Long Lankin is the bogeyman of the Child Ballads. A mysterious figure who lives in the moss (or the gorse, or the hay), he is known as a bloodthirsty murderer. But what’s the full story? Explore the origins of the horror-filled ballad in this Halloween episode of Folk Files.
Host: Olivia Harding
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: The Wainwright Sisters
WORK: Long Lankin
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8vzCkJJlSQ
ARTIST: Steeleye Span
WORK: Long Lankin
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Rw1SVfa_U
ARTIST: Martin Carthy
WORK: Long Lankin
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlYuv1ZUsZ0
ARTIST: George Fradley
WORK: Lankin
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/yrEuzBE0uTs?si=aIpFgzidrF7YGpnN
ARTIST: Geordie McIntyre
WORK: Lamkin
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/LQF9M1Omrfs?si=d0yAQwvibFAIDLeQ
ARTIST: Alasdair Roberts & Friends
WORK: Long Lankin
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/es-bKUVLtUE?si=yxV9vFgzZoMpPPVC
ARTIST: Lisa Knapp
WORK: Long Lankin
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zahxuV3H9Sk
ARTIST: John Jacob Niles
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-_lfkMQGPs
ARTIST: Frank Proffitt
WORK: Bo Lamkin
Who Killed Cock Robin? It was I, said the Sparrow. But where did the song come from? And what does it mean? Explore a world of birds, nursery rhymes, mythology, and history in this month’s episode.
Host: Olivia Harding
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast
Yuri Gohen: @yurigohenfolksong
Who Killed Cock Robin by Yuri Gohen: https://yurigohen.bandcamp.com/album/who-killed-cock-robin
https://open.spotify.com/album/5I5HTXbYVPOxc7MtKFU9jX?si=LXPUC86NQ1iamUUntn4GtA
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Peggy Seeger
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://www.y outube.com/watch?v=hVTcXtK_8Qo
ARTIST: Tim Hart and Friends
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjGyLkGJBlI
ARTIST: King’s Singers
WORK: Of All the Birds
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnr6Oxybkq4
ARTIST: Dana and Susan Robinson
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/HqP26mqO4GY?si=xS2SAHX8BItCQ00U
ARTIST: Jean Ritchie
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otcP8CCCt3c
ARTIST: Glenn Yarbrough
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACX6OS6oO5k
ARTIST: Richard Dyer-Bennet
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/lhTXFbYn3WY
ARTIST: John Jacob Niles
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-_lfkMQGPs
ARTIST: Robin Roberts
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB9eTpc-G1U
ARTIST: Silly Symphony
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GK66CFljA0
ARTIST: St. Michael’s Junior School for Girls in Cumberland
WORK: Cock Robin is Dead and Lays in his Grave
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YteMR9prrQ
ARTIST: Yuri Gohen
WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?
Robbers, bandits, highwaymen…there are a lot of English folk songs about outlaws. In this episode of Folk Files, we’ll look at why there are so many songs about criminals and what patterns exist in these ballads. Then, we’ll look at Robbers’ Retreat in an attempt to figure out why the song (also known as Cadgwith Anthem) doesn’t seem to follow any of those patterns.
Host: Olivia Harding
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast
*This episode of Folk Files was recorded on the road. Apologies for any lapses in quality.*
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Steeleye Span
WORK: Cadgwith Anthem
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMBpPYA8ebY
ARTIST: Ewan MacColl
WORK: Alan Tyne O’Harrow
SOURCE: https://ewanmaccoll.bandcamp.com/track/alan-tyne-o-harrow
ARTIST: Martin Carthy
WORK: Newlyn Town
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM7hDJI85uI
ARTIST: Roger McGuinn
WORK: Whiskey in the Jar
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/i8iAp0mTKjo?si=htJCj3YzGDz4UWso
ARTIST: Loreena McKennitt
WORK: The Highwayman
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=YGFo0xn4JeY
ARTIST: Ewan MacColl
WORK: The Crafty Farmer
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/GT_uXRERmsE?si=bNwLhDjFCXB9yuij
ARTIST: Magpie Lane
WORK: The Highwayman Outwitted
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/kXHL6omuz3c?si=pnX3AOzB6sbfoNZu
ARTIST: Jackie Oates
WORK: Robbers’ Retreat
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/ZzPA52DWzwM?si=ZkM3a4WDugEpC4yp
ARTIST: The Mousehole Male Voice Choir
WORK: The Cadgwith Anthem
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/yXFIUuWARB0?si=mgpBLQqoKOYtge7N
ARTIST: The Longest Johns
WORK: Cadgwith Anthem
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/UiBlnnN2PWU?si=78Mzy7npMptFomP1
ARTIST: Bounding Main
WORK: Cadgwith Anthem
This episode of Folk Files looks at a family of songs where the main character “dies for love.” In particular, I explore “The Butcher Boy,” a song with American, Irish, and English versions. The versions vary drastically: they swap out characters, drop details, and change the reasoning behind the narrator’s decisions. I investigate what effect these changes have on the listener and what lessons we can draw from those effects.
