Folk Music

[Mr.Doobie]

This thread is to appreciate folk music and to, hopefully, introduce other folk fans on this forum to artists they may not have heard of before.

As for myself, I like political folk. There's something so stirring about a political folk song, something soulful and deep that socio-political punk bands and other bands like Rage Against the Machine can only ever hope to match. Everyone knows guys like Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger or Bob Marley or Bob Dylan.

Guys, I would like to introduce you to Mercedes Sosa...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIrot1Flczg

For those who don't know her, I would strongly suggest you look up this woman's history, because it's amazing, and the context of her history adds a whole new layer of depth to her music.

[Ben Lahnger]

I loved Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and The Weavers' work, but the ones who really do it for me are Peter, Paul and Mary. If I'm flipping channels and come across them in concert on PBS, I'm transfixed and cannot move on until the show is over.

Peter, Paul & Mary - Washington Peace March - 1971

In 1983 they were preparing for a Christmas holiday special, and they realized they didn't have a Hanukkah song. So Peter Yarrow wrote Light One Candle. The lyrics alone give me chills; even as a non-religious soul it stands for me as one of the most meaningful, wise and beautiful holiday songs of all time.

The great thing about them was at one point they could be singing a protest song, and the next they were performing a melody for children. They always sang in such beautiful harmony.

And they're still relevant. From Wikipedia:

In 2010, Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey, the surviving members of Peter, Paul and Mary, requested that the National Organization for Marriage stop using their recording of "This Land is Your Land" at their rallies, stating in a letter that the organization's philosophy was "directly contrary to the advocacy position" held by the group.

[Hyaena]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMw7lwxRImI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0HWgjcwrAc

http://vimeo.com/6898741

[*Twitch]

Evan Greer is pretty rad. We had a sing-a-long at the cottage to this.

[stolide]

How about Current 93? Some of their music is boring, or repetitive, but others have really interesting lyrics and music that goes well with them.

[Elystan]

The Waterboys

Also whle we're here Joanna Newsom

[ape descendant]

I <3 folk music. I love getting down with my guitar and singing them for my very own enjoyment. Its a plus when I can find some one else preforming them.

[ceb]

Folk, yes, I know folk. There are groups of people here where I live (including me) that get up at 5 P.M. or so, and play our instruments in the deep dark woods. Folk, yes, I live the real folk life. Those other artists are ok (as if acoustic music or whining makes you folk) but the real folk artists are deep in the woods, swamps, and mountain caves. There have never been any truly genuine folk artist save for a few from the 20's.

Folk music is the kind of music that will rip out your guts, make your hair stand up strait on your spine, and get you fucked up on half a pint of moon shine. The other artists,.........I.M.H.O. - it's easy to play the part and the stereo-type, but I don't know any genuine artists that ever recorded anything that non-folk would understand.

You want to hear folk? Go out to the swamp bottoms, the deepest darkest creepiest woods, or the far uninhabited wastelands of the world, and get yourself a real folk music education.

You will hear the folk play.........even if you can't seem them in the pitch black recesses of the night.

Do me a favor, forget everything you ever heard, take a trip into the deep dark unknown, and you will hear what I'm saying.

It's 3 A.M. here, got a jar of fire water and a beat up six string. Can ya hear me? Can you hear the ghost folk sing?

[ceb]

"see* them", fuck, looks like the type-o monster fucked me. Oh well. Fuck it.

[ape descendant]

This is one of my favorite folk songs performed by Peete Seger, I sing along if I can keep from tearing up from the loneliness of it all.

[Sinjob]

Originally Posted by stolide

How about Current 93? Some of their music is boring, or repetitive, but others have really interesting lyrics and music that goes well with them.

Not even close to folk music. Death in June is much better and much more listenable then the dreary shrieks of Dave Tibet. I mean he's talented but for fuck's sake he can never shut up about bullshit.

Being raised and passionately in love with folk music, I can only name what's been on current playlist with the exception of good ole Robert Allan Zimmerman. And if you're unsure who that is, leave this fucking thread and hit the books.

Tim Buckley (who is God)
Phil Ochs
The Byrds
Nick Drake (but that's a usual essantial)
Leonard Cohen
Buffalo Springfield
Joan Baez
Merle Haggard
and then everybody's mentioned the great Pete Seeger, whose still fucking kickin.

[Mr.Doobie]

Joan Baez

I can never really get in to Joan Baez. She always seems so distant, and one of folks best qualities is how intimate and sincere it can be.

But that could just be me.

Townes Van Zandt is one of my favorite musicians.

[Sinjob]

She is a little distant and also limited to being a 'protest singer', which died off after the sixties and is a big reason she's still extremely unnderrated. Overall she's an essantial folkie...not to mention she was a real cutie.