Folksong & Electronica

In the post on our Folksong choices for some reason I've not mentioned the one song I have wanted to include every time. The reason {I think} I haven't yet included the song is because I couldn't find it.

Technology. Oh, technology. I found it.

But I also found another song that I really like, because the lyrics remind me of that other song. I'm not suggesting either of these are folksongs, but I'd wager the first one is or could be considered as such.

Since I know you are wanting me to get on with it and tell you the songs, here they are:

One Tin Soldier

{you can see it here also, by The Original Caste, which I believe is who originally sang the song. I like the one I embedded because it is slower, which is how I have always sung it to my own kids}

Hero

{the original is really nice as well; see that here. I embedded the electronica version by Pegboard Nerds because that is the first I heard this song. My husband includes electronica in a lot of the aerobatic videos that he creates.}

The first song, One Tin Soldier, will forever remind me of my Aunt Beth. She has a beautiful singing voice. She taught this to me {and I'm sure her own kids; I probably just eavesdropped} when I was young. I've never forgotten it. At one point I could not remember the lyrics and I asked her to write them out for me. That was many years ago {well, it wasn't that many!}.

What do you think of these?

Folksongs 2015-2016 School Year {so far}

Last year we tried to include more folksongs into our school {and therefore our life!}. We all really enjoyed and appreciated these. It's easy to feel regret for not getting these in earlier but I've resolved to use it to fuel us to try to include the things we missed more in our days. Life is too short for regret.

At church July 5th we sang the first lines from the US military's songs; Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force. My husband was the only one who knew them all. I barely recognized the Marines as Fox was in Young Marines for 3 years. Lee and Fox knew the Marines and could recognize, barely, at least one or two others. That spurred us to want to learn these military songs. They are first on our list this year.

Here are folksongs for our 2015-2016 school year:

Army- The Caissons Go Rolling Along
Marines- The Maine's Hymn
Navy- Anchors Aweigh
Air Force- The Wild Blue Yonder
Home on the Range
If I Had a Hammer...
Along the Road to Gundagai
My Grandfather's Clock
When the Iceworm Nests Again
Down by the Salley Gardens
I've Been Working on the Railroad

We are going with many choices from the AO Folksong rotation, with the few others. I wanted to add The Outlandish Knight from "2005/6" year but can't find one I want to buy/download. I could listen from my phone...

Last year I separated them out over terms. I'm skipping that this time. The singles have been purchased or downloaded to my Amazon music app. I can only find one MP3 at the moment with words for the military songs. It's Military Medley by Gene Autry, and the lyrics are different than the most recent lyrics for the songs. It is a combination of all four military songs.

I think I will ask Lee what ones she is particularly wanting to hear this year and add those when she lets me know. 

Our 2014/2015 School Year Folksong Selections

You can see our Youtube Playlist here 

but it doesn't include all of our choices this year.

Remember: participation, not perfection. -Lynn Bruce

We haven't ever followed the rotation at Ambleside Online for hymns, composer study, art study, or folksongs. But, really, why try to reinvent the wheel? Kwim? Actually, I wouldn't say we are following it exactly this year either; but closer than any other year!

This year we are focusing on folksongs. It won't be in place of composer or hymns; those will still be included in our days/weeks. We will be more diligent to include more folksongs. Why are we focusing on folksongs? (from Y11 note)

"From Wikipedia: The terminal state of the loss of folk music can be seen in the United States and a few similar societies, where except in isolated areas and among hobbyists, traditional folk music no longer survives. In the absence of folk music, many individuals do not sing. It is possible that non-singers feel intimidated by widespread exposure in recordings and broadcasting to the singing of skilled experts. Another possibility is that they simply cannot sing, because they did not sing when they were small children, when learning of skills takes place most naturally. Certainly it is very common for contemporary Americans to claim that they cannot sing.
There is anecdotal evidence that the loss of singing ability is continuing rapidly at the present time. As recently as the 1960s, audiences at American sporting events collectively sang the American national anthem before a game; the anthem is now generally assigned to a recording or to a soloist.
Inability to sing is apparently unusual in a traditional society, where the habit of singing folk song since early childhood gives everyone the practice needed to able to sing at least reasonably well." -emphasis mine

That and I personally cannot recall hardly any of the songs I was taught when I was younger. I think it's important to make a connection with culture- another way for the science of relations to be realized. 

Here are the folksongs we will be focusing on this year:

Term 1:
1688-1730 (Y9)
The Sky Boat Song- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ATL4Nfi5-A (lyrics: http://www.contemplator.com/scotland/skyboat.html)

The Ballad of the Green Mountaineers- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4KcJTP8nW8&feature=youtu.be (lyrics on the page)

WWI (Y11)
Over There- http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/overthere.htm (lyrics on the page)

It’s a Long Way to Tipperary- http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/itsalongwaytotipperary.htm (lyrics on the page)

There’s a Little Blue Star in the Window -http://www.archeophone.com/sounds/2001/2001-210.mp3 (can't find the lyrics to this one)
Or Danny Boy- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jgma--0WYU 

AO Rotation
Barbara Allen- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPdbHfgM0h0&list=PLhdiN-Xw0oMw1sgnD6VQxIOqlBPlUxcZv

Term 2:
1730-1786 (Y9)
The Water is Wide- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opfEk_Yoksk

Johnny’s Gone for a Soldier- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCdo-KjiTlc lyrics on the page

WWII (Y11)
White Cliffs of Dover- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuHYnzWHS7o 

AO Rotation
Billy Boy- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKRJuLHU3Qo

Lord Randal- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMR55HoeSG4&index=6&list=PLhdiN-Xw0oMw1sgnD6VQxIOqlBPlUxcZv 

The Keeper Did A-Hunting Go- YT- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=racxiCMSClk&list=PLhdiN-Xw0oMw1sgnD6VQxIOqlBPlUxcZv&index=14

Term 3:
AO Rotation
Yellow Rose in Texas- YT- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZRisGHL7ow&index=17&list=PLhdiN-Xw0oMw1sgnD6VQxIOqlBPlUxcZv

Pick a Bale of Cotton- YT- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ILbUduwBkg

Vietnam/Civil Rights Era (Y11)
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1tqtvxG8O4

Okie from Muskogee- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4AgZST_TG8