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Folk |
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Listen to Folk on Playa Cofi Jukebox. Click on Jukebox
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In the Western World, Folk music has
been said to be the 'white man’s Blues' - political music originating from the poor whites in the rural areas in the United States. Woodie Guthrie
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But It Is Much More Than That!
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Folk Music - Early One Morning
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Pete Seeger - Quite Early Morning
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Folk music has long been generally classified as traditional music of the masses or the
lower classes. It is a public music reflecting the culture and history of a people.
Sometimes also called World Music, Folk is global in countless forms reflecting
different peoples’ cultures, lifeways, everyday issues, feelings and dealings. It
sometimes has also been termed ‘indigenous’ music. In many ways, in the Western
World, variants and strains of modern Folk have filtered their way into, and therefore
constitutes a major ingredient in, Pop Music. Modern Western Folk includes both
traditional music and the British and US genres that evolved from it during the ‘20th
Century Folk Revival’. While the term ‘Folk’ originated in the 19th century it is often
applied to music older than that and is often so old the composer is unknown. Not only
was it often the vehicle for passing on traditions and rituals orally, it also was the
vehicle for local news and 'current affairs'.
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A consistent definition of traditional Folk music is hard to come by. One widely used definition is simply "Folk music is what the people sing" as well as being an authentic expression of a way of life now disappearing in many countries. Folk is also often called traditional music, and as such is widely different in many countries. |
Traditional Irish Music
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In the old days much Folk music was transmitted orally, and used to commemorate
celebrations, major events, current affairs and others, it was also used by workers to
help pass their time and assist in communal work activities. In the United States, much
of it was drawn by its many immigrant groups and much on Afro-American music.
celebrations, major events, current affairs and others, it was also used by workers to
help pass their time and assist in communal work activities. In the United States, much
of it was drawn by its many immigrant groups and much on Afro-American music.
Rosie - African American Work Song
Variants Of Early American Folk Music
American Folk has also been considered roots music. Roots music is a broad category
of music including Bluegrass, Country music, Gospel, Jug bands, and many others
including Native American music. It is considered American either because it is
indigenous to the US or it developed there, out of foreign origins, to such an extent it
was seen as something distinctly new. Observers consider it "roots music" because
it was central to the development of music later developed in the United States,
including Rock and Roll, contemporary Folk music, and the many other ingredients of
Modern Pop Music.
Folk Politicised
In the 1930s particularly in the US, Folk began adopting newer themes often related
to the Great Depression. Regionalism and cultural pluralism grew as influences and
themes. During this time Folk music became enmeshed with political and social
activism and movements. Two related developments were the U.S. Communist Party's
interest in Folk as a way to reach out and influence Americans, and politically active
prominent Folk musicians such as Woody Guthrie and intellectuals seeing communism
as a possibly better system, after the social devastation of the Great Depression.
Woody Guthrie
Woodie Guthrie - This Land Is Your Land
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The Beginnings of A New Movement
Much folk music growth during the 1930s came about through live performances,
particularly in Folk festivals. Left-wingers such as Charles Seeger and Lawrence
Gellerte believed Folk music was a 'grass-roots cultural form' from the people which
could be used as motivation in 'people's' struggles for social and political rights. Despite
the revivalists' various political views by the end of the 1930s, American Folk music
had turned into a social movement.
The US Folk Revival
In the US in the mid-20th century, a new form of folk morphed from traditional Folk
music as it had evolved. As such a period called the 'folk Revival' ensued and reached
its height of popularity in the mid 1960s. This form of folk became known as
contemporary US Folk and from it later morphed other styles sometimes labelled as
Folk Rock, Electric Folk and others.
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Simon & Garfunkel- Scarborough Fair
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Peter, Paul & Mary - Early Morning Rain
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Joan Baez - Diamonds And Rust
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The 1950s-60s Folk revival in America and in Britain started a new genre, known as ‘contemporary folk music’. Its enormous popularity saw 'Folk' become a category in the Grammy Awards of 1959. By the beginning of the 21st century the term 'folk' covered singer song-writers, such as Donovan from Scotland and American Bob Dylan, who had emerged in the 1960s and along with others saw 'Folk Music ' no longer being seen as 'traditional Folk music'. It had truly become an ingredient of Western Pop Music. |
Donovan
Bob Dylan
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From Folk To Pop In The U.S. |
Billy Bragg - Between The Wars
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Most American historians trace contemporary popular music to roots in distinctive
American Folk music, both which emerged in the South. Music from the heart and soul,
music that described their situations. And Blues of course what can be considered to be
Black Folk. Another strain was of course 'Hillbilly Music'.
