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FOLK SONG AND MUSIC HALL

The intersection of folk and music hall, the songs and social history

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Advice

Singers in the Halls were not shy about giving advice about how to live your life. The songs were sometimes referred to as “motto songs” …
Convivial Man, The
Free and easy
Help a lame-dog over a stile
Help one another boys; never push a man when he’s going downhill
It’s not the miles we travel but the pace that kills
Motto for everyman, A
Old Adam was father of all
Paddle your own canoe
Pulling hard against the stream
Wait for the turn of the tide
Wait til the work comes round
We all came into the world with nothing
Where there’s a will there’s a way
Work boys work and be contented
You never miss your water till the well runs dry

Last Updated on February 15, 2022 by John Baxter | Published: February 20, 2021

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SEARCH

Search tips:

If you are looking for songs to sing, I’ve listed songs under some themes – below.

Songs are listed alphabetically by name – click on the appropriate letter to access a list. If you can’t find a song you’re expecting, try searching for alternative spellings, or a phrase from the chorus.

If you know the Roud Number search for RN[number], so a search for Roud Number 6093 would be typed in as “RN6093” –  which should find Paddle your own Canoe.

 

Song themes:

  • Advice
  • Americas, Songs of the
  • Beer and its effects
  • Christmas songs
  • Cockney and Coster Songs
  • Countryside songs
  • Emigration songs
  • English songs, Empire songs
  • Fathers
  • Folk or Music Hall?
  • The Great War
  • Ireland and the Irish
  • Lancashire songs
  • Look at me!
  • Love’s Joys
  • Love’s sorrows
  • Marriage
  • Music Hall Hits
  • One thing after another
  • Scottish Music Hall songs
  • Sea and sailor songs
  • Social comment
  • Suggestive songs
  • Surreal Songs
  • Transport
  • Tyneside Music Hall songs
  • Women have the upper hand
  • Yorkshire songs

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  • Home
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • The songs
    • A-Z of all songs
    • Song themes
    • Songs categorised by relationship to folk song
      • Classic Music Hall songs
      • Folksongs which come from the Halls
      • Folksongs sung in the Halls
      • Other songs
  • Songwriters
  • Sources etc.
  • Comments and suggestions
  • Videos of talks
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