaday.com/about/

---

10 Aug 10 - 08:46 AM (#2961948)
Subject: RE: Song a Day-- Jon Boden
From: Herga Kitty

Schlimmerkerl - you're a bit late catching up. There's already a thread on this here !

Kitty

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10 Aug 10 - 08:47 AM (#2961949)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Herga Kitty

Refresh....

Kitty

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14 Aug 10 - 05:23 AM (#2964941)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: evansakes

Jon's played his googly today (that's 'thrown a curveball' for you lot in the USA)

Several firsts with today's offering....

1. There are TWO songs up there today.

2. There's also a video.

3. He's got someone helping him out (Dan Plews)

4. AND (joy of joys!) there's even a little vocal harmony!! Even better....it's Canadee-i-o

http://www.afolksongaday.com/

---

15 Aug 10 - 01:50 AM (#2965482)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Ralphie

I did ask Jon at Sidmouth how (knowing his considerable touring commitments) did he find the time to do this project? He juist smiled and tapped his nose!!! Need to know basis obviously!
I'm convinced he's either got a voice double, or came up with the idea a looooong time ago,

---

15 Aug 10 - 04:07 AM (#2965508)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Will Fly

In recording terms, there are so many good portable recording devices of quality available these days, so the actual process of creating and downloading the songs may not be too arduous. My guess is that the greater part of the project is finding and trying out the new songs before recording them - and that's where Jon may well tap his nose!

I love this project. I think it's an excellent role model for would-be singers and performers, and Jon's one of the good guys - a dedicated and talented musician. If he gets some publicity from the project as well, then why not? It's his living, like any other.

---

15 Aug 10 - 07:42 AM (#2965578)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: mikesamwild

He told me recently he has to go to a friend's studio so it's not home recording.


I wonder whether it's a long standing project.

I noticed quite a few years ago when I was bidding on eBay for old LPS etc, that I was up against him. At the time you could investigate who your opposition was on the bidding war!


At the time I wasn't too keen on Jon's voice, much as I love Bellowhead etc,   but I am now, and I wonder if he set out to concsciously work on it. Quite a while ago I was ssaying to people 'I think he's found his voice.' Certainly on The Floddplain Album I was most impressed as I was at several club solo performance.

Of course all singers have to develop their voice and their personal style and technique.


I just hope we get some more good young male and female singers coming through.

Instrumentalist are thick on the gound.




Which young singers on the 'folk scene' do people rate at the moment?

I have afew favourites but they are thin on the ground

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15 Aug 10 - 11:06 AM (#2965669)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Ralphie

"Instrumentalists are thick on the ground"
A lot of them are thick standing up too!!

---

15 Aug 10 - 11:27 AM (#2965674)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Will Fly

That's why I always sit down to play...

(Ralphie, wash your mouth out).

---

15 Aug 10 - 04:48 PM (#2965899)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Phil Edwards

Which young singers on the 'folk scene' do people rate at the moment?

I have a few favourites but they are thin on the ground

Cue shameless plug. (I'm not young, but I am new - I was hardly singing this stuff at all until a couple of years ago.)

---

08 Oct 10 - 04:18 AM (#3002282)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Geoff the Duck

Just checked where I have downloaded them to and Jon seems to be up to 100 songs.
Note to self - Must find time to have a proper listen.
Quack!
GtD.

---

11 Oct 10 - 08:35 PM (#3004809)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Tattie Bogle

I set my Itunes for daily downloads, but seem to be missing a lot, even after "Get All" downloaded a good few today. And some are no longer available on streaming.
Missing 14, 24-29, 31-53, 55-61, 63-65, 67-69 abd 104 onwards. Why??

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14 Oct 10 - 06:44 PM (#3007170)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Reinhard

I download the blog's songs manually with iTunes and haven't missed any yet.

But I have also bought the past months' download albums. They are supposed to have a higher bitrate than the blog tracks, and they aren't really expensive at less than 10 Euro per month, i.e. about 30 cent per song. That might be a good way for you to fill the gaps.

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05 Nov 10 - 05:33 AM (#3024101)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Roberto

What happened today? First day without a new song...

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05 Nov 10 - 02:01 PM (#3024422)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Reinhard

It was just a tad late waiting for the bonfire to be lit.

