Definition

Noun: A traditional song, typically of unknown authorship, passed down orally within a particular culture, region, or community. It reflects the life, customs, and history of the common people.

Usage

A "folk song" is a piece of musical heritage. It is used to refer to a song that originates from and is preserved by a community, not a single commercial composer. - The singer performed an old Appalachian folk song about coal mining. - Collecting and preserving traditional folk songs is important for cultural history.

Advanced Usage

• "To be/become a folk song": Describes when a song's origins become obscured and it is adopted into the oral tradition of a community.
  • Over generations, that ballad became a folk song, with many different versions.
• As a modifier: Used attributively to describe related concepts.
  • She is a renowned folk song collector.
  • The festival featured folk song traditions from across the country.

Variants and Related Words

• Folk music (n): The broader genre or category of traditional music to which folk songs belong.
• Folksinger (n): A person who sings folk songs.
• Folklorist (n): A scholar who studies folk songs and other traditional arts.

Synonyms

• Traditional song
• Ballad (specifically a narrative folk song)
• Air (a simple tune or melody, often for a folk song)

Related Phrases

• Folk song revival: A period of renewed interest in and performance of folk songs.
  • The 1960s saw a major folk song revival in the United States.

Noun

1. a song that is traditionally sung by the common people of a region and forms part of their culture