River Clyde, near Abington Drawn into the Clyde Water My introduction to “Drowned Lovers” began with hearing a spare bit of guitar playing, opening up with regular, almost transmitter-like pulses as the tenth track on Kate Rusby‘s solo debut album, … Continue reading →
The River Clyde “Mother’s Malison” (Child 216) If the first song discussed in this blog was about the potentially dire consequences of following the counsel of one’s parents instead of the counsel of one’s heart, this week we’ll show just how … Continue reading →
The Last Judgment by Jean Cousin The Man Comes Around This will be a relatively short post. Also, I’ll offer apologies to our loyal readers who may have seen some of what I’m about to discuss in comments to an earlier … Continue reading →
Mary Magdalene in the Grotto, by Jules-Joseph Lefebvre The Ballad of Mary Magdalene This one is perhaps the biggest stretch, but as you may have noticed before, I’m interested in how artists tell stories around a central, more well-known story. … Continue reading →
Woody Guthrie Working Class Hero Less graphically than “On a Hill Lone and Gray,” Woody Guthrie provides his own rendering of the Jesus story. In this one, the multitude is still implicated, but in a slightly different way; and, the … Continue reading →
Golgotha Jesus and the Murder Ballad This week we’re going to take a small detour from the traditional murder ballad. Shaleane’s post on Nick Cave’s “The Mercy Seat” prompted me to consider just how frequently and in what guises Jesus figures … Continue reading →
Because of the success of the first one-day mini-conference which drew more than 175 people in Massachusetts last April, the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) is set to host two more conferences in Bethesda, MD and Boston, MA on May … Continue reading →
Romeo and Juliet – Sir Frank Dicksee, 1884 Note: This is Part 3 of a three part series. See also Part 1 and Part 2. Introduction What is it about this week’s song, “Matty Groves”, that attracts us so? (If you’re … Continue reading →
Barnard Castle – William Turner, 1825 Note: This is Part 2 of a three part series. See also Part 1 and Part 3. Introduction It is clear that psychological themes in this week’s subject, “Matty Groves”, strike the most resonant chords for … Continue reading →
This is Part 1 of a three part series. See also Part 2, and Part 3. Introduction – “Twas on the high, high holy day…” This week we go back to Britain, to the old ballads. Yes, it’s one of … Continue reading →