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Hillbilly Music This authentic American folk music form, hillbilly music, flowed from the lives of the Appalachian and Southern Whites. Early hillbilly music had a strong colonial heritage in English ballads and ditties, but over time hillbilly music evolved into a genre in its own right. (Hillbilly music= Folk genre from rural Appalachian, southern white experience.) |
The Hillbillies - Cluck Old Hen
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Like Black music, hillbilly fiddles and twangy lyrics reflected the poverty and
hopelessness of rural folk, ‘hillbillies’ as they called themselves. Also like black music,
hillbilly music reflected the joys, frustrations and sorrows of love and family. Hillbilly
music, however, failed to develop more than a regional following - that is, until the
1950s when a great confluence of the black and hillbilly traditions occurred. This
distinctive new form of American music, called Rockabilly early on, became Rock
and Roll.
hopelessness of rural folk, ‘hillbillies’ as they called themselves. Also like black music,
hillbilly music reflected the joys, frustrations and sorrows of love and family. Hillbilly
music, however, failed to develop more than a regional following - that is, until the
1950s when a great confluence of the black and hillbilly traditions occurred. This
distinctive new form of American music, called Rockabilly early on, became Rock
and Roll.
White Folk
When we consider white Folk in general. It was and is always political, it had a rural
romanticism, and values and ways which rejected urban corruption, expanding soulless
commerce, and mass music. But apart from vague utopianism in folk - singers like
Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger championed working class values and problems
through their music. This latent politics in Folk, and its association with radical politics
became almost formalised in the 1930s, and continued to be significant in the 1950s.
According to some observers, in the 1950s, in Folk young whites found a music that
resonated with their political concerns and, in this respect, it Folk paralleled the role of
black music (such as Blues) for its users. As such, both concerns and both forms of
music came together in the struggle for civil rights. Folk as protest music soon also
became central in the life of 'permanent Folk institutions - such as clubs, coffee
houses, festivals, etc. - in which the Folk community defined itself and its distance
from the development of mainstream Pop music. According to one observer, 'in the
Folk clubs there was little distinction between performer and listener; anybody could,
and did, get up and sing. The emphasis was less on technique or skill, and more on
authenticity and honesty. Autobiographical truth and political correctness were more
important than musical talent or individual performing styles. In fact, the emphasis, in
true Folk fashion, remained firmly on the song rather than the singer.' And these songs
were political.
When we consider white Folk in general. It was and is always political, it had a rural
romanticism, and values and ways which rejected urban corruption, expanding soulless
commerce, and mass music. But apart from vague utopianism in folk - singers like
Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger championed working class values and problems
through their music. This latent politics in Folk, and its association with radical politics
became almost formalised in the 1930s, and continued to be significant in the 1950s.
According to some observers, in the 1950s, in Folk young whites found a music that
resonated with their political concerns and, in this respect, it Folk paralleled the role of
black music (such as Blues) for its users. As such, both concerns and both forms of
music came together in the struggle for civil rights. Folk as protest music soon also
became central in the life of 'permanent Folk institutions - such as clubs, coffee
houses, festivals, etc. - in which the Folk community defined itself and its distance
from the development of mainstream Pop music. According to one observer, 'in the
Folk clubs there was little distinction between performer and listener; anybody could,
and did, get up and sing. The emphasis was less on technique or skill, and more on
authenticity and honesty. Autobiographical truth and political correctness were more
important than musical talent or individual performing styles. In fact, the emphasis, in
true Folk fashion, remained firmly on the song rather than the singer.' And these songs
were political.
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Folk As Underground Throughout the 1950s, Folk developed as an underground movement in the US, consisting of obscure artists recording for small independent labels. Folk was the people's music, especially those politically disaffected. Folk kept the tradition of telling a political story alive, a tradition that formed earlier during the depression years - with such songs as Woody Guthrie's, `Buddy Can you Spare a Dime’. |
Woodie Guthrie - Vigilante Man
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To Quote Simon Frith - `The Folk song movement was self-consciously opposed to
mass music making and its values were developed in isolation from the usual practices
of commercial pop. By the late 1950s this alternative was becoming attractive to an
increasing number of young white listeners, as the energy and aggression of Rock n
Roll were diffused in the banalities of teenage pop. Folk was a particularly attractive
alternative for musicians unwilling to commit themselves to a life of apparent
manipulation and exploitation by the pop moguls...`As well as it musical challenge, folk
offered something else - a sense of commitment political or otherwise, and a whole way
of life apparently diametrically opposed to the world of American Bandstand, the
leading pop television show of the era.' (Sources)
Folk For The Musicians:
In Folk as it evolved, many musicians found an attraction in that such songs could
concern themselves with many topics far removed from conventional love themes, and
musicians could express themselves and their views far more readily in Folk, rather
than `giving the people’ what they want.' In the 1960s these ideas were introduced `into
the heart of mainstream popular music’'as the Folk emphasis on songs and lyrics, on the
performers, honesty and insight, were adapted to the commercial needs of Rock, and as
the Rock songwriter became the poet, the singer/songwriter the archetypal Rock artist'-
witness first Bob Dylan and later John Lennon.
