How to Find A Song Text: Folk

Folksinger's Wordbook, compiled by Irwin and Fred Silber (FA REF ML54.6 S54 F6) contains lyrics to over 1000 folk and traditional songs in the English language.

Traditional Tunes Of The Child Ballads, comp. by Bertrand H. Bronson in 4 vols. (ML3650.B86) contains the lyrics and tunes of the Child Ballads--a large body of English and Scottish ballads collected by Francis James Child in the nineteenth century.

Many other collections of English language folk songs in our Library contain music with lyrics. Check the M1627 and following ranges of the stacks. The Library also has folk song collections in other languages from many other countries. One way to find these anthologies is through "Build-a-search". Select "all of these" and enter the words folk and songs . Use "Limits" if you want only music and lyrics. Sometimes, however it's wise not to restrict your search since some sound recordings also contain printed lyrics. You can also do a subject search under "Folk songs, Polish," for example.

Folk Song Index, by Florence E. Brunnings is an index of over 50,000 song titles including traditional ballads, cowboy songs, work songs, sea chanties, etc. Includes songs of the folk song revival. Indexes published books, periodicals (for example, Sing Out magazine) and recordings of folk music. (FA REF ML128.F754 B83 1981).