Host: Olivia Harding
Check out more from Pollyanna: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1Rgyvnw9WrAm20MhlS2kyp?si=irIKZtNOTFaZWDOt9mh0cA
Special thanks to: Aaron J. Morton
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast
*This episode of Folk Files was recorded on the road. Apologies for any lapses in quality.*
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Alisa Marie
WORK: O’Carolan’s Cup
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/zrBwqFco0Xs?si=-SdsYnEWGiD5SnFO
ARTIST: Sarah Makem
WORK: The Butcher Boy
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/x_mtUaBHWCE?si=tBXVy9ELCV9dECgh
ARTIST: Derek and Hazel Sarjeant
WORK: A Sailor Coming Home on Leave
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/e91Ug-CAjAc?si=sMcd-NpQC-FQmNSL
ARTIST: Music the Gathering
WORK: Johnny Jump Up
SOURCE: https://www.musicthegathering.com/store/lvl-3-digital-album-esexe
ARTIST: Frank Profitt
WORK: Morning Fair
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/wdyO1890Zpc?si=1esdsYhrRNWTg7zD
ARTIST: Sam Lee
WORK: Over Yonders Hill
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2jcdbFRRYc
ARTIST: The Kings of Calicutt
WORK: Sheffield Park
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/o1lDKhJd6Pw?si=XWyn9hQQ3ImN2PRq
ARTIST: Bellowhead
WORK: Cold Blows the Wind
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/WvuxL8UQiLQ?si=Sdr7Zz7yUVEXi7zg
ARTIST: Jean Ritchie
WORK: Go Dig My Grave
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGrcOqcbzYk
ARTIST: The Clancy Brothers
WORK: The Butcher Boy
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/WMc8QSxZe_M?si=PIv8GZyRL_1vkSRD
ARTIST: Buell Kazee
WORK: Butcher’s Boy
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/lwSJoMNRGuI?si=fehdH-zflcTkTbY2
ARTIST: Pollyanna
WORK: Railroad Boy
SOURCE: https://pollyanna.bandcamp.com/album/man-time-deluxe-edition
Welcome to Part II of Folk Files’ exploration of the history of folk instruments! Learn about the origins and etymology of accordions, concertinas, harmonicas, bagpipes, whistles, and a sampling of percussion! (Recorded with a head cold - please excuse any stuffiness).
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Aaron J. Morton
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Duo Synkro
WORK: Live at Paris Bal Folk
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1XgiYjo1HE
ARTIST: Wu Wei
WORK: Sheng performance with Helsinki Philharmonic
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xios4KtjG2A
ARTIST: Mark Kloeg
WORK: Cantiga 100
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtWazpkuz7o
ARTIST: Paul Young
WORK: Michael’s Jig
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/f8TX7jO-_es?si=AWS2GmtPtNJhMRMc
ARTIST: Sofia Ros
WORK: La Campanella
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ARC2YxsbE0
ARTIST: Nick Ariondo
WORK: Flight of the Bumblebee
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxTOwXEy2Mo
ARTIST: Yuxin Ding
WORK: The Entertainer
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8kmUkDwgIs
ARTIST: Sonny Boy Williamson
WORK: Bye Bye Bird
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-PhBryFuIM
ARTIST: Carlos Vives
WORK: Hijo de Vallenato
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORzwHmeJAmU
ARTIST: Piper Jones Band
WORK: Live at the Loch Norman Scottish Festival 2023
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teJu3_eJGnM
ARTIST: Chris McMullan
WORK: The Limerick Lament
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Dm3EpfuxuG0
ARTIST: Christy Barry
WORK: Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Music (Doolin Style)
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpN36I9xr-o
ARTIST: Spokes Mashiyane
WORK: A song off the 1959 album “King Kwela”
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adyM1Gx1lHU
ARTIST: John Joe Kelly
WORK: Bodhrán solo from “Island Songs”
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi1G-A-wdu0
ARTIST: Abby “The Spoon Lady” and Lyle Rickards
WORK: I’ll Fly Away
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/Ibye4LNpWD8?si=Y5wPiddyQXs5Pmj1
ARTIST: Dom Flemons
WORK: How To Play the Bones with Dom Flemons
This episode of Folk Files takes a departure from folk songs to talk about folk instruments! Learn about the history, ancestors, and etymology of folky string instruments, including the banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar!
