What is your favourite folk song?

[TheYearOfSmallThings]

I've just accidentally listened to Dougie McLean singing Green Grow The Rashes (Scots), and realised pretty much all the folk music I know is Irish.

What is your favourite folk song of any nation but sung in a normal voice (no fonny nonny no and I don't want to be picturing morris dancers).

Raglan Road is the absolute pinnacle for me. But some of my other favourites are;

A Kiss In The Morning Early
Back Home In Derry
The Rowan Tree
The Wind That Shakes The Barley
Siuil A Run
The Rose Of Allendale
Boulavogue
The Silver Dagger

(I am a folk singer)

But yeah, most of those are Irish and very traditional.

Try Farewell Angelina by Joan Baez, Beeswing by Richard Thompson and The Isle of Eigg by the McCalmans for a less diddly feel

I love Beeswing! But I don't like JB in folk mode.

I love the Irish ones but I feel like there are hundreds of Scottish and English (and other) ones that you just don't hear on mainstream media.

Try Imagined Village. I particularly liked Space Girl.

Am I allowed to say Joni Mitchell and James Taylor?

Have you come across Maria Dunn? Some of her songs are beautiful, especially Whisky Evening and Heatherdown Road

I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to one song! My favourite folk artists/bands are:

Faustus
Kate Rusby
Eliza Carthy
Bellowhead (they are a bit folk/rock fusion)

I've also recently discovered Olivia Chaney. I LOVE her song 'There's not a Swain'.

Wild Mountain Thyme
Loch Lomond
Blaydon Races...not sure if this qualifies as a folk song, though!

Of course! And I love both of them. But I'm thinking really obvious classic folk music for dummies, like Scarborough Fair if Simon & Garfunkel never sang it?

Bert Jansch, Curragh of Kildare

https://genius.com/Steeleye-span-four-nights-drunk-lyrics

Wildwood Flower (various)
Who knows where the time goes (Fairport Convention)
She moves through the fair (various)
Plaisir d'amour (Baez/various)
Early morning rain (Gordon Lightfoot/various)

Thanks for the recommendations!
I grew up with folk music but have drifted as I've got older.
I love Cara Dillon especially Black is the colour.
Also love Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies.
And a bit of the Oldham Tinkers.

Pretty much anything by Richard (with or without Linda) Thompson.
The Poor Ditching Boy
I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight
1952 Vincent Black Lightning
The Calvary Cross

I could go on for quite a while...

Oh I love Black is the Colour!

The Unthanks, especially Magpie (which has proper ancient origins)

I love English folk songs. My favourites . . . (With preferred versions if i have one)

The Seasons Round (Copper Family)
Spencer the Rover
Horkstowe Grange (Coope Boyes Simpson)
Handsome Molly (any)
Captain Ward
Where have all the flowers gone- although this might be American not English

Oh, yes for the Copper Family!

Over the hills and far away (John Tam's version is my favourite)

Placemarking so I can listen to these later.

Not a massive fan of the genre, and this may be too pop or perhaps country for this thread (sorry) but Noah Kahan stick season utterly floors me as a song. One of my all time favourite songs, forever.

Leaving Nancy, No Man’s Land, The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.

All by Eric Bogle.

Love this thread.

Martin Simpson - when a knight won his spurs. And the railroad man.

@WearyAuldWumman
My favourite versions of those are by The Fureys with Davey Arthur
(Don't think they did Matilda though)

Safe In The Harbour by Eric Bogle makes me cry