List of 1980s Folk Music Songs
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List of 1980s Folk Music Songs: If you are looking for a list of 1980s folk music songs, you have come to the right place. This blog will provide you with a comprehensive list of 1980s folk music songs.
1980s Folk Music
The 1980s were a decade of change, and that is reflected in the music of the time. Folk music was no exception. With the rise of the singer-songwriter, folk music became more personal and introspective. The songs on this list reflect the concerns of the people of the 1980s.
The Weavers
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the Greenwich Village area of New York City. They are credited with reviving interest in traditional folk songs during the 1950s. The group was founded in October 1948 by Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, Fred Hellerman, and Ronnie Gilbert and was active until 1963. Members of the Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era.
The Weavers’ repertoire included many songs that had been popularized by other artists a generation earlier, including Woody Guthrie (‘So Long (It’s Been Good to Know You)’) and Lead Belly (‘Goodnight, Irene’). They partnered with Folkways Records to release their first album, The Weavers at Carnegie Hall, in 1950. This album included their recording of Lead Belly’s ‘Midnight Special’, which became a hit in 1951 and was selected by the Library of Congress for inclusion in the National Recording Registry in 2006.
Joan Baez
Joan Baez is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest or social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing over 30 albums. Fluent in Spanish and English, she has recorded songs in at least six other languages. Although generally regarded as a folk singer, her music has diversified since the counterculture days of the 1960s, incorporating everything from pop to rock to psychedelic rock and R&B.
Some of her most notable songs include “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “Farewell, Angelina,” “Diamonds & Rust,” and “We Shall Overcome.”
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the most popular groups of the 1960s and are best known for their hits “The Sound of Silence”, “Bridge over Troubled Water”, and “The Boxer”. Simon and Garfunkel’s music was featured in several films, including The Graduate, The Brothers Karamazov, Catch-22, and Woody Allen’s Annie Hall.
The Weavers
The Weavers were an American folk music quartet based in the New York City area, founded in 1948 and popular throughout the 1950s. Though the group disbanded in 1964, they were one of the most influential folk music groups of their time.
“Goodnight, Irene”
“Goodnight, Irene” is a song made famous by Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter. It was released in 1933 and has been covered by many artists since, including Pete Seeger, Ray Charles, Eric Clapton, and The Weavers. The Weavers’ version of the song peaked at number three on the Billboard charts in 1950.
The song is about a man who is struggling with alcoholism and his love for a woman named Irene. In the chorus, he pledges to give up drinking if Irene will stay with him. The song has a sad and mournful tone, but there is also an air of hope and resilience throughout.
“Goodnight, Irene” was one of The Weavers’ most popular songs and helped to propel them to folk music stardom in the 1950s. The group’s politically charged songs often spoke to the struggles of working-class Americans, and “Goodnight, Irene” is no exception. The simple lyrics and catchy melody made it an easy song for people to sing along to, and its message of hope in the face of adversity resonated with many listeners.
“On Top of Old Smokey”
On Top of Old Smokey is a traditional American folk song that dates back to the early 1900s. The song is about a lost love, and the singer’s regret at not being able to find her again. The Weavers recorded a version of the song in the 1950s that became a hit, and it has been covered by many other artists over the years.
“The Wreck of the John B.”
The Weavers, an American folk music quartet, popularized “The Wreck of the John B” in the 1940s and it has been recorded by many other artists since then. “The Wreck of the John B” is a traditional folk song that likely originated in the Bahamas. It tells the story of a shipwrecked sailor who is rescued by another ship and returns home to his beloved.
Joan Baez
“Diamonds and Rust”
“Diamonds and Rust” is a song written and performed by Joan Baez. The song is about her past relationship with Bob Dylan. It was released as a single in 1975 and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The song was included on Baez’s album Diamonds & Rust, which was released in May 1976. The album peaked at number 7 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
“Diamonds and Rust” has been covered by many artists, including Bob Dylan, Suzi Quatro, Joe Cocker, Waylon Jennings, Patsy Cline, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen.
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” is a song written by Robbie Robertson of The Band in 1969, which first appeared on their self-titled second album. It is a lament for the demise of the American Civil War-era South told from the point of view of a Confederate soldier.
The song continues to be popular, appearing on numerous best-of lists and being covered by multiple artists over the years. In 2000, Robertson received the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for his version of the song.
“We Shall Overcome”
The song “We Shall Overcome” is a folk music standard, originally composed by American labor lawyer andsongwriter Zilphia Horton in 1945. The song was popularized in the early 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement after being sung by protesters at lunch counter sit-ins. Horton’s original version of the song first appeared in print in the February 1948 issue of Gilbert BMI Music, a monthly trade publication for BMI licensed music publishers. In 1959, Guy Carawan joined the staff of the Highlander Folk School, where he taught music to civil rights activists. He taught his arrangement of “We Shall Overcome” to workshop participants, including many who would become important figures in the sit-in movement.
Simon and Garfunkel
Simon and Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the most popular groups of the 1960s and their biggest hits include “The Sound of Silence”, “Bridge over Troubled Water”, and “The Boxer”. The duo disbanded in 1970 but have occasionally reunited for live performances.
“The Sound of Silence”
“The Sound of Silence”, originally “The Sounds of Silence”, is a song by the American musical duo Simon & Garfunkel. The song was written by Paul Simon over a period of several months in 1963 and 1964. A studio audition led to the duo’s signing a record contract with Columbia Records, and the song was recorded in March 1964 at Columbia Studios in New York City for inclusion on their debut album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M..
With “The Sound of Silence” being released as a single in September 1964, the album was then rush-released by Columbia in October 1964. The song slowly gained in popularity, topping various radio station playlists in America and eventually becoming a worldwide hit. It peaked at number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for two weeks in early 1966, and remains one of Simon & Garfunkel’s most famous and well-known songs.
“The Boxer”
“The Boxer” is a song by Simon and Garfunkel, released as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water. The song was written by Paul Simon and produced by Roy Halee. It features Art Garfunkel on lead vocals, with Simon singing harmony. The song’s instrumentation includes piano, guitar, drums, bass guitar, congas and percussion instruments.
Lyrically, “The Boxer” is a story about a boxer who has been unsuccessful in his career and has run out of options. He recalls his past struggles and resilience in the face of adversity. The song also contains references to Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, which itself contains references to Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.
“The Boxer” was released as a single on March 21, 1969 and reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart. The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan.
“The Times They Are A-Changin'”
Released in January of 1964, “The Times They Are A-Changin'” is a song written by Bob Dylan. The song reflects the artist’s frustrations with the social changes happening at the time. The song became an anthem for the civil rights and anti-war movements.