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Aaron J. Morton
Check out Basic Folk: https://basicfolk.com/
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast?redirect=true
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Ekona Diatta
WORK: Gambia
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/FHCpjVrGDNk?si=90XYIILixvtyxtMR
ARTIST: The Harper and the Minstrel
WORK: Cantiga 353
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVrfqvHVbdU
ARTIST: Valentina Nicolai
WORK: Il Ballerino
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfx7WcyG5sI
ARTIST: Ragnhild Hemsing
WORK: Valdresguten
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYSVDG8ZFNw
ARTIST: Chris Thile
WORK: Jessamyn’s Reel
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88q9syere0Q
ARTIST: RAVN
WORK: In Nature #2
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cCM04Qvx2w
ARTIST: Edward Foster
WORK: Ja Nus Hons Pris
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mfDscXoY8A
ARTIST: Bernardo de Pace
WORK: The Wizard of the Mandolin
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHfQTzDnz9s
ARTIST: Rolf Lislevand
WORK: Unknown
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/jUd_Tl3N3wE?si=X60gcIMUodA_J3wZ
ARTIST: Mariachi Juvenil Perla
WORK: El Cascabel
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SVCsqs3Vsc
ARTIST: Justin Johnson
WORK: Justin Johnson Plays the Diddley Bow
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8Ic3j7f5GU
ARTIST: Miles Caton (Sinners 2025 Soundtrack)
WORK: Travelin’
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/1hC9X81x7nY?si=xW18W3o91LS2RTEa
ARTIST: Sol Hoopii
WORK: Palolo
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/kPzqjmgi2-I?si=PC7eTQXuaPmCuRce
ARTIST: The Lady Victoria
WORK: King of the Fairies
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/QuYm9wvTvkc?si=v2wN0FT2YmDgk_Rv
ARTIST: Frontier Culture Museum
WORK: O du lieber Augustine
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTAtHhG7H6A
ARTIST: Joni Mitchell
WORK: California (Live)
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5BnE5_lPqE
ARTIST: Scott Marshall
WORK: Unknown
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvBSXocQog0
ARTIST: Unknown
WORK: Organistrum
This episode explores the variations, history, and geography of the bluegrass song “The Roving Gambler.”
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Ashford King, The Cecil Sharp House/Ralph Vaughan Williams Library, and Aaron J. Morton
Check out Basic Folk: https://basicfolk.com/
Listen to Ashford King: https://open.spotify.com/album/1IZwE0c1mzOQtd3nnWn8nE?si=A5AenKxXRvmAiM_duUVHPg
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast?redirect=true
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Doc Watson
WORK: The Roving Gambler
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhTcFh_jAnM
ARTIST: Larry Sparks
WORK: Roving Gambler
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVrfqvHVbdU
ARTIST: Albert Sallee
WORK: Roving Gambler
SOURCE: https://digitalcollections.uark.edu/digital/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/1771
ARTIST: Donna Everett
WORK: Roving Gambler
SOURCE: https://digitalcollections.uark.edu/digital/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/1221
ARTIST: Rambling Jack Elliott
WORK: Roving Gambler
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B5BHG5G1P8
ARTIST: The Corries
WORK: Roving Journeyman
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5LzHSci1Lg
ARTIST: Harry Brazil
WORK: Rambling Irishman
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDaC883iJjo
ARTIST: Tom Willett
WORK: The Roving Journeyman
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_DoReXQMRM
ARTIST: Delia Murphy
WORK: Roving Journeyman
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bztY9bHbbVA
ARTIST: Samantha Bumgarner
WORK: The Gamblin’ Man
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWfszrzc51Q&t=121s
ARTIST: Leroy Gardner
WORK: Gambling Man
SOURCE: https://digitalcollections.uark.edu/digital/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/2942
ARTIST: The Wolfe Tones
WORK: Paddy Lay Back
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QqpcENtS-s
ARTIST: Joan Baez
WORK: The Trees They Do Grow High
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh7Lcw0ZIWc
ARTIST: The Staple Singers
WORK: Move Along Train
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fdbij67yUs
ARTIST: Alison Krauss
WORK: Down to the River To Pray
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SZv7JJqcNY
ARTIST: Clancy Brothers and Robbie O’Connell
WORK: Moonshiner
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du8Naz_iAg4
ARTIST: Johnny Whistletrigger
WORK: Guerrilla Man
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB1OweaWbxc
ARTIST: Ashford King
WORK: Roving Gambler
SOURCE: https://open.spotify.com/track/5rkkQsz2EC9VaFTnAJWAHJ?si=213e5631c1a04ca0
From 1986-1991, a “Singing Revolution” took place in the Baltic states, leading to their independence from the Soviet Union. This episode of Folk Files looks at the rich musical history that paved the way for the Singing Revolution to occur and provides an introduction to Estonian folk and choral music. (Apologies for any horrible Estonian pronunciation).
