Top 10 folk songs.
Roy Harper – Me & My Woman from Stormcock (EMI 1971)
This epic song is the closer on the 1971 album Stormcock.. it contains some of the most devastating lyrics the british songwriter ever put down, which for such an intensely firey poetic voice like Roy Harper’s is saying plenty.
Richie Havens – Daddy Roll ‘Em from Richie Havens’ Record (Transatlantic 1969)
The folk music of the 60s is of my parents’ generation… (since I grew up with the dulcet strains of metal as my personal folk music, I’ve always considered most of the more florid “Peace and Love” music to be so much creepy beatific sonic anathema.) On his first album Richie Havens hits a guitar at thrash metal speed and rumbles out these deeply soulful rolling tunes that defy context. Psychedelic soul folk never sounded so raw or natural than on his first album.
Bill Fox – A Little More Rain from Shelter From The Smoke (Spin Art 1998)
I’m really happy at the resurgence of interest in the reclusive Bill Fox ‘s music since the reissuing of his lo fi masterpieces Shelter From The Smoke and Transit Byzantium . Timeless, cuttingly deep pieces of honest american music, those albums (especially Shelter) have become part of the fabric of my life since clapping ears on them over 10 years ago.
Bauhaus – All We Ever Wanted Was Everything from The Sky’s Gone Out (Beggars Banquet 1982)
Can you tell I have a pretty loose definition of what “folk” is? Here the dub/goth/rock band Bauhaus peels pack the cobwebs and darkness to reveal a bleak and beautiful core. This song is full of real working class pathos. The words are so heartbreaking if you’ve ever known the futility of being on the grey bottom, Peter Murphy distills the quietly angry shrug of staying alive without dreams into a hard knuckle of lyrical poetry, hung loosely on a scaffold of hypnotic upright bass and acoustic guitar.
The Sun City Girls – Soft Fragile Eggshell Minds from Dante’s Disneyland Inferno (Abduction 1996)
One of my favorite albums of all time is the twisted psychedelic poetry/cut up/country/noise/bad dream that is Dante’s Disneyland Inferno. Inferno is mostly driven by Charles Gocher (RIP) ‘s diabolical free verse visions, and a few songs take almost classic folk singalong form, such as Soft Fragile Eggshell Minds’ chanty-like refrain. “We’re gonna make ‘em bleeeeeeeed!”
Bruce Murdoch – Come Across from 33 1/3 Revolutions per Minute (Stormy Forest 1972)
I’ll admit first of all that I prefer Penny Lang ‘s version from her Live at the Yellow Door recording, but “Come Across” is one of those few love songs that avoids being maudlin, whoever’s doing it. It’s a beautiful tune.
Tyrannosaurus Rex – Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart from Beard of Stars (Regal 1970)
It’s hard to pick anything specifically from the Bolan canon, it’s all so good. I love “Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart” because it is kind of the precise moment of all the psych folk glam punk emergent ball that T Rex was and still reads like a gleamy eyed tolkienesque acid trip.
Memphis Jug Band – Cocaine Habit Blues (1930)
Never did an unflinchingly seedy tune about hardcore drug addiction sound so fun and bouncy.
Neil Young – Last Trip To Tulsa from Neil Young (Reprise 1968)
Townes Van Zandt – Nothin’ from Delta Momma Blues (Tomato 1971)
