Phonograph to Folk Revival [PART 2/6] – a brief recorded history of 100 folk melodies

00:00 Introduction
00:15 Georgie / Geordie (Child 204, Roud 90)
02:44 All Around My Hat (Roud 567 and 22518)
04:25 Arthur McBride (Roud 2355)
05:33 The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter (Child 110, Roud 67)
07:16 A Maid That's Deep in Love (Roud 231)
08:46 Cherry Tree Carol (Child 54, Roud 453)
10:48 Country Gardens
12:15 Two Sisters (Child 10, Roud 8) [Version 1]
14:19 Two Sisters (Child 10, Roud 8) [Version 2]
15:17 Two Sisters (Child 10, Roud 8) [Version 3]
17:06 The Blacksmith (Roud 816)
21:08 Let No Man Steal Your Thyme (Roud 3)
23:38 Mary Hamilton / Four Marys (Child 173, Roud 79)
27:45 John Barleycorn (Roud 164) [Version 1]
29:18 John Barleycorn (Roud 164) [Version 2]
31:37 The Foggy Dew (Roud 558)


This video aims to draw attention to some underappreciated traditional recordings that have inspired other musical works, and document the process that takes place when folk songs are adopted by folk revival musicians or artists of other genres. Some of the recordings have been chosen based on the popularity of the revival versions, others because the recordings are particularly interesting, and some because I simply like the ballad or the particular tune.

The recordings displayed on the left of the screen are authentic versions performed by ordinary people, all of whom most likely learnt them orally from other members of their communities.

The recordings on the right are performed by dedicated musicians who were either inspired by the recordings on the left, or by other recorded or written versions which happen use the same tune.

Most recordings of the same ballad will use a variety of melodies, often completely unrelated, but I have naturally focused on examples where the tune is somewhat consistent.

Many thanks to the owner of the YouTube channel Reynard the Fox for collecting and uploading over two thousand field recordings, including several I used for this video. I encourage anyone interested in traditional folk music to explore and subscribe to Reynard the Fox’s channel:    / @liederfuchs  


Here are links to some of the recordings that might be difficult to find:

Georgie - Louie Hooper:    • Georgie (Child 209) - Louisa Hooper  
Georgie - Caroline Hughes:    • Video  
All Around My Hat - Alice Bitters: archive.org/details/HHFBC_tapes_D54A
All Around My Hat - Neil O'Brien:    • All 'Round My Hat  
Arthur McBride - Alex Campbell: www.vwml.org/record/VWMLSongIndex/SN15767
The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter - Alexander McEwan: www.vwml.org/record/VWMLSongIndex/SN17949
The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter - John Strachan:    • The Knight And The Shepherd's Daughter  
A Maid That's Deep in Love - Lal Smith:    • I Am a Maid That's Deep in Love  
Cherry Tree Carol - Edna Ritchie:    • As Joseph Was A-Walking  
Country Gardens - William Kimber:    • Country Gardens  
Two Sisters - Henry Weare:    • Two Little Sisters (Child 10) (Improved) -...  
Two Sisters - Loman Cansler:    • Two Little Sisters (Child 10) - Loman D. C...  
Two Sisters - Charlotte Decker:    • The Bonny Busk of London (Child 10) - Char...  
Two Sisters - Horton Barker, 1939:    • Bow and Balance (Child 10) (1939) - Horton...  
Two Sisters - Horton Barker, 1962:    • Bow and Balance  
Blacksmith - Phoebe Smith:    • A Blacksmith Courted Me  
Blacksmith - Tom Willett:    • The Captain Called All Hands (Roud 816) - ...  
Let No Man Steal Your Thyme - Patrick Green?:    • Let No Man Steal Your Thyme (Roud 3) - Unk...  
Let No Man Steal Your Thyme - Sara Cleveland:    • Video  
Mary Hamilton - Frances Kilbride: archive.org/details/HHFBC_tapes_T10A
Mary Hamilton - Jeannie Robertson:    • The Four Marys (Child #173)  
Mary Hamilton - Ritchie Sisters:    • Video  
John Barleycorn - William Short: sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Percy-Gra…
John Barleycorn - Unknown Singer: ------
Foggy Dew - Harry Cox:    • The Foggy Dew