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Cliff S., Ramona Holmes, and Aaron J. Morton
Check out Basic Folk: https://basicfolk.com/
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Singers at Laulupidu 2019
WORK: Mu isamaa on minu arm
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTdOiCa0-4o
ARTIST: Tuule Kann
WORK: Estonian Folk Music Instrument: KANNEL
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lqpRd9kU_o
ARTIST: Timo Lige / Students from Hiiumaa
WORK: Kiigelaul (A Swinging Song)
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x5QslTDXW4
ARTIST: Written by L. Raudkepp, Composed by J. Aavik
WORK: Hoia, jumal Eestit
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O9D0ZN1kkI
ARTIST: Singers at Laulupidu 2019
WORK: Koi
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_cCvMuDLTg
ARTIST: Eteläsuomalaisen Osakunnan Laulajat
WORK: Kangakudumise laul
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izYbVvt-DPo
ARTIST: Singers at Laulupidu 2014
WORK: Mis need ohjad meida hoidvad
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHuaIz6ZK6s
ARTIST: Tartu Boys Choir
WORK: Mu isamaa on minu arm
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oX4yvG5ApU
ARTIST: Tartu Boys Choir
WORK: Veel kaitse Kalev oma lapsi
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbdpHz4s7-4
ARTIST: Ell Tabur
WORK: Lenda, lenda, lepalind
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oSswM_7sBY
ARTIST: Tallinna Kammerkoor
WORK: Priiuse hommikul
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru-picL-Ozo
ARTIST: Tallinna Meestelaulu Selts
WORK: Üks kindel linn ja varjupaik
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B37doTWWFwk
ARTIST: Singers at Laulupidu 2019
WORK: Tuljak
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k2lsqm8JLk
ARTIST: Singers at Öölaulupidu 2008
WORK: Ei ole üksi ükski maa
Surprise! This is not an episode of Folk Files: It's an episode of Basic Folk! Basic Folk, produced by the Bluegrass Situation, is a podcast that features honest conversations with folk musicians. Hosted by Cindy Howes and Lizzie No, Basic Folk approaches interviews with warmth, humor and insightful questions. Since 2018, this podcast has dignified under the radar roots musicians by providing a platform that they might not otherwise have.
This episode features Carolyn Kendrick, whose latest project explores the complex themes of moral panic, tradition, and the figure of the devil aka Satan aka Lucifer. The LA-based songwriter opens up about the inspiration behind her album "Each Machine."
She shares her unexpected journey into researching the devil, sparked by a podcast project that ended up overtaking her life, leading her to interview the leader of the Satanic Temple, among many others. This deep dive into the topic became a way for her to process the overwhelming political and cultural landscape.
Check out the links below to hear more from Basic Folk!
https://www.facebook.com/basicfolkpod/
https://www.instagram.com/basicfolkpod/
Carolyn Kendrick Links:
Each Machine on Bandcamp: https://carolynkendrick.bandcamp.com/album/each-machine
Website: https://www.carolynkendrick.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolynbkendrick/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolynkendrickmusic
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carolynbkendrick
He goes bare, he lives by the air, and he wants no drink nor money…or does he? In this episode, we explore the songs and stories surrounding Tom of Bedlam. Where did the modern tune come from? And why is the title misleading? Hold on to your hat and your sanity for this musical journey to Pluto’s kitchen and beyond.
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Aaron J. Morton
Check out Basic Folk: https://basicfolk.com/
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Heritage
WORK: Mad Tom of Bedlam
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gAxNVcyKm4
ARTIST: The Halliard
WORK: Boys of Bedlam
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0EUadGMU3Y
ARTIST: Catherine Bott
WORK: Mad Maudlin
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSNoYGtdDiU
ARTIST: Country Dance & Song Society
WORK: Tom O’Bedlam’s Song
SOURCE: https://cdss.org/publications/listen/song-of-the-month/january-2022-song-of-the-month/
ARTIST: David Pryor (Recorded by Alan Lomax and Mary Elizabeth Barnicle
WORK: When the Whale Get Strike
SOURCE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-alan-lomax-collection-deep-river-of-song-bahamas-1935/2675148
ARTIST: Kate Price
WORK: Mad Tom of Bedlam
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubPeBpchVxM
ARTIST: Old Blind Dogs
WORK: Bedlam Boys/Rights of Man
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMkmbfW_XKE
ARTIST: Steeleye Span
WORK: Boys of Bedlam
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz9tggUNlIU
ARTIST: Music the Gathering
WORK: Tom of Bedlam
SOURCE: LVL 3 - https://www.musicthegathering.com/store/lvl-3-digital-album
Greenland Whale Fisheries is the featured song in this episode of Folk Files. While delving into the origins of the song, we will explore other ballads about Greenland and dip our toes into the extensive history of whaling. Well row’d, jolly trouts!
