Along with a new movie release there is typically a soundtrack that corresponds, and that is the case with The Hunger Games.  The Hunger Games Soundtrack:  Music from District 12 and Beyond was released two days ago, and it really lives up to the hype of the movie and what I had hoped they would with the music.

I have not yet seen the movie, but I have read the books quite a few times and some words to describe them would be chilling, haunting, and emotional.  Obviously a few upbeat tunes would not be what the soundtrack would need to reflect the series, and the producers stayed true to that sentiment.

I was impressed by the folky feel of most of the songs, and even the songs that were not as folk inspired really felt thoughtful.  I just cannot tell you how wonderful to entire album truly is.  You are going to have to have a listen for yourself.

Of course, not all of the songs are available for listen right now, but I do recommend the whole soundtrack for purchase.  Below are a couple of the tracks for you to listen to before you buy it.

 

The Decemberists “One Engine”

The Secret Sisters “Tomorrow Will Be Kinder”

Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars “Safe & Sound”

                                      

One of my favorite Celtic Punk bands, Flogging Molly, is for me the very symbol of all that Celtic Punk is. Their music is loud, confrontational on a sublime level. It’s also soulful, reflective, and a little lost. A friend of mine who’s seen them in concert three times said they are also very approachable. The bass player asked him for his rosary during one concert, and wore it around his neck as the group performed “Rebels of the Sacred Heart.” He tried to get my friend to let him keep it, but it had been a gift from his fiancé. Still, he was given a Guinness and exchange for having let him borrow it during that famous ballad. How cool is that?

Another of the famous Celtic Punk bands is Dropkick Murphys.  There is a particular song of theirs with lyrics that are clearly reminiscent of the ballads of old.  The following are from Curse of a Fallen Soul:

Another Wake,
Another Time,
A Premature Goodbye.
I’ve watched you go and seen you pass,
I always knew it wouldn’t last.
Together now we mourn the loss, and remember all the fun.
We’ll Drink the beer and hang out where death took another son.
So all for one and one for all, do we ever wonder why.
Though the reasons clear, this friend so dear was taken before his time.

Celtic Punk is all about the fun, mostly, but it has its deeply mournful moments, as any music with a rich calling and a heritage as old as time.  There’s room for the ancient among the glass, metal, and chrome of the modern world.  Celtic punk bands get that.

                                      

Scottish folk ballads such as Fair Margaret and Sweet William, The Parting Glass, and Within a Mile of Edinburgh Town all tell meaningful stories with deep human connections to historic events. Granted, in the hands of talented Scottish bards, these events are typically upgraded a bit, from ordinary factual details to sudo mythical tales. It’s all for a reason: to make sure the events are remembered. Have a listen now to some really great Scottish folk music, and get a little taste of what the real stuff is supposed to be like.

                                      

This mentality is pretty obvious when you have a listen to the Avett Brothers talk about why they do what they do. This North Carolina band has not even put out an album since 2009 when their I And Love And You album was released, yet the guys are still touring.

Scott Avett said in an interview once, “We’ve just never toured for albums.  For the first four or five years of our career we never had proper releases; we were under the radar completely.”

They might have been flying under the radar for a while, but slowly it seems that the music biz might be catching on to what all folk lovers see in Avett Brothers, that these guys are carrying on folk.  Have a listen to the title track from their 2009 album below to see what I mean.

                                      

Here is an infographic with some of the most popular folk ballads and protest music in the history of the USA.  From homeland security to home security, you will find the all-American themes of these songs to be at once familiar and dreaded.  Well, some of them.  The hippy ones, perhaps.  Check out the titles, the artists, and the stats.  Think about how this might happen again as a modern reflection of the protest culture revival that is taking place in America.  Let us know what you think.

                                      

Nickel Creek – Nickel Creek

I am still so sad when I think about Nickel Creek being together no more.  This album was my first introduction into folk music.  I love the pure sounding vocals and the amazing instrumental songs on the album.  One of my favorite songs on the Nickel Creek album is “Reasons Why.”  Once you listen to it you will know the reason why.Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More

The guitar in the beginning of “The Cave” breaks my heart when I hear it.  Not in a bad way but in a way that I am being pulled into the song with nothing to hold onto.  Add in Marcus’ amazing voice and that accent, and you have an incredible song.  The whole album is amazing, but I cannot get enough of “The Cave.”The Avett Brothers – I And Love And You

I and love and this album!  The title track is one of my favorite songs, but right now, “Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise” is one of my most played songs on my iPod ever.  ”Like a bird in a cage I broke in and demanded that somebody free it.”  Words so touching and poignant are rarely found outside of folk music.  Plus they are from my home state of North Carolina.  Bonus!