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05 Nov 10 - 02:38 PM (#3024458)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

Jon's recordings for July, August, and September are available on Spotify, and they can be purchased at emusic.com. I'll bet they're available at the other usual MP3 outlets.

Good stuff.

-Joe-

---

I can't find the June recordings - are they available for purchase somewhere?

Here are the June songs: June 24: The Larks They Sang Melodious June 25: Farmer’s Toast June 26: Young Roger Esquire June 27: One Night As I Lay June 28: Earl Richard June 29: White Cockade June 30: Rose In June

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05 Nov 10 - 03:15 PM (#3024495)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' - July
From: Joe Offer

Here are the July songs: July 1: Tyne of Harrow July 2: The Hunt is Up July 3: I Wish that the Wars were all over July 4: Blackwaterside July 5: Barbara Allen July 6: Cruel Mother July 7: Chickens in The Garden July 8: Across the Line (The Sailor's Way) July 9: Pretty Cock / As I Stood under my Love’s Window July 10: Banks of Green Willow July 11: Danny Deever (Kipling)(not at Mudcat) July 12: Mercedes Benz July 13: Rambling Sailor July 14: Yellow Roses July 15: Big Steamers July 16: Lucy Wan July 17: Come Write Me Down July 18: Bloody Gardener July 19: Go and Leave Me July 20: The Rain it Rains (Nothing at Mudcat) July 21: The Stonecutter Boy July 22: Sally Free and Easy (Cyril Tawney) July 23: Young Edward In The Lowlands July 24: The Days Of ‘49 July 25: Tha’ Lowks A Proper Swell Lass (nothing at Mudcat, and Reinhard had trouble, too) July 26: Banks of Red Roses July 27: A Blacksmith Courted Me July 28: Maid of Australia July 29: Child Morris July 30: The Old Songs July 31: Tom Padget

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05 Nov 10 - 03:15 PM (#3024497)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' - August
From: Joe Offer

Here are the August songs: August 1: (Now) Westlin Winds August 2: Two Young Brethren August 3: The Land (Kipling) August 4: Greenland Whale Fishery August 5: Brown Adam August 6: Shepherd of the Downs August 7: Derry Gaol August 8: Frankies Trade August 9: Ca the Ewes August 10: Two Pretty Boys August 11: Cruel Knife (Jealous Lover at Mudcat) August 12: Nostradamus [by Al Stewart] (not at Mudcat) August 13: Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy August 14: Bold Sir Rylas August 15: Dream of Napoleon August 16: Live Not Where I Love August 17: Polly Vaughn August 18: Saucy Sailor August 19: Abroad For Pleasure (Holmfirth Anthem) August 20: The Oggie Man August 21: Golden Glove August 22: Country Life August 23: Rolling Down To Old Maui August 24: Jordan Is A Hard Road August 25: Leave Her Johnny August 26: Doleful Dance of Death August 27: Lord Randal August 28: Bonny House of Airlie August 29: Yorkshire Couple August 30: William Taylor August 31: Yarmouth Town

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05 Nov 10 - 03:15 PM (#3024499)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' - September
From: Joe Offer

Here are the September songs: September 1: The Prentice Boy - not much on this song at Mudcat (from Marrowbones) September 2: Light Dragoon September 3: London Waterman (Charles Dibden) - nothing on this song at Mudcat September 4: Noah’s Ark Shanty September 5: King of Rome September 6: On a Monday Morning (Cyril Tawney) September 7: Fakenham Fair (needs better information) September 8: Rambling Robin September 9: In The Shade Of The Old ‘arris Mill September 10: Sleep on Beloved September 11: Hey John Barleycorn September 12: Fathom the Bowl September 13: Water Is Wide September 14: The Rigs of the Time September 15: On Board (a) 98 September 16: Oats and Beans and Barley September 17: Rickety Tickety Tin September 18: The Bush Girl (Henry Lawson) September 19: The Lord Will Provide September 20: NaCl (Sodium Chloride) September 21: Down Where The Drunkards Roll (Richard Thompson) September 22: The Trees They Do Grow High September 23: Blood Red Roses September 24: A Begging I Will Go September 25: (Blow The Winds High-O ) Ten Thousand Miles Away September 26: Sparrow September 27: Three Ravens September 28: Waltzing Matilda September 29: Brisk Young Widow September 30: All Of A Row