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Pegmouth, ARRR!!!, and Aaron J. Morton
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: ARRR!!!
WORK: Greenland Whale Fisheries
SOURCE: Plunderstruck (2010)
ARTIST: Peter, Paul, and Mary
WORK: Greenland Whale Fisheries
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKsJrFy4Q_E
ARTIST: The Watersons
WORK: The Greenland Whale Fishery
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzMQYfRexUU
ARTIST: A.L. Lloyd
WORK: The Greenland Whale Fishery
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEOzI4IEkF0
ARTIST: David Pryor (Recorded by Alan Lomax and Mary Elizabeth Barnicle)
WORK: When the Whale Get Strike
SOURCE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-alan-lomax-collection-deep-river-of-song-bahamas-1935/2675148
ARTIST: Stan Rogers
WORK: Northwest Passage
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVY8LoM47xI
ARTIST: Clanna Morna
WORK: Bonnie Ship the Diamond
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i51KjpPvRKU
ARTIST: Judy Collins
WORK: Farewell to Tarwathie
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV29xK2xyZ4
ARTIST: Whales! (recorded by the Oceania Project)
WORK: Whale Song
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WabT1L-nN-E
Happy Holidays! In this episode of Folk Files, we will explore the history, lore, and significance of plants in Christmas carols, with a special emphasis on the Holly and the Ivy!
Host: Olivia Harding
Special Thanks To: Aaron J. Morton
Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Trio of Nyckelharpas (from The Nyckelharpa Effect)
WORK: The Holly and the Ivy
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86dkwTJWWZk
ARTIST: Golden Bough
WORK: The Holly and the Ivy
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmOshQR0ohI
ARTIST: Sara Stowe
WORK: Green Groweth the Holly
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK8lhhhJMrw
ARTIST: Magpie Lane
WORK: The Holly and the Ivy
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U75XxVMNPf4
ARTIST: Cornwall County Youth Choir
WORK: St. Day Carol
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7blutTNm1E
ARTIST: Jean Ritchie
WORK: Cherry Tree Carol
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnAVmDszkEA
ARTIST: The King’s Singers
WORK: Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7y05TrzeHo
ARTIST: Apollo5
WORK: A Spotless Rose
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzN1UzVa7zA
ARTIST: Vienna Boys Choir
WORK: O Tannenbaum
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9U1gJy8AvE
ARTIST: Kate Rusby
WORK: Mistletoe Bough
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJD8Q9d3_6c
ARTIST: Steeleye Span
WORK: Mistletoe Bough
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTM7fZNxLiY
ARTIST: The Bird and the Bee
WORK: 12 Days of Christmas
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh55aMvP-lU
ARTIST: St Mary’s College Choir
WORK: Pukeko in a Ponga Tree
Welcome to Filk Files! But what is Filk? And why are there so many aliens, adventurers, hobbits, muppets, and nerds in this episode?
Host: Olivia Harding
Guest Speakers: Daisy O’Danny, Marc Gunn, Andrew McKee, Dan Marcotte
You can find the full interviews with each guest speaker (including a video interview with the Brobdingnagian Bards!) as well as other goodies on the Folk Files Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FolkFilesPodcast. All the proceeds from this month’s purchases will be donated to the RESCU Foundation.
