Fall Leaves and Fun, Folksy, Feel-Good Tunes
It’s that wondrous autumnal time of year again: the trees are changing from green to hues of orange, yellow and red; the air feels crisp, cool and magical; and there’s a crunch underfoot as you walk down the leaf-littered sidewalk. Fall is hands-down my favorite season because the cool weather feels so refreshing and calming after the heat of summer, and because I enjoy listening to my favorite folk tunes during these months!
Folk music is an umbrella term that emerged in the 19th-century and can be defined in many ways: folk music may be music that is transmitted orally; music with unknown or anonymous composers; music that is played on traditional instruments; music about cultural or national identity; music that evolves through the generations; music associated with a people’s folklore; and/or music performed by custom over a long period of time.
Long story short, folk music is timeless: it has a past, a history, and a culture associated with it. A folk song usually exists in countless iterations that have been passed on through the years and performed by many different musicians. This fall, Night is Alive has prepared a playlist of fun, folksy, feel-good tunes that we hope will help you to appreciate the awesome autumnal season. Enjoy!
Bill Cunliffe, Tim Horner and Martin Wind – The Border Widow’s Lament
Okay, so this one isn’t exactly feel-good: Inspired by a traditional Scottish ballad, this song captures the poignant folktale of a woman mourning her slain husband. But while the source material is pure folk, the Night is Alive trio rearranges it into a hypnotic, haunting and richly resonant jazz instrumental that is anchored by a deep acoustic base. To hear more, check out the album, also titled The Border Widow’s Lament.
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – This Land Is Your Land
“This Land Is Your Land” is one of the most famous American folk songs of all time. From just the title, you can probably recall the lyrics: “From California to the New York Islands . . .” But did you know that Woody Guthrie actually wrote this song in 1940 as a response to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.” Apparently, Guthrie was tired of hearing “God Bless America” on the radio, and we wanted to mix things up. Well, he sure did! “This Land Is Your Land” now has hundreds of versions, adaptations and recordings, including this one! This jazzy, rhythmic, feel-good cover, released by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings in 2005, will have you tapping your toes this autumn!
Trini Lopez – If I Had A Hammer
Written in 1949 by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays, this song was inspired by the mid-century American labor movement and the fight for racial equality. At its core, the song employs three straightforward symbols–the hammer, bell and song–as the tools of activism. Rather than waiting for things to change, the song beckons people to rally together and build love between each other. In 1963, Trini Lopez stripped away the more somber folk aesthetics to create a track that was more pulsing, rhythmic and joyous.
Joan Baez – Please Come to Boston
Originally written in 1974 by Dave Loggins, this is a newer folk song about a man begging his beloved to join him in different cities as he rambles his way around the U.S. “Please come to Boston for the springtime / I’m stayin’ here with some friends / And they’ve got lots of room / You can sell your paintings on the sidewalk,” he entreats his lover.
The song gained popularity, with different covers, such as that of David Allan Coe. Then in 1976, the California crooner Joan Baez, modified the lyrics and included the tune on her live album From Every Stage. She takes the perspective of the woman refusing all the man’s invitations and instead asks him to settle down with her.
Check out more jazz music on Night is Alive’s albums page.
written by Jacqueline Knirnschild