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05 Nov 10 - 03:16 PM (#3024501)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' - October
From: Joe Offer

Here are the October songs: October 1: Prickle-Eye Bush October 2: The Huntsman - not at Mudcat October 3: Deep Blue Sea October 4: New York Girls October 5: The Jersey Girl (Tom Waits) October 6: The Poor Man’s Labours October 7: Bay of Biscay October 8: Gallant Hussar October 9: The Constant Lovers October 10: Hunting the Hare October 11: Courting Too Slow October 12: The Dawn of the Day (not at Mudcat) October 13: The Sheepstealer October 14: Marrowbones October 15: Old Joe Clark October 16: (The Death of Poor) Bill Brown October 17: My Johnny’s Gone to Hilo October 18: Sea Coal October 19: Pretty Nancy of Yarmouth October 20: Close the Coalhouse Door October 21: All For Me Grog October 22: The Santa Fe Trail October 23: Jock Stewart October 24: The Death Of Queen Jane October 25: The Good Old Way October 26: Doffing Mistress October 27: Blackleg Miner October 28: Goodnight Irene October 29: Mad Family (not at Mudcat) October 30: Dig My Grave October 31: Tam Lin

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05 Nov 10 - 03:16 PM (#3024502)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' - November
From: Joe Offer

Here are the November songs: November 1: Spectre Review (Die nächtliche Heerschau) November 2: His Name Is Andrew November 3: (Up to the Rigs of) London Town November 4: Spencer the Rover November 5: Cob a Coalin November 6: South Australia November 7: Love At The Five And Dime November 8: Boston Harbour November 9: Mary Ann November 10: A Chat With Your Mother (F-Word Song) from Peter & Lou Berryman of Wisconsin November 11: If You Want To See The General November 12: Bruton Town November 13: Rose of Tralee November 14: I’ll Go With Him Wherever He Goes (Do You Love an Apple?) November 15: See, See The Cape’s in View November 16: Hard Times (Come Again No More) November 17: Unfortunate Lass November 18: Cholera Camp (Kipling) November 19: I Once Was a Fisherman (Barry Dransfeld) November 20: My Johnny Was a Shoemaker November 21: At Jacob's Well November 22: Poor Fellows (Nothing at Mudcat - from Bellamy's The Transports November 23: Warlike Lads Of Russia November 24: Fire Marengo November 25: Grey Goose and Gander November 26: The Weaver and the Factory Maid November 27: Sweep Chimney Sweep November 28: Farewell To Old Bedford (in the DT-no discussion) November 29: Cold Blows The Wind (The Unquiet Grave) November 30: The Brown Girl

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05 Nov 10 - 03:17 PM (#3024504)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' - December
From: Joe Offer

December is upon us....

Here are the December songs: December 1: Babes in the Wood December 2: Hark Hark - another Sheffield carol, with no info at Mudcat. December 3: Snow Falls (John Tams) - nothing at Mudcat December 4: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (Pentonville) December 5: While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (Sweet Chiming Bells) December 6: Come All You Weary Travellers (Not at Mudcat) December 7: Mistletoe Bough - once again, not at Mudcat December 8: Cells (Kipling/Bellamy) December 9: The Boar's Head Carol December 10: A Roving on a Winter's Night December 11: Spout Cottage - nothing at Mudcat. These carols are killing us! December 12: Poor Little Jesus December 13: All Hail The Power Of Jesus’ Name - not at Mudcat December 14: The Holly and the Ivy December 15: Remember O Thou Man - not at Mudcat December 16: Jingle Bells (not your usual version) December 17: Mount Moriah December 18: We Wish You a Merry Christmas - see Reinhard's page December 19: Awake Arise Good Christians - not at Mudcat December 20: While Shepherds Watched (Lyngham) December 21: Stannington - not at Mudcat, but see Sheffield Carols December 22: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (!) December 23: First Noel - unusual melody December 24: Shepherds Arise December 25: On Christmas Day December 26: The King December 27: O Little Town of Bethlehem - name of the melody?? December 28: Little Pot Stove December 29: I'd Like to Tell to You December 30: Rocking Me Babies December 31: Cornish Wassail Song

Oh, and don't miss Simon Holland's Properganda Alternative Advent Calendar. Simon is doing a lot of the work on the "A Folk Song a Day" project.

