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

Comments

[mysticpenguin]

Those are fascinating. My parents were still into folk music when my sister and I were little, so we grew up on Gordon Lightfoot and Peter, Paul, and Mary. My favorite song when I was four or five was "Dunderbeck (alt. Donderbeck, Dunderback, or Donderback)," about a butcher who invents a machine which makes incredibly tasty sausage out of people and animals. I don't think I've heard it since then, so I went snooping around on the web. I'm amazed at the number of regional variants not just for that song, but for all of the old campfire/ballad songs.

[duriyah]

I'm glad you understand! :)

My mom had a couple of old folk music records of The Kingston Trio and Joan Baez that started my love affair with the old ballads. I love the odd and archaic way the lyrics are phrased, and all the many variants that are out there. The whole folk process is fascinating to me.

I've never heard the song Dunderbeck, but it sounds pretty wacked :) I can see how it would appeal to a five year old.