Folk Song

A folk song is defined as a song of the people of a culture or region that reflects their outlook and life. Usually, this refers to a song with no known composer or lyricist and one that exists in multiple versions developed as it spread, rather than a single, standard, copyrighted edition. Folk songs exist in many cultures around the world. Among English-speaking countries, Britain and the United States have strong folk song traditions. Popular British folk song examples are Barbara Allen, Greensleeves, Lavenders Blue, Scarborough Fair, Lord Randall, The Water Is Wide, Blow the Man Down, The Gypsy Rover,, and The Drunken Sailor. United States examples of the folk song genre include The Sow Took the Measles, The Erie Canal, Sweet Betsy From Pike, Clementine, The Cowboys Lament, "John Henry," and On Springfield Mountain. Folk song has also, however, been used to designate popular music that draws on the folk tradition. In this usage, one can speak of a folk song by Joan Baez; Bob Dylan; Woody Guthrie; Pete Seeger; Sam Hinton; Burl Ives; The Kingston Trio; Peter, Paul, and Mary; and The Weavers. In addition, songs that have traditional elements and wide and lasting popularity have been considered to be folk songs, whether by mistake or an expansion of the term is not always clear. This is true, for example, of the song variously titled Donna Donna, Dona Dona, or Dana Dana, The original words in Yiddish are by Aaron Tsaytlin and the composer is Sholom Secunda. It was a show tune, written for the show Isterke, and during World War II became an anthem for European Jews, leading to its widespread use. Another song often mistaken for a folk song in the sense of arising from the people is My Grandfathers Clock, which also has a known attribution. The music is by Henry Clay Work and words by either C. Russel Christian or by Work based on a story he was told at an inn in Piercebridge, England. Folk song covers many musical styles but is usually referred to a narrative song that uses traditional melodies to speak on a particular topic. Topical folk songs often address social and political issues, such as work, war, popular opinion. Folk songs are commonly songs that express something about life that exists,

existed, or is about to disappear (or sometimes to be preserved or somehow revived). However, despite the assembly of much work over some two centuries, there's still no certain definition of what folk music (or folklore or the folk) is. A folk song is a traditional song that our forefathers sang. Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_folk_song#ixzz1QrOgFFnl

Arielle Denisse C. Ragas II-St.Stephen

Folk Song
A folk song is defined as a song of the people of a culture or region that reflects their outlook and life. Usually, this refers to a song with no known composer or lyricist and one that exists in multiple versions developed as it spread, rather than a single, standard, copyrighted edition. Folk songs exist in many cultures around the world. Among English-speaking countries, Britain and the United States have strong folk song traditions. Popular British folk song examples are Barbara Allen, Greensleeves, Lavenders Blue, Scarborough Fair, Lord Randall, The Water Is Wide, Blow the Man Down, The Gypsy Rover,, and The Drunken Sailor. United States examples of the folk song genre include The Sow Took the Measles, The Erie Canal, Sweet Betsy From Pike, Clementine, The Cowboys Lament, "John Henry," and On Springfield Mountain. Folk song has also, however, been used to designate popular music that draws on the folk tradition. In this usage, one can speak of a folk song by Joan Baez; Bob Dylan; Woody Guthrie; Pete Seeger; Sam Hinton; Burl Ives; The Kingston Trio; Peter, Paul, and Mary; and The Weavers. In addition, songs that have traditional elements and wide and lasting popularity have been considered to be folk songs, whether by mistake or an expansion of the term is not always clear. This is true, for example, of the song variously titled Donna Donna, Dona Dona, or Dana Dana, The original words in Yiddish are by Aaron Tsaytlin and the composer is Sholom Secunda. It was a show tune, written for the show Isterke, and

during World War II became an anthem for European Jews, leading to its widespread use. Another song often mistaken for a folk song in the sense of arising from the people is My Grandfathers Clock, which also has a known attribution. The music is by Henry Clay Work and words by either C. Russel Christian or by Work based on a story he was told at an inn in Piercebridge, England.

Harriet Kym Cipriano II-St.Stephen