Child Ballads

[duriyah]

When I was younger I wanted to be a singer. Specifically, a folk singer. My special interest was in the Child ballads, a collection of English and Scottish ballads collected in the late 1800's by Francis J. Child. My favorites of these old story songs were those dealing with death and murder: "Matty Groves", "The Twa Sisters" (known to Loreena McKinnett fans as "The Bonny Swans", "Edward", "Barbara Allen", "The Unquiet Grave" (performed by Sinead O'Conner as "I Am Stretched On Your Grave").

My very most favorite was a song called "Lucy Wan", which features sibling incest as well as murder.

Pretty sick, huh? Would you call that...folky gothic?