Your Favorite Traditional Ballad


I could only find a thread with "Power Ballads". I find myself drawn to more traditional ballads lately. Here are a few of my favorites:

1952 Vincent Black Lightening, Richard Thompson
The Ballad of the Runaway Horse, Emmylou Harris
Pretty much any of the traditionals as sung by Kate Rusby
Ballad of Copper Junction (a Journeyman's Lament), Jeffrey Foucault
Folklore (the entire album is outstanding...my favorite would have to be "The Outlaw Song"), 16 Horsepower

I respect how, with such an economy of words, a songwriter can engrave such deep and powerful stories that resonate and linger.

What are some of your favorites in traditional ballads?
jax2

Showing 1 response by martykl

Just a few more:

Waltzing's For Dreamers, From Galway to Graceland, and Walking on a Wire - AKA: The as yet un-nominated Richard Thompson trifecta
Hello, It's Me - Todd Rundgren
She Was The One - The dbs (Pete Holtzapple)
Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Neil Yolung

I'll also second TVZ on Pancho & Lefty and add Sittin 'Round Waitin' to Die