                                      

If anyone ever asked me if I would be a lover of folk music just five years ago, I would have stood there perplexed ans thinking for quite sometime. I would then come to the conclusion that while I would have a respect for folk music, I may not be able to ever say that I would love it. Oh but that has all changed in the past couple of years thanks to the amazing English folk band Mumford & Sons. Just last year when I heard the band perform on the Late Show with David Letterman on CBS I was hooked. The sounds and amazing performance drew me into this world that I had never before been. “Little Lion Man” stayed in my head for days after that show, and I was finding myself listening to it and re-watching it at every opportunity.

I cannot tell you the exact reason that I have fallen in love with not only Mumford & Sons, but also with folk music, but rather there are many small reasons that make it one of my favorite things right now, and most likely one of my favorite things for the rest of my life.  The talent and vocals are raw and natural, most folk musicians can play more than one instrument, and the energy behind the songs and performances are some of the main reasons why now I can say, yes, I love folk music.

Most singers have some sort of natural talent, but unfortunately many of them feature music that is full of electronic pitches and tunes.  The thing about folk is that it is natural, raw, and powerful.  Mumford & Sons vocals are goose bump causing because of how untouched they sound.  I love too that most folk musicians are true musicians indeed.  The band members do not just stick with a guitar or bass as do typical bands, but throughout the set list, the members will pick up a different instrument and prove their talent more.  The energy and zeal that goes into a Mumford & Sons performance captivates me too.

Now, I love folk music, and I love Mumford & Sons and I will “Sigh No More.”

                                      

The above video was featured on a special about American Folk Music.

“I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” may be the best known folk song about the U.S. railroad system.

You may know our country’s railroads were built mainly by African-Americans and immigrants (mainly Irish immigrants). It was hard work and was made more tolerable by singing music.

In the case of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” the line “…all the livelong day” is a telling sign that the work these men were doing was grueling work, with long, long hours.

You may also remember there is a part in the song that talks about someone being “in the kitchen with Dinah.” This is from another folk song that was published in London in the 1830s. According to Wikipedia, “It was published as ‘Old Joe, or Somebody in the House with Dinah’ in London in the 1830s or ’40s, with music credited to J.H. Cave.” (This note was credited to the Mudcat Cafe, which is an excellent source for lyrics and the history of songs.)

Some believe that “Dinah” is a reference to the cook in the kitchen on the train. Others think that it was a generic reference to an African-American woman. At any rate, in addition to the popular verse:

Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah
Someone’s in the kitchen, I know
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah
Strumming on the old banjo

Read the lyrics of this wildly popular folk song, and tell us what you think it’s about!

I’ve been workin’ on the railroad,
All the live long day.
I’ve been workin’ on the railroad,
Just to pass the time away.
Can’t you hear the whistle blowing?
Rise up so early in the morn.
Can’t you hear the captain shoutin’
“Dinah, blow your horn?”

Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow your horn, you horn?
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow your horn?

Hey, someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah.
Someone’s in the kitchen, I know.
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah
Strumming on the old banjo.

And singing, fee, fie, fiddle-e-i-o.
Fee, fie, fiddle-e-i-o-o-o-o.
Fee, fie, fiddle-e-i-o.
Strumming on the old banjo.

                                      

Spring is a time of growth and change and fresh ideas and most people think of new artists and new series beginning around this time, as well as gearing up for the events that will surely come in the summer.  It is in the heat of summer that the true essence of traditional music flows freely.  Concerts and festivals bring hundreds or even thousands of fans together to celebrate the musicians and enjoy food and activities as well.  Last summer I attended a folk music festival in Colorado and made some very close friends there and even got to know some of the local artists that I never would have heard of without this intimate environment.  If you are only mildly interested in this type of music, I still highly encourage you to attend one of these events as a social gathering to get a better feel for the music and the potential it has.  And if anyone has any suggestions for great concerts or festivals, I am always open and would love to go to some new places and explore all new scenery!  This is what it’s all about, engaging with real life experiences and noticing the beauty and joy in it all.

When the weather gets a bit cooler and the outdoor events cease for the winter season, people are soothed by warm sounds and voices that have made folk music so popular throughout the generations.  The holidays are prime for artists to reach listeners in a personal way and make connections based on memories.  I once attended a winter gathering that was not so much a concert as it was a sort of company holiday party.  Everyone had a warm drink in there hand and the venue was just small enough that I could see everyone there.  Some people sat on blankets on the floor and there was a quiet amongst them that seemed to signal a unified respect for the music.  These memories are the ones that songwriters and musicians want to create for their fans to establish a bond that larger, corporate artists don’t focus on nearly enough.