Category: folk song / traditional

Beaver Dam Road

Lyrics (American folk song) 1. I’ve worked like a dog and what have I got? No corn in the crib, no beans in the pot.It’s hard times on the Bea-ver Dam Road, It’s hard times, poor boy. 2. Since I ...

Lyrics (Folk song from the Democratic Republic of Congo) First we go to hoe our garden, Ya ya ya ya,Next we carry jugs of water, Ya ya ya ya,Then we pound the yellow corn, Ya ya ya ya,Then we stir our pots of ...

Blues Songs & Scales

Blues Songs Aunt Hagar’s Children Blues Backwater Blues Brown’s Ferry Blues Chilly Winds City Blues De Blues Ain’t Nothin’ Deep-River Blues Everybody’s Crazy ‘Bout the Doggone Blues But I’m Happy Freight Train Blues Got Dem Blues He’s Gone Away I’m ...

Bear Away, Yankee, Bear Away, Boy

Lyrics (American folk song) Oh, deep the water an’ shallow the shoreBear away Yankee, bear away boyBear away and dere she goBear a way Yankee, bear a way boyOh, deep the water an’ shallow the shoreBear away Yankee, bear away boyBear ...

Babylon’s Falling

Lyrics (African American Spiritual) Babylon’s falling, falling, falling,Babylon’s falling to rise no more. See also Country / Culture: US / African American Spiritual Harmony: I, V / Orff Melody: do re mi / composing melodies / high & low / improvisation / steps, ...

Bassez Down

Lyrics (Caribbean folk song) Bassez*, mama, Bassez down,Bassez in the morning, Bassez down. (repeat) Bassez down, Missie Mary, Bassez down,Bassez down, Missie Mary… *Pronounced “bassay” In Renaissance dance, basse danse means “low dance”. In French the suffix changes to bassez ...

Ay tituy

Lyrics – Spanish (Folk song from Costa Rica) Ay tituy, ay tituy, ay tituy, quininuy, qnininuy. (repeat) La piedra que mucho ruedaNo sirve para cimientoComo el hombre sin vergüenzaQue no trata de casamiento. English Translation “Ay tituy, quininuy” = nonsense ...

Bebi Notsa

Lyrics (Native American folk songs, Creek) Bebi notsa, notsa, notsa,Lutsa hopo kan, aiyangsibuksin no thla thla ga his makito aiyangsiBebi notsa English Translation – Baby sleep Baby, sleep, sleep, sleep,Father has gone to find turtle shells.He said he will come back ...

Basque Lullaby

Lyrics (Basque folk song) 1. Lullaby, twilight is spreading,Silver wings over the sky;Fairy elves are softly treadingFolding buds as they pass by. RefrainLullaby, Whisper and sigh,Lullaby, Lullaby! 2. Lullaby, daytime is weary,Tired of work, tired of play,Sleep, my baby, sleep my dearie,Now ...

Banks of the Little Eau Pleine

Info During the 1870’s, Mr. Alen worked at timber surveying and sang his songs in lumber camps. The Little Eau Pleine is a tributary of the Wisconsin River. Lyrics (W.N. “Billy” Allen, 1870s) 1. One evening in June as I rambled,The ...