Folk Music

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Don't hear much on folk music these days. When I think of folk music, I remember people like Woodie Guthrie, who wrote and sang songs about the plight of the immigrant farm workers during the depression years. His son, Arlo, was also a folk musician. I remember also Bob Dylan in his early years. He wrote "blowin in the wind". Good song. I liked Peter, Paul and Mary's rendition of that one. Gordon Lightfoot was of that era. He wrote and performed songs like, "If you could read my mind", Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald, Cotton Genny, Softly she comes, you're as fine as fine can be, on and on. hundreds of songs. He is my favorite. He only sang songs he wrote. Many other artists sang his songs. Early mornin rain was one. How about ole Joan Baez? Remember her from the woodstock days? I liked her songs. Janis Ian was another. All these artists and many more from the folk community wrote and sang songs of social importance. They sang about the vital issues of their times. Anyone remember Richie Havens? I could go on and on. I'd like to see this tradition continued by the young artists of these times. Are there any contemporary folk artists ? Hope this tradition doesn't pass on into history. Surely there are some talented lyricists out there who write songs about the issues of our day.

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@Elmud,

Sure there are contemporary folk artists.

Check out the Bonnaroo line up for some examples:
Bonnaroo - Artists

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@Elmud,

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@Catchabula,

Being the inventors of jazz, blues and rock 'n roll, the musical world tends to favor the States...

But I'm glad you brought up foreign folk music! There is so much music out there, and great music, that to limit ourselves to American folk, or American music in general, would be a shame.

Thanks for the video and artists suggestions, Catchabula!

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@Didymos Thomas,

Thanks Catch i enjoyed that, it was flemish? Sometimes not understanding the words makes it more enjoyable, you feel the song rather than undestand it.

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@Elmud,

In fact this is an awfully cruel and saddening story with deep roots into our past. It is about a young girl who goes to the well with her jar ("kanneken"), and who is ruthlessly raped by a passing knight, and her jar is broken. By extension it is about the people of Flanders, oppressed for so many centuries by so many occupying countries. I hope there will be more Folk-music here from far-off countries, as what's universal in Folk is the direct expression of the soul of the people, and its joys and sufferings. Glad you could appreciate it :-)

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@Elmud,

I just saw two awesome folk concerts this weekend here in Milwaukee. I saw M. Ward at the Pabst Theater on Friday, and Neko Case at the Riverside Theater on Saturday. M. Ward can rock out with the best of them on the guitar and has a raspy Tom Waitesque voice, and Neko leans a little farther towards the country side of the music spectrum, but her vocals are amazing. What sets them apart is their excellent song writing. Both artist are fine examples of how modern folk music burns strong if you know where to find it.

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@Theaetetus,

Neko Case will be at Bonnaroo this year. Betta gitch'yo tickets soon.

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@Elmud,

I wish I could go to Bonnaroo, because to me, it is the best line up they have had. I am not into the jam scene, but the line up is loaded with excellent folk and alternative artists. I just cannot handle a four day music fest anymore. I guess I would rather see 10-20 stunning performances at one of the three killer venues here in town by many of the same bands, than deal with a few hundred thousand people trying to figure out who to see when, and where I need to be.

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@Theaetetus,

Music is only half of Bonnaroo. But I get what you're saying, and if you are not into jam bands, you are probably better off checking out the acts that roll through town. Though, Bonnaroo is something like $250-300 for the four days. You wont get that much quality live music for that price anywhere.

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@Didymos Thomas,

Didymos Thomas wrote:

Music is only half of Bonnaroo. But I get what you're saying, and if you are not into jam bands, you are probably better off checking out the acts that roll through town. Though, Bonnaroo is something like $250-300 for the four days. You wont get that much quality live music for that price anywhere.

I guess I'm a little out of touch. That seems like a lot of money to me. I went to a concert once when I was twelve years old. It was held at a park. Along with a few other people, the featured group was Tommy James and the Shondells. The concert was free. The only other concert I ever went to was at a place called Big Surf. If my memory serves me, it cost us ten bucks to get in. I was a teenager then. The band playing at that concert was Chicago. It was interesting. At that time, I believe Elton John lived in the same city and he showed up at the concert and got on stage and performed with Chicago. I guess if I wanted to go to a concert today, well, I just don't think I would fork out that kind of cash. I'll just listen to the radio.

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@Elmud,

That is a good chunk of change. But think about it like this: To see Bruce Springsteen, you'll have to shell out at least forty dollars. At Bonnaroo you get Bruce and the rest of the line up for around 250. It's a life performance deal, buying in bulk.

