Know some folk songs about tragedies, death, war, murder, plagues?

Question

Yeah, Edmund Fitzgerald is a good one.

Thanks Athene. I have quite a few Irish songs already in my collection. My grandma was from Galway, Grandpa from Dublin :)

Yeah, I love "Marrowbones" aka, the Farmer's Wife. The first version I heard was by Seamus Ennis.

Whoops I was confusing the two songs (sleepy brain). Both of them are on Seamus' CD "The Bonny Bunch of Roses".

Answer 1

There are so many! Modern people are so isolated from real life (and death). Here are just a few off the top of my head.

Steeleye Span (Renaissance/folk) has many. I recommend their album Tempted and Tried as a good starter:
Shaking of the Sheets- traditions song about death coming to all.
Jack Hall- medieval mafia leader sent to the gallows
Two Butchers- a naked woman is bait for a robbers ambush

Also, from them but on other albums:
Marrowbones- A cheating wife's murder plan backfires
When I Was on Horseback- dieing soldier makes a wish for a good funeral; this song has been made into many, many variations
Alison Gross- A young man refuses the advances of an ugly old witch and gets turned into a worm (snake).

For modern folk and rock I like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' Murder Ballads. Every song is a traditional or original song about a famous serial killer.

Answer 2

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Answer 3

If you want some of the classic old tragic folk songs, you have to check out the Child Ballads:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_Child_Ballads

A great percentage are about love gone wrong, murder, tragedy, etc. They are very, very old (some are pre-1500's), so the language may be a little hard to understand. Thousands of musical groups (the most well known is Steeleye Span) have performed the ballads in contemporary "plain english" and they are much more catchy and fun to listen to that way.

Answer 4

There is this "A Celtic Tale" by the Dana Brothers that is amazing.

From http://allmusic.com
Written and recorded by brothers Mychael & Jeff Danna between their other scoring projects, A Celtic Tale is the soundtrack to an imaginary film of the Irish legend of Deirdre. Both the album and the legend reflect many aspects of love and sorrow. The Danna brothers mix Celtic folk, symphonic, and ambient music into a distinctive and fitting setting for Deirdre's star-crossed story. Though she is betrothed to a king, Deirdre finds her true love; she and her lover are exiled. When they try to return to their land, Deirdre's lover is killed, and she is imprisoned by the king she was to marry. Love and war blend in Deirdre's story; similarly, the music combines authentic Celtic instruments such as fiddle, tin whistle, flute, uilleann and highland pipes, and wire-strung harp with orchestral power and electronic atmospherics. Both listenable and powerful, A Celtic Tale showcases the Dannas' skill for creating emotionally accessible, technically beautiful music.

This is the link: http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gjfpxq8kldke

It is all instrumental, except for one track. You must listen to it.

Hope it helps

Answer 5

I'm Irish, apart from a few love songs we hardly have any others. ;-)

"Kelly the boy from Spillane", "By the rising of the moon", "John Hall" (made famous by Johnny Cash) "At Bulavogue" must be among the best known.

Find yourself a site with Irish folk songs, and you'll find hundreds more.
http://www.contemplator.com/folk.html would be one.

Answer 6

Sing to the tune of your choice! It's about Death..LOL

There once was a man from Pakistan,
Who went to the beach,
To get himself a tan.
He tanned there too long,
And now he is gone.
There's one less man,
From Pakistan.
~Me

Answer 7

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" - Gordon Lightfoot

"Mr. Jones" (I think that is the right title) - The Beegees.

"Teen Angel" _lol

There are lots...I shall try and think of more.

Answer 8

Ring around the rosey was about the plague.

Answer 9

War what is good for, absolutely nothing.....
Oh this is so depressing I'm out of here!!!!