According to one observer: 'There were ironies in this use of Folk forms to support
artistic claims. Part of Rock’s appeal as teenage culture had been that anyone could
do it - anyone could make such simple music, could write such straightforward songs,
no expertise was needed to play Rock n Roll or to dig it.'
Rock’s listeners were active as well as passive - record sales were correlated with
instrument sales - and skiffle was only the most publicised example of the continuing
inspiration that young people had to make for themselves. Initially, Folk ideology not
only confirmed this culture but politicised it: folkies were anti-commercial pop,
rejected the star system, and were proud of their integration of performer and audience.
In Folk as it evolved, many musicians found an attraction in that such songs could
concern themselves with many topics far removed from conventional love themes, and
musicians could express themselves and their views far more readily in Folk, rather
than `giving the people’ what they want.' In the 1960s these ideas were introduced `into
the heart of mainstream popular music’'as the Folk emphasis on songs and lyrics, on the
performers, honesty and insight, were adapted to the commercial needs of Rock, and as
the Rock songwriter became the poet, the singer/songwriter the archetypal Rock artist'-
witness first Bob Dylan and later John Lennon.
According to one observer: 'There were ironies in this use of Folk forms to support
artistic claims. Part of Rock’s appeal as teenage culture had been that anyone could
do it - anyone could make such simple music, could write such straightforward songs,
no expertise was needed to play Rock n Roll or to dig it.'
Rock’s listeners were active as well as passive - record sales were correlated with
instrument sales - and skiffle was only the most publicised example of the continuing
inspiration that young people had to make for themselves. Initially, Folk ideology not
only confirmed this culture but politicised it: folkies were anti-commercial pop,
rejected the star system, and were proud of their integration of performer and audience.
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But as the Folk movement slowly was
absorbed into mainstream Popular Music by those artists who had something political to say, this argument subtly changed. If anyone could play Folk Rock - the guitar and harmonica techniques, the lyrics and harsh vocals, could easily be learned. However not anyone could play such music with originality, say for example. Bob Dylan who symbolised this new argument. As it was, Dylan was praised for his individual genius, insights, |
Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A-Changin
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poetry, and his unique voice and style.As such, to suggest that not anyone could make
good music paralleled the suggestion that not anyone could appreciate it. Expertise was
thus considered needed by the listener as well as the musician. This suitably flattered
those of the `new intelligent Folk Rock market' as steadily those in the Pop Industry
who felt they had something to say began to adopt it. Such 'musical, lyrical and
emotional complexity', in terms of 'qualities' of art and genius that were taken to
differentiate rock from the banalities of mass teenage pop. Folk music thus became an
important ingredient in the evolution of Pop music as it contributed to 'Rock ideology'
as it emerged as Folk Rock. Folk Rock had an emphasis in words, 'on performing
sincerity - poetry as Rock - the ideology of 'Rock as art'. A final quote from one
observer: 'For the musicians who found in Folk Rock a means to artistic identity the
most important feature of the music was its independence of the usual practices of
commercial Pop. Rock n Roll rebellion had been vaguely directed against adults but not
against adult record companies; only now could a Rock culture be developed which
explicitly opposed the ideology of mass music making' (see Sources).
good music paralleled the suggestion that not anyone could appreciate it. Expertise was
thus considered needed by the listener as well as the musician. This suitably flattered
those of the `new intelligent Folk Rock market' as steadily those in the Pop Industry
who felt they had something to say began to adopt it. Such 'musical, lyrical and
emotional complexity', in terms of 'qualities' of art and genius that were taken to
differentiate rock from the banalities of mass teenage pop. Folk music thus became an
important ingredient in the evolution of Pop music as it contributed to 'Rock ideology'
as it emerged as Folk Rock. Folk Rock had an emphasis in words, 'on performing
sincerity - poetry as Rock - the ideology of 'Rock as art'. A final quote from one
observer: 'For the musicians who found in Folk Rock a means to artistic identity the
most important feature of the music was its independence of the usual practices of
commercial Pop. Rock n Roll rebellion had been vaguely directed against adults but not
against adult record companies; only now could a Rock culture be developed which
explicitly opposed the ideology of mass music making' (see Sources).
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