Special Thanks To: Aaron J. Morton
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Arthur Rowan
WORK: Trooper’s Lament
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgMrUDGiOC4
ARTIST: Rowan and the Rose
WORK: Australian Shore
SOURCE: https://www.rowanandtherose.com/product-page/favorite-things-2016-digital
ARTIST: Daisy O’Danny
WORK: The Irish Rover
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz1SDrNhaLc
ARTIST: Dan the Bard
WORK: Fred the Ranger
SOURCE: https://www.danthebard.com/category/all-products
ARTIST: Weird Al Yankovic
WORK: The Saga Begins
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEcjgJSqSRU
ARTIST: Brobdingnagian Bards
WORK: If I Had A Million Ducats
SOURCE: https://brobdingnagianbards.bandcamp.com/track/if-i-had-a-million-ducats-2
ARTIST: Brobdingnagian Bards
WORK: Hobbit’s Dance
SOURCE: https://brobdingnagianbards.bandcamp.com/track/hobbits-dance
ARTIST: Daisy O’Danny
WORK: Boot and Rally
SOURCE: https://www.patreon.com/c/folkfilespodcast/shop
ARTIST: Mikey Mason
WORK: Best Game Ever
SOURCE: https://mikeymason.bandcamp.com/track/best-game-ever
ARTIST: Mikey Mason
WORK: Shades of Gray
SOURCE: https://mikeymason.bandcamp.com/track/shades-of-gray
ARTIST: Roll That Die
WORK: Bard City
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtmZRJMlrFc
ARTIST: Tom Smith
WORK: A Boy and His Frog
SOURCE: https://tomsmith.bandcamp.com/track/a-boy-and-his-frog
This episode of Folk Files discusses songs involving infanticide. “The Well Below the Valley” and “The Cruel Mother” stand at the center of this heartbreaking voyage through historical records, Scandinavian folklore, and murder ballads.
Host: Olivia Harding
Join the Folk FIles Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FolkFilesPodcast
Special Thanks To: Aaron J. Morton
Note: Because it’s always true in folk songs, when I refer to pregnant people in general, I say “women”. However, the difficulties I discuss (postpartum maladies, access to medical care, etc.) affect people of all genders.
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Christy Moore
WORK: Well Below the Valley
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylZGw7tfAHI
ARTIST: Polly Paulusma
WORK: The Maid and the Palmer
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUILSHtxYWI
ARTIST: Sähköpaimen
WORK: Mataleena på Källebro
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAk_knoRDdE
ARTIST: Brass Monkey
WORK: The Maid and the Palmer
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIeZ953yUc4
ARTIST: Hack-Poets Guild
WORK: Cruel Mother
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pzvqeBHsSg
ARTIST: Alasdair Roberts
WORK: The Cruel Mother
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIOANdvjRqY
ARTIST: Bryndís Sveinbjörnsdóttir
WORK: Móðir mín í kví, kví
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtKTkSMO5Us
ARTIST: Shirley Collins
WORK: The Cruel Mother
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a3DuJrjwts
ARTIST: Ewan MacColl
WORK: Sheath and Knife
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=787wXkYcdHY
ARTIST: Nick Hart
WORK: Lucy Wan
Episode 9 is all about birds! Embark on a journey around the world to sample bird songs and birdsong. Along the way, listen to the mockingbird, help the blackbird find his missing pieces, and rumple up the cuckoo’s nest. Note: This was recorded on the road (away from the studio) so please excuse any loss of audio quality!
Host: Olivia Harding
Join the Folk FIles Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FolkFilesPodcast
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Beatrice Harrison
WORK: “Actually recorded in Beatrice Harrison's Garden, Oxted”
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/QPxT95WwIBM?si=wreVzzkJVYWt6kWt
ARTIST: Recorded by the BBC
WORK: “Nightingales Sing As RAF Bombers Fly”
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_MHqW5KVds&t=4s
ARTIST: Sam Lee
WORK: Blackbird
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDQMVFgRv10
ARTIST: Unknown
WORK: Sarika Keo Euy
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-jcF5jr6Ic
ARTIST: Cote Godoy
WORK: En Un Lejano Bosque
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-buGB5jM_IE
ARTIST: Savanna Tríóïð
WORK: Sa ég spóa
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoiihIzaD5g
ARTIST: Mohamed Fawzi
WORK: Zahab al-leil
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdPNR47biiI
ARTIST: The Brown Madrigal Singers
WORK: Of All the Birds That I Do Know
SOURCE: 2010 Holiday Concert
ARTIST: Steeleye Span
WORK: Drink Down the Moon
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sGBhvJuNBw
ARTIST: Oberkirchen Choir
WORK: Kuckuck, Kuckuck
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/s8J8aGe0Pe8?si=RM3Wrkz8fjCdbbK6
ARTIST: Rising Appalachia
WORK: Cuckoo
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/h6ow2Z5Jh9Y?si=0mi84w2KziN1hBtv
ARTIST: Cosmo Sheldrake
WORK: Cuckoo Song
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/cbQyFZmuA58?si=UgLUJ7K6o9B5VHAF
ARTIST: Tonton Dezirab
WORK: Ti Zwazo
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/b5zzeW6YuJc?si=NNm7daTxNo0LONaq
ARTIST: Mitamaiyu Primary
WORK: Kanyoni Kanja
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x4nSfjchvg
ARTIST: Dolly Parton and Stuart Duncan
WORK: Listen to the Mockingbird
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/vqYYkWwfYhs?si=PU0fHePemEcx4jko
ARTIST: Music the Gathering
WORK: Misirloucuckoo’s Nest
SOURCE: https://www.musicthegathering.com/store/lvl-3-digital-album-esexe
“Shady Grove” is an Appalachian folk song that is often linked to the English ballad “Matty Groves”. But what is the actual relationship between them? This episode of Folk Files discusses the meaning of “Shady Grove” and untangles the origins of these two songs.