---

Happy 2011!!

January 1: January Man

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05 Nov 10 - 03:17 PM (#3024505)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Crow Sister (off with the fairies)

Yes Joe! We love this thread too!!! :)

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05 Nov 10 - 03:36 PM (#3024521)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Reinhard

The October songs will be available for download on November 7 (according to Amazon). The June songs will be released together with the June 1-23, 2011 songs in July 2011.

Parallel to Joe's lists you can also find a song list on my A Folk Song a Day page.

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09 Nov 10 - 03:54 AM (#3027357)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

It's interesting to see the songs Jon chose that are not purely folk songs. His choice for Sunday was Love at the Five and Dime, by Nanci Griffith. It's a lovely song, and he does a great job of it.

-Joe-

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09 Nov 10 - 04:38 AM (#3027376)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Phil Edwards

Well, I think it's a real shame that Jon's including so many songs that aren't folk songs, however good a job he does on them (his version of David Ackles' "His name is Andrew" was stunning). There are few enough places dedicated to bringing folk songs to a wider audience as it is.

But I don't want to detract from the project, which is quite extraordinary & includes some fantastic performances - refreshing my memory from the lists above, I'd put Queen Jane, Boston Harbour, Bill Brown and Tam Lin in my highlights of the series so far.

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11 Nov 10 - 08:00 PM (#3029890)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

I've tried to link each day's recording to pertinent information at Mudcat. We have information on almost all of the songs Jon has recorded for this project. Follow the links, and you'll find some terrific stuff.
-Joe-

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12 Nov 10 - 02:58 AM (#3030072)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Phil Edwards

Superb! Many thanks, Joe - you're a star.

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07 Dec 10 - 12:43 AM (#3047904)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

I was so proud of us because I was able to find Mudcat threads or Digital Tradition entries for almost all of the songs in Jon Boden's A Folk Song a Day project. Guess we need to get cracking....

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12 Dec 10 - 01:38 AM (#3051451)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,erbert

I only know Jon Boden for his work in Bellowhead,
one of my favourite recent bands,
but he's starting to get on my nerves a bit on the latest CD and TV promotion appearances.

I've been aware of his name for a few years but just haven't found time or inclination to explore his back catalogue.
So, out of fairness I've just been checking out brief samples of his solo CD
"Songs From The Floodplain";

yeah ok, I'm interested enough to explore further...

It's a voice not unlike countless 1970's prog and glamrock/artrock LP's I've enjoyed over the years..
and seems to me to be better integrated and more appropriately bedded into the soundscape of "Songs From The Floodplain"

So lets see how I can catch up on these 'songadays' for a better perspective,
and check out ebay for a cheap copy of his solo CD.

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15 Dec 10 - 04:36 PM (#3054234)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

The song for December 15 is another carol, Remember, O Thou Man. We have very few of these carols at Mudcat. I was thinking maybe we should make an effort to post them, but5 maybe there's no need. There's a Website called Hymns and Carols of Christmas that does excellent work on carols. Why duplicate their efforts?

-Joe-

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19 Dec 10 - 12:27 AM (#3056891)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Reinhard

I just downloaded the December MP3 album from Amazon. Did Jon release it early so that we can hear all of it at Christmas?

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19 Dec 10 - 11:06 AM (#3057207)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,elfpix

The Tam Lin is thus far definitely the very best of the output in my opinion. I love having the daily dose arrive in my iTunes Podcasts folder. I wish I'd caught on to this project when he started. I'm shy a month or so at the beginning.

I must say, however, that the uniformity of his voice makes listening to a whole group of them much less than pleasant to me. I'm always relieved when he lets an instrument or another voice into the mix. For that reason I can't imagine actually purchasing an entire CD of the project.

As a very traditionally oriented folky I'm only tepid on Bellowhead, even though I understand most of its sources and references. As a '60s folkie, even a '50s folkie, my tolerance for the integration of folk and rock is still pretty small and a big piece of me really resents the importation of all that gloss and light show from the rock scene. What's wrong with just performing the music with humor, gusto and skill?

It is interesting to me to watch the links grow between Jon and John. I wonder how John feels about this all, as he hews closer to the more traditional presentation in his late middle age. Brass Monkey will never be Bellowhead.

