# I want more true ballads... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 15, 2007, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-more-true-ballads/411834 "2007-07-15T05:43:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-more-true-ballads/411834/41 "2007-07-16T12:49:19Z")
A few more ballads (true or ought-to-be-true)–often from sources already mentioned. “Me & Billy The Kid” by Joe Ely. Joe also did a tremendous version of Robert Earl Keen’s “The Party Never Ends.” And Townes Van Zandt did a fine version of Ely’s “Indian Cowboy.” (Townes also covered the ancient “Wreck of the Old 97”–& wrote a few ballads himself. Such as “My Mother the Mountain” & “Tecumseh Valley.”) The Red Clay Ramblers were deep into traditional music & also wrote excellent stuff. “Queen of Sky” is sublime &“Merchant’s Lunch” is hilarious. Steve Earle again. His “[Dixieland](http://www.steveearle.net/lyrics/ly-mountain.php#Dixieland)” shows up on the wonderful _Mountain_, recorded with the Del McCoury Band. > [@](#): > > I am Kilrain and I’m a fightin’ man and I come from County Clare > And the Brits would hang me for a Fenian so I took me leave of there > And I crossed the ocean in the “Arrianne” the vilest tub afloat > And the captain’s brother was a railroad man and he met us the boat > So I joined up with the 20th Maine like I said my friend I’m a fighting man > And we’re marchin’ south in the pouring rain and we’re all goin’ down to Dixieland More Stan Rogers. How about “Northwest Passage” & “Barrett’s Privateers”? [Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West](http://www.amazon.com/Sings-Ballads-True-West-Johnny/dp/B00006GO9E/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-6060729-8091140?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1184589338&sr=1-1) has some dated arrangements. But Johnny Cash was, as always, **real**. (He liked to record ballads.) Several very old ballads appear on _[The Silly Sisters](http://www.amazon.com/Silly-Sisters-Maddy-Prior-Tabor/dp/B000000E76/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-6060729-8091140?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1184588989&sr=8-1)_–by June Tabor & Maddie Pryer. Their harmonies give me chills. For something completely different, how about some _corridos_? Definitely true ballads. [This site](http://www.corridos.org/) has history, pictures & music. (With translations.) Edited to add: Someone else already mentioned “Barrett’s Privateers.” But I’d like to add “Me & My Uncle”–recorded by the Grateful Dead, although I don’t think they wrote it. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-more-true-ballads/411834/42 "2007-07-16T16:23:48Z")
**Brian Dewan** has [The Cowboy Outlaw](http://www.amazon.com/Tells-Story-Brian-Dewan/dp/B0000048DE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-9434968-4566312?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1184602614&sr=8-1) (track 3 on this album) about a cowboy who ends up mummified as an exhibit in an amusement park! True story! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-more-true-ballads/411834/43 "2007-07-16T17:15:49Z")
PLEASE give Stan Rogers a listen. He’s got plenty in the style of The Edmund Fitzgerald. Northwest Passage White Squall Oh No, Not I The Jeannie C. Mary Ellen Carter Barrett’s Privateers The Maid on the Shore The Wreck of the Athens Queen Lock-Keeper The House of Orange and many many more. Also, Steeleye Span has quite a few songs that sound like what you are looking for: Let Her Go Down Gone to America Longbone ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Saltlick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/977dab/32.png) [@Lunar\_Saltlick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Saltlick)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-more-true-ballads/411834/44 "2007-07-16T17:27:39Z")
Neil Young’s _Ambulance Blues_, from _On The Beach_. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-more-true-ballads/411834/45 "2007-07-16T17:59:32Z")
[QUOTE=Talon Karrde] [And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_The_Band_Played_Waltzing_Matilda). The only version I’ve heard is by The Pogues, but theirs is good. [/QUOTE] Yeah, and it’ll make you go hang yourself after. If you’re still not depressed enough, _Kilkelly, Ireland_ will do it for you. I’m not sure which version I have, but it’s a good song. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-more-true-ballads/411834/46 "2007-07-16T19:30:14Z")
[Roddy McCorley:](http://www.ireland-information.com/irishmusic/roddymccorley.shtml) Traditional Irish rebel ballad; I once heard it done by the Kingston Trio. Based on a [true story](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roddy_McCorley) ---
**Author:** ![phil417](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6bbea6/32.png) [@phil417](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phil417)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-more-true-ballads/411834/47 "2007-07-16T20:01:57Z")
I’m with whatami – the Highwaymen are wonderful! For ballads, might I suggest their version of Ghost Riders in the Sky or Seven Spanish Angels. Pure genius. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-more-true-ballads/411834.md?page=2)