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Aaron J Morton.
Join the Folk Files Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FolkFilesPodcast
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Doc Watson
WORK: Shady Grove
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0f-dCMSVKQ
ARTIST: Jean Ritchie
WORK: Shady Grove
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFw78zP39Y4
ARTIST: Jennifer Goree
WORK: Shady Grove
SOURCE: https://www.ghostmeat.com/jennifergoree.html
ARTIST: Michael Johnathon
WORK: Shady Grove
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvsTIvwgNI0
ARTIST: Jerry Garcia and the Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers
WORK: Shady Grove
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZBuFXlISkQ
ARTIST: Billy Strings
WORK: Shady Grove
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGScvVTHqQo
ARTIST:The Kingston Trio
WORK: Old Joe Clark
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS7dH-CYed0
ARTIST: Kentucky Thorobreds
WORK: Shady Grove
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46eBbMhB-TI
ARTIST: Hedy West
WORK: Barbara Allen
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzTAsbdztMY
ARTIST: Music the Gathering
WORK: Shady Grove
SOURCE: https://www.musicthegathering.com/store/lvl-3-digital-album-petnc-8c8hy
ARTIST: Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl
WORK: Matty Groves
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdyUqIfGa1Y
ARTIST: Martin Carthy
WORK: Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wt7-hYd7PdM
ARTIST: Fairport Convention
WORK: Matty Groves
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1it7BP5PckI
ARTIST: Music the Gathering
WORK: Shady Grove
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aacCgKWGoWg
This month’s episode focuses on folk songs from the British Isles where the main character dresses, acts, or lives in a way that challenges gender norms. It also offers a glimpse into the work of “Queer Folk”, an English organization that highlights traditional songs with LGBTQIA+ themes.
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Shiloh DeFabia, Lafayette Matthews, and Aaron J Morton.
Learn more about Queer Folk: https://www.queerfolk.co.uk/
Join the Folk Files Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FolkFilesPodcast
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Sophie Crawford and George Sansome (Queer Folk)
WORK: Jack Went A-Sailing
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sRO-DVLprA
ARTIST: Philip Langridge, arr. Benjamin Britten
WORK: Sweet Polly Oliver
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ7ulITPfqs
ARTIST: Gog Magog Molly
WORK: The Polychromatic Parrot (at Sidmouth)
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVELKeXEf8Q
ARTIST: TransAction Theatre
WORK: The Ballad of the Female Husband
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbKZuYRL5VM&t=0s
ARTIST: Sophie Crawford (Queer Folk)
WORK: Our Captain Calls All Hands
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9e7nWijLR0
ARTIST: Ian Robb
WORK: The Female Rambling Sailor
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdWBhmsktJU
ARTIST: Gavin Atkin
WORK: Short Jacket and White Trousers
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FDJsEtgrns
ARTIST: A.L. Lloyd
WORK: Sovay the Female Highwayman
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh_KXPXmgI8
ARTIST: Cilla Fisher and Artie Trezise
WORK: Billy Taylor
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34HIv_MgH54
ARTIST: Finbar Furey
WORK: New York Girls
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGqSEFaa94Y
ARTIST: Nic Jones
WORK: Barrack Street
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nmS1iCbqe4
ARTIST: Bryony Griffith and Alice Jones
WORK: The Tailor’s Breeches / New Year’s Day
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqjiL7PWUZA
ARTIST: Amy Thatcher and Holly Clarke (Queer Folk)
WORK: That Lulu Business
April is dead and summer is a-coming in! This episode of Folk Files explores the tradition of May songs and festivals, specifically focusing on Hal an Tow and the Flora Day celebrations in Cornwall. Morris dancing, maypoles, and the origin of May Day are also discussed.