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19 Dec 10 - 11:54 AM (#3057235)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Cllr

I first listened to Squeezy and Scratchy live at the Manchester extravaganza half a dozen years ago and later in various incarnations mainly at Sidmouth FF, as a mainly unaccompanied singer i cannot praise enough the FOlk song a day project.
I Recently saw Bellowhead at Oxford on the hedonism tour and i was completely blown away by JB's amazing stage presence (and the rest of the band) I had to rush off and buy tickets for the NYE gig at South Bank. What a fantastic range within the folk scene an i can't get enough of it!

Cllr

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22 Dec 10 - 03:07 AM (#3059111)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

I've been buying these monthly albums from emusic.com, but they don't have November OR December....

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01 Jan 11 - 05:48 AM (#3064890)
Subject: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' - January
From: Joe Offer

Happy 2011!!

Here are the January songs: January 1: January Man January 2: Daddy Fox January 3: Old Brown's Daughter January 4: Peggy Bann January 5: Apple Tree Wassail January 6: Pilgrim On The Pennine Way (by Pete Coe - nothing at Mudcat or Reinhard's Website) January 7: Captain Ward January 8: Otago January 9: Peggy Gordon January 10: In the Month of January January 11: The Snow It Melts the Soonest January 12: Off to the Epsom Races - not at Mudcat January 13: Ruins by the Shore - not at Mudcat, but you'll like this link. January 14: Days Gone By - by Jon Boden, not at Mudcat January 15: Smuggler's Song (Kipling/Bellamy) January 16: Lowlands January 17: Five Hundred Miles January 18: Maria's Gone (Ritchie Family) January 19: Ballina Whalers January 20: The Last Leviathan January 21: The Cuckoo January 22: John Ball January 23: I Drew My Ship January 24: Two Magicians January 25: Some Tyrant Has Stolen My True Love Away January 26: Bungay Roger January 27: My Son John January 28: Banks of the Nile January 29: Anachie Gordon January 30: I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen January 31: Dark as a Dungeon (Merle Travis)

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01 Jan 11 - 05:50 AM (#3064891)
Subject: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' - February
From: Joe Offer

Here are the February songs: February 1: Sheffield Apprentice February 2: Won't You Go My Way February 3: Clyde Water February 4: The German Musicianer February 5: Cold Blow And The Rainy Night February 6: When First I Came to Caledonia February 7: King Henry Was King James’ Son February 8: Queenie (Strip Polka) February 9: (Young) Simon John February 10: Rolling Down to Rio (Kipling/Bellamy) February 11: Hanging Johnny February 12: Butter and Cheese and All February 13: Don't Go Out Tonight, Dear Father February 14: Cupid's Garden February 15: Young Banker February 16: Donkey Riding February 17: I Sowed the Seeds of Love February 18: Over the Hills and Far Away February 19: Bird in the Bush February 20: Shoals of Herring February 21: Grey Funnel Line February 22: A Pilgrim's Way February 23: Widow's Curse February 24: Maid and the Palmer February 25: Sir Patrick Spens February 26: Fiddler's Green February 27: Captain Wedderburn February 28: Oor Hamlet

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01 Jan 11 - 05:50 AM (#3064892)
Subject: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' - March
From: Joe Offer

Here are the March songs: March 1: The Lakes Of Pontchatrain March 2: Four Angels (Kipling) March 3: Willie's Lady March 4: Worcester City March 5: Swansea Barracks March 6: Wife Of The Soldier March 7: Bold Fisherman March 8: Sweet Mossom March 9: Corduroy March 10: Weaver’s Daughter March 11: Plains Of Mexico March 12: Farewell Sweet Lovely Nancy - not the Copper Family Song March 13: Take This Hammer March 14: Dalesman’s Litany March 15: Billy Don’t Weep For Me March 16: Springfield Mountain March 17: The Green Fields Of America March 18: Jack Orion March 19: Turkey Rhubarb March 20: Horn Fair March 21: Lovely On The Water March 22: All Hail A Brighter Day March 23: Adam And Eve March 24: Scarborough Fair March 25: Turtle Dove March 26: Tommy (Kipling/Bellamy) March 27: Ye Mariners All March 28: Whiskey Is the Life of Man March 29: Maid on the Shore March 30: Juniper, Gentle, and Rosemary March 31: Lemady

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12 Jan 11 - 01:01 PM (#3073091)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: GUEST,Calum Mckemmie

You can get all the songs for free by subscribing to the podcast. With winamp ( free from winamp.com ) you can download all of the previous songs, however old they are.