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@Elmud,

Not to mention, $40+ times two for Phish, $30 for the Decemberists, $25 for Neko Case, $23 for Animal Collective, $20 for of Montreal (I bought tickets for the last four for concerts here in Milwaukee that I saw or will see in the next few weeks). Not to mention another $40 for Wilco and so on. It is actually a very good deal if you can make it for four days of concerts. Who knows, I may end up going if I find out I do not get the summer job I am shooting for, or I get the terrible news from my doctor that I am kind of expecting.

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@Theaetetus,

Theaetetus wrote:

Not to mention, $40+ times two for Phish, $30 for the Decemberists, $25 for Neko Case, $23 for Animal Collective, $20 for of Montreal (I bought tickets for the last four for concerts here in Milwaukee that I saw or will see in the next few weeks). Not to mention another $40 for Wilco and so on. It is actually a very good deal if you can make it for four days of concerts. Who knows, I may end up going if I find out I do not get the summer job I am shooting for, or I get the terrible news from my doctor that I am kind of expecting.

Cost a lot of money to have fun these days. Hope ya have fun t.

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@Elmud,

Flight of the Conchords!

---------- Post added at 06:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:54 PM ----------

YouTube - [HDTV] Flight of the Conchords - Song for Epileptic Dogs

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@Elmud,

Elmud wrote:

Cost a lot of money to have fun these days. Hope ya have fun t.

Considering I have much fun at the concerts I do go to, it is worth the $10-30 I pay. I don't pay for the music I download so it is only fair to the bands I do like to see them in concert when I can. I want them to continue doing what they do, so I support them by going to see them in concert, rather than paying for their albums. I would say that it is more than a fair trade off for them and me.

I did end up getting bad new from my doctor today, and as the days go on without seeing improvement in my health, the more likely it is that I have some sort of lymphoma. Considering that I don't have a bacterial infection, it is more than likely that I in fact have cancer. Thus, I should probably plan on heading out to good old Bonnaroo considering that this could very well be my last summer of my life. I don't want to jump the gun on accepting the worst, but when all other likely scenarios are exhausted, there is not much good news to be had. Now it is kind of down to a degree--early stage or later stage. I am totally freaked out with this and I face finals and paper writing, but I have this dominant force of what is potentially doom and gloom hanging over my head. Even as a nearly 4.0 student, it is more than one can handle.

Everyone I know has no idea what I am currently experiencing. To anyone that has never experienced what I am, or possibly could, it is easy to say that you do whatever is necessary to keep on living. But when my lab tests came back as negative, I seriously had to start beginning to think about what I was going to do when it is highly probable that I could be diagnosed with cancer. Radiation therapy and chemo are not exactly a pleasant thing to go through with. Its not like I have a wife and kids to think about so its not like I have an obligation to anyone to carry on. But now I have a new reality--the physical pain I am experiencing is so excruciating that I cannot imagine living out my days like this.

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@Theaetetus,

Theaetetus wrote:

I did end up getting bad new from my doctor today, and as the days go on without seeing improvement in my health, the more likely it is that I have some sort of lymphoma. Considering that I don't have a bacterial infection, it is more than likely that I in fact have cancer. Thus, I should probably plan on heading out to good old Bonnaroo considering that this could very well be my last summer of my life. I don't want to jump the gun on accepting the worst, but when all other likely scenarios are exhausted, there is not much good news to be had. Now it is kind of down to a degree--early stage or later stage. I am totally freaked out with this and I face finals and paper writing, but I have this dominant force of what is potentially doom and gloom hanging over my head. Even as a nearly 4.0 student, it is more than one can handle.

Everyone I know has no idea what I am currently experiencing. To anyone that has never experienced what I am, or possibly could, it is easy to say that you do whatever is necessary to keep on living. But when my lab tests came back as negative, I seriously had to start beginning to think about what I was going to do when it is highly probable that I could be diagnosed with cancer. Radiation therapy and chemo are not exactly a pleasant thing to go through with. Its not like I have a wife and kids to think about so its not like I have an obligation to anyone to carry on. But now I have a new reality--the physical pain I am experiencing is so excruciating that I cannot imagine living out my days like this.

Oh my, Hang in there and know that many wish you the very best in this!

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@Elmud,

Thank you for the kind wishes. I am trying to go by the old mind over body, but at times it becomes difficult.

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@Theaetetus,

Theaetetus wrote:

Thank you for the kind wishes. I am trying to go by the old mind over body, but at times it becomes difficult.

The lottery of life can be cruel at times friend, my hopes go with you.

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@Elmud,

Thanks xris. Yesterday was a brutal day as you can tell. Between experiencing symptoms in new regions of the body this week, and the bad news from the doctor on the blood tests, my anxiety about the situation continues to grow. All I can do is take this one day at a time, and try not to worry too much. But of course, it just becomes more difficult as the days pass and the discomfort continues to grow.

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