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Stephen Winick, Donna Smith, Aaron J. Morton, The Soup
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Marc Block
WORK: Hal an Tow
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgBzSNOc3A8
ARTIST: Ranarim
WORK: Maj vare välkommen
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7wXcJiGH-o
ARTIST: The Halekulani Girls
WORK: May Day is Lei Day
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3GuJp2PZPU
ARTIST: The Watersons
WORK: Hal an Tow
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5kyvYoiS8c
ARTIST: Helston Flora Day, recorded by artcornwall.org
WORK: Hal an Tow
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rftBZKbZRg
ARTIST: Shirley Collins And The Albion Country Band
WORK: Hal-an-Tow
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5vUj6j8hjI
ARTIST: David Hansen
WORK: The Helston Furry Dance
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tGk9RODnRw
ARTIST: The Ashdown Forest Morris Men, recorded by Britclip
WORK: May Day 2024
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXhh8ClqDaw
ARTIST: Lillian Short
WORK: Robin Hood
SOURCE: Vance Randolph Collection AFC 1941/001: AFS 5263 B2 (https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2022/05/more-about-hal-an-tow-early-evidence-of-a-may-song/)
ARTIST: Roger Miller
WORK: Oo-De-Lally
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsyG3-IlY3Y
ARTIST: Richard Thompson
WORK: Sumer Is Icumen In
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKikjYdf1DA
ARTIST: Lisa Knapp
WORK: Till April is Dead
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe-WWMHQASg
Wayfaring Stranger is the featured song in this episode of Folk Files, which explores the history of Appalachia, shape note tradition, and the difficulties of tracing the origins of early American folk music.
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to: Aaron J. Morton, Jo Morton, Lucas "Whiskey Richards" Husted, and Mary White-Harding
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Jack White
WORK: Wayfaring Stranger
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25P08So3rfI
ARTIST: Cherokee National Youth Choir
WORK: North Wind
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_7j3qx-Qrs
ARTIST: Detlef Korsen
WORK: Ich Bin Ein Gast Auf Erden
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0ia7MiVqRc
ARTIST: Ireland Sacred Harp Convention
WORK: Wayfaring Stranger
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dL4AVKA6tM
ARTIST: The United Shape Note Singers of West Georgia and the Associated Note Singers of Atlanta
WORK: What a Happy Time
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUwHIEb19Ug
ARTIST: Texas Sacred Harp Singers
WORK: What Wondrous Love
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRpV9H9ZpB0
ARTIST: ARRR!!!
WORK: The Ballad of Captain Kidd
SOURCE: Let’s Get Kraken: https://arrr-pirates.bandcamp.com/album/lets-get-kraken
ARTIST: Rhiannon Giddens
WORK: Wayfaring Stranger
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Z4PAZX9Bs
ARTIST: Ewan McColl
WORK: Dowie Dens of Yarrow
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NfTplWa0mg
ARTIST: Second Wind
WORK: Wayfaring Stranger
SOURCE: Deco Lounge, April 6 2024
This episode of Folk Files traces the roots of popular sea shanties to Black work songs and African folk traditions.
Full list of referenced works: https://jmp.sh/gcOBH83N
To jump into the Black origins of country music, start here:
https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2022/10/black-country-music-legacy/671818/
https://time.com/5673476/ken-burns-country-music-black-artists/
Host: Olivia Harding
Special thanks to Cherie and Michael Albert
Musical excerpts:
ARTIST: Paul Clayton and the Fo’c’sle Singers
WORK: Haul Away Joe
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x73TAgmZYAM
ARTIST: The Longest Johns
WORK: Spanish Ladies
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3wzlHYzsg8
ARTIST: Ed Lewis and Prisoners from Parchman, Mississippi
WORK: I Be So Glad When the Sun Goes Down
SOURCE: https://youtu.be/C-zlSq4mWiE?si=fnGu-f8ZgGbMmv0-
ARTIST: Music the Gathering
WORK: Sundown Below
SOURCE: LVL 1
ARTIST: Assassin’s Creed: Rogue
WORK: Donkey Riding
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgfLP3gMh0Y
ARTIST: David Coffin
WORK: Roll the Old Chariot
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJtgjG0x9Mw
ARTIST: Planxty
WORK: Sally Brown
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0Bq4-fCH0c
ARTIST: Sam Lee
WORK: Knock a Man Down
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NoUAQhY-g8
ARTIST: Bernard Wrigley et. al.
WORK: Haul Away for Rosie
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1DugYkOOd0
ARTIST: Coon Creek Girls
WORK: Jim Along Josie
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztG-7-P_G-w
ARTIST: Lead Belly
WORK: Haul Away Joe
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEoHm1GBQtU
ARTIST: The Barroualie Whalers
WORK: Tinnego
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwL5lpVt1Mk
ARTIST: The Menhaden Chanteymen
WORK: [Title Unknown]
SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geAJI6he75I