# The often-covered old traditional Blues and Folk songs thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 27, 2023, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274 "2023-04-27T14:15:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/1 "2023-04-27T14:15:42Z")
I got to thinking when I heard a reference to the song “[She Moved through the Fair](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV7ZFI0CDBw)” the other day that I’ve long enjoyed old Blues and Folk standards that have a long history of being covered by various musicians and are often of uncertain origin. One of my favorite things to do back when I discovered Grooveshark (a now-defunct precursor to Spotify) was look up every cover of old Blues of Folk songs I could find and listen to them. Grooveshark was good for this as it had a lot of obscure, hard to find versions of songs in its playlist. My favorites tend to be Celtic / Gaelic death ballads. There’s just something in my DNA that those songs call to. Even bluesy-jazzy American standards have a strong thread of morbid Scots-Irish tradition running through them, like [St. James Infirmary Blues](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIksXe60IrQ). Or House of the Rising Sun-- of course The Animal’s version of the song, #1 on the US charts on the day of my birth, is by far the most well-known, but of the more recent covers I prefer [Dylan’s version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP_caKDfoyU), sung from a female point of view, in the Folk tradition of telling a story without concern for changing lyrics to match the gender of the singer. One of my favorites of the genre is Sinéad O’Connor’s “[I Am Stretched on Your Grave](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzRRQxcVXlc)”. But wait, you may think, isn’t that a modern song written by Sinéad O’Connor? No! It’s an anonymous 17th century Irish poem called “Táim sínte ar do thuama”, translated to English and set to music by several Irish musicians. Sinéad’s version uses the exact [English translation by Irish author Frank O’Connor](https://coachhays.com/2017/10/31/halloween-2017-read-i-am-stretched-on-your-grave/) (no idea if they’re related, but it’s a small island, so…probably?). The lyrics are so evocative you can almost smell the cold, damp earth of the grave. Fun fact about Sinéad’s version-- I always liked the contrast of the ancient lyrics and and the modern Hip-Hop style drum beat, which I had long assumed to be original to the song version or an actual Hip-Hop era track. Then I went through a James Brown phase and discovered the drum track was from the song “[Funky Drummer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXw6YZltKJk)”, played by Clyde Stubblefield. So what are some of your favorites of this genre? Any history of the song you want to share is optional yet welcome, but please share a link to your favorite version of the song. Perhaps one day I’ll compose a playlist of your recs and listen while staring out moodily toward the horizon, brooding over friends and loved ones I’ve lost, glass of Tullamore in hand. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/2 "2023-04-27T14:43:12Z")
This is kind of a gray area since it’s more of tribute than a cover, but [Girl from the North Country performed by Johnny Cash & Bob Dylan.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je4Eg77YSSA) borrows so heavily from [Scarborough Fair](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BakWVXHSug) that it feels like the same song. (Scarborough Fair itself being a deeply rooted English folk ballad). ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/3 "2023-04-27T14:54:06Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > This is kind of a gray area since it’s more of tribute than a cover… No, those are two spot-on suggestions. Tribute, cover, reimagining, borrowed tune or lyrics, whatever it is or what you want to call it, the way the old songs have evolved or been rewritten and reinterpreted over time is part of what fascinates me about them. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/4 "2023-04-27T15:03:21Z")
“Dust My Broom” credited to Robert Johnson but the [definitive version is Elmore James’.](https://youtu.be/aKo80b-QfK0/) I’m a big fan of Elmore James; his originals include “The Sky is Crying” and “Bleeding Heart.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/5 "2023-04-27T15:05:24Z")
I have a fondness for the Chieftan’s [Long Black Veil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Black_Veil_(album)) album, which is full of these songs. Including a gender-swapped cover of “She Moved Through the Fair” featuring Sinead O’Connor. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/6 "2023-04-27T15:07:58Z")
While at the county fair, there was an Irish band singing some Irish tunes. They did one that sounded real familiar but I couldn’t place it. A few weeks later I popped my Thin Lizzy cassette into my car cassette player and a bit later, I heard that same Irish song but with rock and roll beat. The song was Whiskey In A Jar. Went to a Metallica concert in the early 90’s, Whiskey In A Jar was the first song of their encore. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/7 "2023-04-27T15:16:34Z")
For folk, there’s Mná na hÉireann, which I discovered through [Jeff Beck’s version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztzkzZmGg5U&t=2s) just after his death. It’s been covered lots of times, even by the extraordinary guitarist [Davey Graham](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl2Gjv3ltec). There’s a [Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mn%C3%A1_na_h%C3%89ireann) on the origin of it all. Blues is real good for this kind of thing, although nothing’s coming to mind right now. If you want to extend the musical styles to rock, it’s very interesting to compare the many versions of Train Kept a Rollin’. Start with the earliest. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/8 "2023-04-27T15:21:16Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I have a fondness for the Chieftan’s [Long Black Veil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Black_Veil_(album)) album, which is full of these songs. Including a gender-swapped cover of “She Moved Through the Fair” featuring Sinead O’Connor. Ha, though I mentioned both “She Moved Through the Fair” _ **and** _ Sinead O’Connor in my OP, and despite the Chieftan’s Long Black Veil album being one of my favorites back in the day, I completely forgot about Sinead’s absolutely haunting version of the song from that album. Thanks for the reminder! Mini side note: Though the title song of that album “Long Black Veil” has also been covered many times and seems like an old, old, Scots-Irish ballad, it’s actually relatively recent: > **[Long Black Veil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Black_Veil)** > > "Long Black Veil" is a 1959 country ballad, written by Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin and originally recorded by Lefty Frizzell. > It is told from the point of view of a man falsely accused of murder and executed. He refuses to provide an alibi, since on the night of the murder he was having an extramarital affair with his best friend's wife, and would rather die and take their secret to his grave than admit the truth. The chorus describes the woman's mourning visits to his gravesite, wearing a lo... > [@racer72](#): > > The song was Whiskey In A Jar. Another great rec! > [@alovem](#): > > Blues is real good for this kind of thing, although nothing’s coming to mind right now. > > If you want to extend the musical styles to rock, it’s very interesting to compare the many versions of Train Kept a Rollin’. Start with the earliest. Yeah, Blues and even oldish Rock songs are fair game. One of my favorite Blues songs is “Death Letter” I think originally by Son House and covered by the White Stripes. I like both versions equally, though they are pretty different- the White Stripes’ version is not surprisingly more rocked-up and bombastic, while Son House’s is more tinged with existential grief and dread. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/9 "2023-04-27T15:22:47Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > This is kind of a gray area since it’s more of tribute than a cover, but _Girl from the North Country_ performed by Johnny Cash & Bob Dylan… [Pete Townshend’s cover](https://youtu.be/uDYUcGD4Ti0) was based on “Roy Harper’s version…with eerie bits.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/10 "2023-04-27T15:27:14Z")
I don’t know if “City of New Orleans” counts but [John Fogerty and his family have a great cover.](https://youtu.be/7zmNs6sWTD8) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/11 "2023-04-27T15:29:25Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > Blues is real good for this kind of thing, although nothing’s coming to mind right now. The first thing I thought of was [“Death Letter”](https://youtu.be/wy3ugz4S2y0), with the definitive version by Son House but covered by many others. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/12 "2023-04-27T15:31:15Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > The first thing I thought of was [“Death Letter”](https://youtu.be/wy3ugz4S2y0), with the definitive version by Son House but covered by many others. Hehe, I’'m not sure which of us ninja’d the other, since I was editing one of my posts to add: > [@solost](#): > > One of my favorite Blues songs is “Death Letter” I think originally by Son House and covered by the White Stripes. I like both versions equally, though they are pretty different- the White Stripes’ version is not surprisingly more rocked-up and bombastic, while Son House’s is more tinged with existential grief and dread. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/13 "2023-04-27T18:10:40Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > The first thing I thought of was [“Death Letter”](https://youtu.be/wy3ugz4S2y0), with the definitive version by Son House but covered by many others. Prodigal Son by Robert Wilkins, The Rolling Stones and others. Gary Davis recorded Candyman several ways, and John Hurt’s version differs from them substantially. I think The Grateful Dead and others from the 1960s covered it, too. It would be interesting to name a song that’s been covered in several different musical styles, including jazz. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/14 "2023-04-27T18:20:42Z")
[“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pQMb2niOO8) [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2bigf337aU) [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6ikRYvHfeA) [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5xafQXg1yI) [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZW0R1FJhNs) [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmkbZTCxocc) [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKgunC9fDpg) ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/15 "2023-04-27T18:27:35Z")
There ya go! 👏 👏 👏 ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/16 "2023-04-27T18:48:33Z")
Yeah, nice post! Seeing all those 'Summertimes" in a row made me think of this: [Summertime, Summertime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK_z73tVbgU) Which led to: [In the Summertime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUQcnfwUUM) …and [Summertime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr0tTbTbmVA) None of those songs I just linked to actually fit my OP definition, so I’m basically hijacking my own post. But hey, it’s almost Summertime! ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/17 "2023-04-27T20:42:25Z")
“God’s Gonna Cut You Down.” Many versions of this traditional song have been recorded, including one by Elvis. Johnny Cash’s is THE version, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/18 "2023-04-27T21:38:48Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pQMb2niOO8) > > [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2bigf337aU) > > [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6ikRYvHfeA) > > [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5xafQXg1yI) > > [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZW0R1FJhNs) > > [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmkbZTCxocc) > > [“Summertime”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKgunC9fDpg) And [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFlvza-RknU) rather unique version. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/19 "2023-04-28T03:41:46Z")
Here’s some Irish > **[Imelda May, Finbar Furey, Shane MacGowan, & friends - 'On Raglan Road' |...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMOAT3Mua-Y%2F)** > > Grafton Street Busk veteran Imelda May performs a spellbinding version of 'On Raglan Road', along with Shane MacGowan, John Sheahan, Glen Hansard, Lisa O'Nei... ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274/20 "2023-04-28T04:23:13Z")
“John Barleycorn” is an old folk song from the British Isles that’s been covered many times. [The version by Traffic is probably the best-known version.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdI057Rs3wY) Another British folk song, “[Gallows Pole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maid_Freed_from_the_Gallows)”, jumped the pond and became a blues standard that was notably [covered by Lead Belly](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aRe-DVGjSw). It was later covered by [Led Zeppelin](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmxaT37yeOs) on _Led Zeppelin III_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-often-covered-old-traditional-blues-and-folk-songs-thread/983274.md?page=2)