[ Closed ] UPCOMING TOPIC, DISCUSSION & SUGGESTIONS FOR MAY 2025 - FOLK

In my 20s a friend invited me to watch a touring folk group at our local YMCA. As he was a super guitarist he was their supporting act which is why I went. The stand out song he played was Bob Dylans tambourine man. The folk group came on later and their stand out was the song about a thresher which was quite dirty probably why I liked it! Also about 10 years ago I played an evening gig at a pub in Pembroke the afternoon act was a folk group, which I enjoyed but would never pull me back from the dark side of rock music.     

There seem to be a  lot of folk groups in NZ nowadays.
The ones ive seen are acoustic playing trad folk or folk rock, leaning toward bluegrass and amerciana or celtic
a real good mix of styles,but they seem to to generally call themselves folk     

Here is a folk song of sorts   
Lyrics were written by Hank Williams when he near his end and unable to play or sing anymore.  When he died, his family found a bunch of songs as such - no music - just lyrics.  They contacted Billy Bragg to write the music and he did so and put out an album called Mermaid Avenue

My two faves from the album   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWQ4IPPXz2k

California stars I’d like to rest my heavy head tonight
On a bed of California stars
I’d like to lay my weary bones tonight
On a bed of California stars
I’d love to feel your hand touching mine
And tell me why I must keep working on
Yes, I’d give my life to lay my head tonight
On a bed of California stars

I’d like to dream my troubles all away
On a bed of California stars
Jump up from my starbed and make another day
Underneath my California stars
They hang like grapes on vines that shine
And warm the lovers glass like friendly wine
So, I’d give this world just to dream a dream with you
On our bed of California stars

Way over yonder in the Minor Key
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHVo-UKogBs

Lyrics
I lived in a place called Okfuskee
And I had a little girl in a holler tree
I said, "Little girl, it's plain to see
Ain't nobody that could sing like me
Ain't nobody that could sing like me"
She said, "It's hard for me to see
How one little boy got so ugly"
Yes, my little girly, that might be
But there ain't nobody that could sing like me
Ain't nobody that could sing like me
Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
There ain't nobody that could sing like me
We walked down by the Buckeye Creek
To see the frog eat the goggle-eye bee
To hear that west wind whistle to the east
There ain't nobody that could sing like me
Ain't nobody that could sing like me
Oh, my little girly, will you let me see?
Way over yonder where the wind blows free
Nobody can see in our holler tree
And there ain't nobody that could sing like me
Ain't nobody that could sing like me
Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
There ain't nobody that could sing like me
Her mama cut a switch from a cherry tree
And laid it on to she and me
It stung lots worse than a hive of bees
But there ain't nobody that could sing like me
Ain't nobody that could sing like me
Now I've walked a long, long ways
I still look back to my Tanglewood days
I've led lots of girls since then to stray
Saying ain't nobody that could sing like me
Ain't nobody that could sing like me
Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
Ain't nobody that could sing like me
Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
Ain't nobody that could sing like me
Ain't nobody that could sing like me

enjoy

Jim