Calum
http://www.myspace.com/tozerandmckemmie
http://www.youtube.com/user/TozerAndMckemmie

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12 Jan 11 - 06:08 PM (#3073336)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

Thanks, Calum. The URL (address) for the Podcast feed is:

http://www.afolksongaday.com/podcast/podcast_feed.xml

On Winamp, you should find a selection titled "Podcast Directory" on the left-hand side of your screen under "media library." Copy-paste or type the feed URL into the "Add Feed" box at the bottom of the page, and click the "Add Feed" button. I think most media players can be set to automatically download podcasts. I confess that this is the first time I've tried it - it's very easy to do.

-Joe-

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25 Jan 11 - 08:44 AM (#3082033)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Abdul The Bul Bul

Seems I just wiped the whole of my stuff on iplayer. All my recorded music plus all the JB songs. Have it all in alternate bits here and there but not the podcasts. Thanks for the Winamp headsup.
Al

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25 Jan 11 - 09:09 AM (#3082051)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Abdul The Bul Bul

Can't see where to down load all the previous no matter how old they are tho.
Al

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25 Jan 11 - 05:18 PM (#3082358)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

Hi, Abdul-
The Podcast Feed is http://www.afolksongaday.com/podcast/podcast_feed.xml, and it works only in some browsers (like Internet Explorer, but not Google Chrome). It allows you to download only the last month or so of recordings. You have to buy the earlier recordings if you want them. They're available at Amazon and iTunes and emusic.com - and probably lots of other MP3 outlets.

Hope that helps.

-Joe-

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26 Jan 11 - 03:17 AM (#3082540)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Abdul The Bul Bul

Thanks Joe, have now got Winamp and the ones available and will buy the others. I thought that was the case but Calum had advised the older ones were achievable.
Al

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16 May 11 - 07:58 PM (#3155439)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

Gee, this project has been going for almost the whole year. now. I hate to see it drawing to a close.

-Joe-

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20 Jun 11 - 02:55 AM (#3173233)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: Joe Offer

This remarkable one-year project began on June 24, 2010 - that means it will end this week. I hope you'll stop and take a look before it disappears....or is reborn???????

-Joe-

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20 Jun 11 - 12:26 PM (#3173359)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: PercyBysshe

I'm dreading it ending - breakfast with Boden has become part of my daily routine.

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20 Jun 11 - 01:20 PM (#3173389)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog
From: DrugCrazed

Breakfast with Boden is the name of my Deep Blue Something cover band.

I'm sorry.

OT: I came into it during February, it's been brilliant for someone who's looking at learning some songs. I've got a fair few on my list :)

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23 Jun 11 - 06:23 PM (#3175437)
Subject: John Boden - Congatulations on a year of songs
From: I don't know

Congaratulations to John Boden on completing 365 songs. Such dedication to the music industry should be reconised.

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23 Jun 11 - 10:44 PM (#3175519)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: Joe Offer

The songs will cycle through again over the next year. Gee, I wonder if he'll add a new one for 29 Feb 2012. If you didn't follow this project over the last year, why not try over the coming one?

I've linked the songs to Mudcat sources as best I could. Reinhard Zierke did a lot of work on the "Folk Song a Day" songs at Reinhard's Website, and I'm sure you'll find his work worth reading.

Thanks to Jon and Simon for all their work on this project.

Oh, and don't miss John Thompson's Australian Folk Song a Day project.

-Joe Offer-

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24 Jun 11 - 02:51 AM (#3175578)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: Spleen Cringe

Excellent job from Jon B (and lots of blatant Bellamism involved - always a good thing). Thank you, Jon!

Rumour has it that next year he'll be taking a break from folk music and doing An Old School Punk Rock Classic a Day for Concertina"... first up is White Riot by The Clash...

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25 Jun 11 - 02:42 PM (#3176335)
Subject: A Folk Song a Day iTunes numbers wrong
From: Howard Kaplan

I recently downloaded the last of the Folk Song a Day podcasts from iTunes, though I didn't realize that at first -- I thought I was a day too early. On iTunes, the last track is listed as #364, Fortune Turns the Wheel, and dated June 23. Track #1 is dated June 24 last year, so it has indeed been one year, and there are no days missing (though there are some bonus tracks).

