WHY FOLK SONGS?

Have you thought about learning folk songs to enrich your children's education?  Actually, forget about making it another school thing.  Let me take a minute to introduce you to a few good and beautiful reasons to expose your family to folk songs, to enrich your learning, and life in general.  

From Wikipedia: The terminal state of the loss of folk music can be seen in the United States and a few similar societies, where except in isolated areas and among hobbyists, traditional folk music no longer survives. In the absence of folk music, many individuals do not sing. It is possible that non-singers feel intimidated by widespread exposure in recordings and broadcasting to the singing of skilled experts. Another possibility is that they simply cannot sing, because they did not sing when they were small children, when learning of skills takes place most naturally. Certainly it is very common for contemporary Americans to claim that they cannot sing.

There is anecdotal evidence that the loss of singing ability is continuing rapidly at the present time. As recently as the 1960s, audiences at American sporting events collectively sang the American national anthem before a game; the anthem is now generally assigned to a recording or to a soloist.

Inability to sing is apparently unusual in a traditional society, where the habit of singing folk song since early childhood gives everyone the practice needed to able to sing at least reasonably well.

 Give it a try!  You may find that your young children will LOVE learning and singing folk songs.  And if your children enjoy it, you will find that you like it too.  Learning folk songs with my kids, definitely makes my heart happy.  These songs often tell a fun story.  Some have an upbeat and lively tune, while others are more serious and melancholy, telling a story or message with a sad ending.  Folk songs are a vital part of our cultural heritage because they draw you into the mood of earlier times and help you understand the people and historical events through song.

Little Brown Dog (Autumn to May). This old American folk song is the one we're learning for the month of April.  Folk songs are passed along by word of mouth, and often words or verses added or changed along the way.  So not all videos of folk songs will have the same exact lyrics.

Genevieve & the Laird made up the final verse of their recording on YouTube.

Check it out:   Little Brown Dog

So won't you join us? Add a new element to your days during this time at home. We usually start out by watching many different versions of the song on YouTube.  We find our favorites and watch those more often.  We do this most often during our tea time, meals or as background music.  By the end of the month, you and your kids will know the song and be singing it at various times throughout your day.  And by the end of the year, you will have enriched your life and the lives of your children by restoring this dying art form.  

We were introduced to folk songs through our homeschool curriculum Ambleside Online.  We follow the AO Folk Song Schedule each month, which allows us to connect with and learn our monthly song, alongside many other families.  Things are generally more fun to learn, when others do it too.  Every time my daughter sees her friend, they break into "Bean Porridge Hot, bean porridge cold.  Bean Porridge in the pot, ___ days old, I like it hot.  I like it cold...."  Though it's just a rhyme, it's the shared knowledge that makes it fun to sing and clap together.  

Let me know if you join us!  

If you'd like updates and the new folk song video each  month, please subscribe to GEN FOLKSONGS