An in-depth look at "The Mermaid" ballad
Sep. 13th, 2019 11:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kestrell posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
reading_moonwiseThe Library of Congress has this wonderfully researched article on the traditional ballad, "The Mermaid."
https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2018/05/the-mermaid/
Personally, I think my favorite singer is the old lady who was also a moonshiner; she reminds me of this song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQb2s3fE94
which makes me wonder about the subgenre of songs about moonshiners--do you think Robert Mitchum singing the theme song to "Thunder Road"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQb2s3fE94
counts? Actually, that song is called "The Ballad of Thunder Road," and it just occurred to me how well it conforms to traditional ballads: there is the uncatchable outlaw, the lawman who swears to get him, the omens, and the repeated line that the Devil will get him.
https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2018/05/the-mermaid/
Personally, I think my favorite singer is the old lady who was also a moonshiner; she reminds me of this song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQb2s3fE94
which makes me wonder about the subgenre of songs about moonshiners--do you think Robert Mitchum singing the theme song to "Thunder Road"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQb2s3fE94
counts? Actually, that song is called "The Ballad of Thunder Road," and it just occurred to me how well it conforms to traditional ballads: there is the uncatchable outlaw, the lawman who swears to get him, the omens, and the repeated line that the Devil will get him.