The problem occurred on May 5 and 6, when both Bonny Bunch of Roses (May 5) and Broomfield Hill (May 6) were called track #316.

If you've been wondering what went wrong, you can now stop wondering.

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27 Jun 11 - 06:39 PM (#3177411)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: MoorleyMan

Well, Joe, your statement >>The songs will cycle through again over the next year<< is great news.
But I now find that on the AFSAD site blog, it states that the songs will only be streamed ("for the time being") and not made available on the podcast, which is a blow for those of us who missed the early ones and haven't managed to download them at all. Do we know whether the intention is to re-Podcast as the songs cycle through again? It would make sense...

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28 Jun 11 - 02:17 AM (#3177587)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: Joe Offer

Hi, MoorleyMan-
I think that Simon said there were no plans to do the podcasts again.
-Joe-

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28 Jun 11 - 03:26 AM (#3177610)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: Reinhard

MoorleyMan, you still can download the songs as MP3 albums for $8.99 (or £7.49 or €9.31) a month, and they are in a better quality than the podcasts were.

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28 Jun 11 - 03:38 AM (#3177613)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: Phil Edwards

MM - the MP3s for the last few days can be accessed as enclosures in the RSS feed. If this doesn't mean anything to you, ask a geeky friend - it's not rocket science by any means.

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28 Jun 11 - 06:13 AM (#3177662)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: MoorleyMan

Thanks Pip Radish -
(Any "geeky friends" out there?!...)

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28 Jun 11 - 07:14 AM (#3177693)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: Newport Boy

Decent review by Robin Denselow in today's Guardian of Jon's concluding concert at Cecil Sharp House.

Jon Boden's A Folk Song a Day, Cecil Sharp House, London

Robin Denselow guardian.co.uk, Monday 27 June 2011 19.30 BST
   
Jon Boden is an intriguing workaholic. He plays with two bands – the massively successful Bellowhead and the Remnant Kings – while also continuing as half of the inspiring folk duo Spiers and Boden. He clearly enjoys collaboration, yet thinks of himself "first and foremost as an unaccompanied singer". Over the last year, he has been trying to encourage social or communal singing by posting a different folk song on a website every day.

He celebrated the end of this extraordinary achievement with a special show in Cecil Sharp House. The hall was packed, but those expecting a mass singalong would have been disappointed – at least until the very end of the performance.

For the most part, Boden stuck to the traditional songs he has been singing on the web, starting with the Copper Family's rousing Hard Times of Old England. He occasionally sang unaccompanied, but for most of the show was backed by his own guitar, squeezebox or fiddle, or by the harmony vocals of the multi-instrumental Remnant Kings, whose inventive arrangements included a brave four-fiddle setting for Rigs of the Time. Then there were guest appearances from other singers, and sturdy performances from Peta Webb, Boden's partner Fay Hield, and the massed ranks of the Cecil Sharp House Community Choir.

He ended with material from his futuristic, self-written, solo album Songs from the Floodplain, and an emotional finale of Bright Phoebus in tribute to the great Mike Waterson who died last week. Now the audience were joining in at last, and Boden encouraged them to follow him to the bar for a furious late-night demonstration of what social singing is all about.

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28 Jun 11 - 08:05 AM (#3177721)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: DrugCrazed

Moorley, don't know what you use to get the podcasts, but if you can find the "insert manual podcast feed" button, then give it the AFSAD main feed.

DM me if you need more info.

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28 Jun 11 - 11:34 AM (#3177807)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: GUEST,Jon Boden

Thanks to everyone at Mudcat for their support, in particularly Joe for linking everything together so assiduously! All the best, Jon

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08 Mar 15 - 09:02 AM (#3692333)
Subject: RE: Jon Boden: 'A Folk Song A Day' blog-finished!!!!
From: FreddyHeadey

In case you were about to waste any time wondering what the IH.... Posting was about
Google translate has it as...
ENGLISH
Also very warm (not damage); the use of biomechanical design can enhance your physique. This point in the middle of the foot depression, before the paws of the third. They increase muscle tension, promote blood circulation, correct posture and prevent lazy and currently has some health benefits of any color shoes on the market the most comprehensive.

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