Im not sure whats up with MB latly but I can't see an avatar for crap. Anyway, I wanted to write to say I think we shouldn't debate what folk is and operate on the "i know it when I hear it" principle. This may be me being an ass but I don't think we need to have "I don't know if this is really folk" or "hmm, I like them but are they folk musicias" in every thread. Lets just roll with the punch and unless someone brings up something thats evidently not folk, just post about the topic.

Opinions?
3

now when i think of folk i think of lepricorns and the like

hopefully you all see this post has no relevance

To me, Folk can be a music from any part of the world, but it needs to be derived of mainly ACOUSTIC instruments. You have South America Folk... mainly acoustic, you have American Folk, both old and new... also acoustic, Celtic Folk... acoustic. Yeah, I think that sums it up. Acoustic!

to me folk is pretty much acoustic songs with a meaning to them. Be it protest songs or a really deep ballad

It does'nt matter what instrument is prominent. Essentially Folk music is a message or story that is shared between communities and is the most digestable and easily understood form of mass communication.

Of course with the media becoming the main conduit for communication these days, Folk music has evolved into a generic style which does'nt really reflect the cultural significance and inherent importance that a storyteller had.

This is not to belittle many important artists that have appeared over the last 50 years, merely a reminder that Folk music was entertainment and an education tool that 20th century artists realised could serve their purposes better.

I love the stories in folk. That's what most attracts me. I love great lyrics. And folk has some great stories. One of my favorite songs I would call folk for the story in the lyrics is "Harper Valley PTA." Gosh I love singing that one.

To me, Folk is music that is made to be simple and tell a story. They're often about what the singer/songwriter of the song have experienced, and what they think is going to happen. It also usually speaks for it's generation/culture at the time, and speaks for them the most, out of any music. But really, all music gives a standpoint on it's generation (ie, hip hop, punk, whatever else), but Folk kinda does it... best or most.

That's my definition.

im gonna have to agree with the point made on the first page, that folk is just a label made up by bourgeois commentators to distinguish between the "elite" form of classical music from that "lesser" music of the peasant

I think someone doesn't like peasants. >[

so what the hell are we gonna call it now?