The ultimate 20-song folk CD.

Subject: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Peace
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 02:18 PM

Here's the challenge to all you Mudcatters. Suppose a company asked you to name ONE song to be included on something entitled "The Ultimate Traditional Folk Song CD". What song would you name. Let's suppose that only 20 songs can be included. Which song would you choose (and why, if you are so inclined)?

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Peace
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 02:21 PM

Gotta get this movin'. I would nominate, Wild Mountain Thyme. Beautiful melody, easy to get audience participation, tells a story that means, and speaks to the future in the singer's life.

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: GUEST,A386
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 02:23 PM

Arthur MacBride - Paul Brady,   for starters. :-)

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Amos
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 02:30 PM

Barb'ry Ellen has to be included, since we're presumably talking about primarily English-language material. I'd add, on the Yankee side, Shenandoah, The Strawberry Roan, and Laredo as archetypal US numbers. A touch of Clancy -- say, Finnegan's Wake and Kelly, the Boy from Killairn. The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

That's 8. If you add the previous two posts, 10. Plenty of room for additions. I'm trying to focus on "classic" material, not ultimate in some other arcane sense.



A

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Peace
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 02:54 PM

Yeah, I'd no sooner posted when I realized that this could be a can of worms. But, it'll be interesting and instructive to hear what people say. (I was torn between WMT and Shenandoah. I can still remember Belafonte singing that when I was a kid. It was one of the first 'real' folk songs that made me want to get involved with music. I remember being captured by the beauty of the words, melody, story and B's voice. Played it hundreds of times because I loved it so much. I was younger than ten, I'm sure.)

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 03:23 PM

"What is Folk?" - I'd want either one or all of "She Moved Through The Fair", "Down by the Salley Gardens" and "Raglan Road"; but they're all written by known poets.

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 04:24 PM

If you are not including some 'written' songs but on only using
'traditional' it would be a lot easier.However as soon as you start admitting ANY 'written' song you are in a totally impossible situation.

I would nominate Tam Lin as my input,as an example of a superb old
trad song.

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Arnie
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 04:33 PM

Definitely got to have Polly Vaun on there - preferably the Hillary James/Simon Meyer version. Her voice is magnificent, his mandolin playing is superb. The lyrics are very poignant and with her voice and his backing it can bring a lump to the throat (except I'm a bloke so it doesn't!)

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 04:43 PM

It's already been done by Topic's Voice of the People but in 20 volumes, not songs. And that's not nearly enough. Now a reissue of The Long Harvest would be a step nearer....

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: GUEST,pdq
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 05:03 PM

note that two of these are Child ballads...

"Across The Wide Missouri" by the Kingston Trio, as done on "Here We Go Again".

"Take Me Out To The Ballgame" as done by Steve Goodman on "Affordable Art",
       as much for Kenneth "Jethro" Burns mandolin work as for the song.

"JACK-A-ROE" (their spelling) by the Grateful Dead, done acoustic on "Dead Reckoning"

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Bill D
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 10:14 PM

Budweiser, Coors, Labatts,

...whoops...wrong thread....

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 10:21 PM

Point of interest on rereading - Wild Mountain Time is a Mc Peake Family rewrite of the old Scots Song The Braes Of Balquidder, so its not really traditional either !!

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Peace
Date: 14 Dec 03 - 01:54 PM

Which way is East? Stupid thread. My apologies.

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: johnfitz.com
Date: 14 Dec 03 - 07:57 PM

Barbara Allen, John Henry, Shady Grove, Golden Vanity, Rising Sun Blues, Down In the Valley, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Loch Lomond, Gypsy Rover, Talking Blues, I'll Fly Away, Just a Closer Walk with thee, Froggie went courtin, Ghost riders, Wild Mountain Thyme (I agree!) Wabash Cannonball, Flying Cloud and Lord Randall

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Hrothgar
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 04:47 AM

Anachie Gordon

My Old Black Billy

Gentle Annie (Australian version)

Not a stupid thread, Bruce. It makes people think about songs.

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: ard mhacha
Date: 15 Dec 03 - 07:18 AM

Gemma Hasson singing Slieve Gallon Braes, [Liam Clancy singing,The Loch Tay Boat Song,The Bonnie shoals of Herring, Ar Eireann ni neosainn ce hi, Blackwaterside, the parting glass,] Dolores Keane singing Francis Fahy`s, Galway Bay, Luke Kelly Singing the Foggy Dew, Tramps and Hawkers,Ragland Road, Come to the Bower, Elanor Shanley singing The Boys of Barna Sraide, The Kinston Trio singing Across the wide Missouri, Clannad singing Gaoth Barra na dTonn, Coinleach ghlas an Fhomair, Paddy Reilly singing Sullivans John, Colm O`Donnell singing The Boys from the County Mayo.

It is in most cases,the singer not the song, and next week I could remember a different list, but what a pleasure, trad or not. Ard Mhacha.

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: Hrothgar
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 06:03 AM

Forgot: "How Can I Keep From Singing"

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: ard mhacha
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 06:52 AM

And, And And, sorry that`s next week. Aed MhaCHA.

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: GUEST,James
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 10:41 AM

Lots of the above were mentioned in thread about good songs that are done too muich. Interesting eh ?
Hard to name just one..so I will mention three..Reynardine, When First I came To Caledonia and Matty Groves. Great thread, i enjoy hearing what other people like. What if we could each pick a whole album of twenty..wow.

Subject: RE: The ultimate 20-song folk CD.
From: GUEST,Martin Gibson
Date: 16 Dec 03 - 11:42 AM

By all of you answering, wouldn't this now be the 20 most popular folk songs? Kind of puts that traditional thing in the gray area where it rightfully belongs.