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Ballads have been a popular form of music for hundreds of years. They are deceptively simple, telling a story in rhyming verse, usually in four-line stanzas, but they can truly pack an emotional punch. Think of ballads like "The Cruel Mother," which describes a young woman blithely killing her infant and then seeing its ghost as she goes through the village.
Or "Barbara Allan," the tale of a cruelly beautiful young woman whose love a young man dies for. As she walks home after watching him die, she hears the church bells ringing and feels terrible regret for her cruelty, vowing to die for him the next day just as he died for her.
In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, we have not lost our connection with the art of the ballad. Click on any of the links to hear the following modern ballads:
Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin--great song about the importance of paying attention to your kids when it matters. This is the story of a father who found out that lesson too late
The Gambler by Kenny Rogers--my favorite song when I was ten, and I still think the narrative it tells is a good one
Ode to Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry--what I like best about this one is the fact that you don't really ever know exactly why Billy Joe killed himself or how the young woman narrating might have played a role in it
The Ballad of Ira Hayes by Johnny Cash--based on a true but very sad and tragic story of one of the Marines who raised the American flag on Iwo Jima
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll by Bob Dylan--based on the true story of a rich young white man who callously killed an older African-American woman, and didn't pay too much of a penalty for his crime
Me and Bobby McGee sung by Janis Joplin--I like this one a lot--it tells the story of a young couple traveling around together, but they can't stay together. The best line is the repeated one "Freedom's just another word for 'nothing left to lose.'"
If for some reason you can't access the songs on Youtube, then just look up the lyrics to comment on them. Not the same effect, I agree, but at least you'll be able to read them.
The Ballad of Ira Hayes by Johnny Cash - He's singing about an Indian war and how only 27 men came out of it out of 200.
ReplyDeleteThe Lonesome Death: I really like how Bob Dylan sentenced the man to a life sentence evemn thought he got away with six months. In a way, he's speaking on behalf on the victim about racism in that time.
ReplyDeleteIra Hayes: My favorite thing about this ballad is how it reflects on some of the past battles. It mentions indians and the marines in Iwo Jima. And how he felt sorrowful for his act of bravery.
Cat's in the Cradle: I actually find this ballad really heartbreaking. The way I see it, in the end, the dad regrets that he didn't encourage his son to be something more. To be more than just like his dad.
In the Cat's in the Cradle is it talking about this man who neglected his kid because he was always working and then the kid grew up to be just like his dad and did the same thing
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ReplyDelete-Cats in the cradle
ReplyDelete*I like the context of it because it talks about a boy who was born and grew up to be a good man and promised to hang out and have a good time with his father.
-The Gambler
*It's pretty much saying that you should have self control on everything you do
-Ode to Billie Joe
*A song about her seeing Billie Joe and how they hung out, then next thing she knows he died.
The Lonesome Death: Bob Dylan was talking through Hattie. Being that in that time period racism was really bad. he's saying that there is no need to discriminate especially if they haven't done anything to you.
ReplyDeleteCats In The Cradle- The son misses his father.
ReplyDeleteThe Gambler- A gambler asks this guy for whisky in return for gambling advise.
Ode To Billy Joe- A song about the death of Billy Joe.
Ode to Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry - Sang about how billy joe jumped off the talahasie bridge.
ReplyDeleteThe Gambler by Kenny Rogers - Sang about teaching a young man to gamble and the tricks to gamble.
cats in the cradle: it was kind of confusing at first but i think i get it now i think its about how his son turned out like hime cuz he never got to see his dad cause he was too busy.
ReplyDeleteode to billy joe:i think it was about these people haveing a dinner and thinking back about the guy that jumped off the bridge.
the lonesome death of hattie carroll: it was about the death of this girl and it explains who killed her and why
In the ode to billy joe billy jumped of the bridge and they are talking about her death.
ReplyDeleteHIS death
DeleteThe Gambler
ReplyDeleteTo me it's basically saying just control everything you do , don't lose yourself to things that can be prevented with self control.
Billie Joe
ReplyDeletesaying that you know tomorrow isn't promised you never know the last time you see someone.
True, but it also shows how life goes on--people eat their dinners and do their work. Also, it shows that the young woman narrating seems to know why Billy Joe killed himself--it has something to do with what they threw off the bridge together, right?
Deletethe gambler is talking about how the guy met up with a gambler and started to drink and smoke.
ReplyDeleteThe Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll a young man kills this lady but gets a really light sentence due to his great power and money
ReplyDeleteOde to Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry--
ReplyDeleteImplies that the girl was with billy earlier that day before he killed himself, and that whatever they threw off the bridge together made billy kill himself. Although they never exactly say what it was.
Me and Bobby McGee sung by Janis Joplin---
Is talking about a girl and a guy named bobby and how they traveled together, they where in love and loved singing together, they both where happy but when bobby wanted to settle down and have a house with the girl she decided shed rather be free to keep travailing and keep going. now she regrets it and wishes she could do anything to be with bobby again.
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll--
William Zanzinger killed his maid of forever, because he wanted to, he had no real reason and because he was rich he got off on bail. so her murder was just another one forgotten because the guy got away with it only because he knew because he has money he could do whatever he wanted basically.
Actually I think it's Bobby who wants to be free--she lets him slip away from her up near Salinas.
DeleteThe Gambler is saying how you need to have self control over everthing you do so you don't end up losing everthing in the end
ReplyDeletehe died drunk in the land where he fought.
ReplyDeleteI assume you are talking about Ira Hayes, right? Who died as a drunk in the land he fought to keep free?
DeleteCats in the cradle- Harry Chapin talks about how he had to work and miss his kid growing up, then his son grew up just like him and has to work a lot like his dad
ReplyDeleteThe Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol- Bob dylan sings about a women that had many children that raised them and went through a hard life of parenting to get them ready for the world, and was killed by two guys, Williams and Zinger.
Me and Bobby Mcgee- Janis Japlin sings about he partner and lover Bobby Mcgee that went misssing one day and she would give anything to hold him again.
Me and Bobby McGee -- This is about a couple traveling across the US and then something happened to Bobby Mcgee and she was on her own. I really liked how the song got faster at the end of it.
ReplyDeleteThe Gambler -- This ballad is about a guy asking for whiskey and getting gambling advice in retrun.
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll -- This ballad is about a man named William Zanzinger that killed Hattie Carroll and it pretty much tells about the two people and that there is no time to cry for the death of Hattie.
In the ode to billy joe she commited suicide by jumping off a bridge and his family were sitting at the table talking about her death
ReplyDeletein the gambler the gambler gives the man advice to how to gamble and not show the dealer what he had.
in ira hayes it is about an indian who went to fight and started to drink and ended up dead in a ditch of water
Me and Bobby McGee - I think it talks about two young lovers and how they used to do everything together and all of a sudden Bobby dies and now all she wants is to spend another day with him.
ReplyDeleteThe Gambler - Talks about a wize gambler who teaches his ways to a younger man.
Cats In The Cradle - I think it talks about a man who doesnt really seam to care much about his son mostly because of to much work. Later when the little boy grows up he becomes the same way as his father.
Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin, is like a song you would sing to you kids to let them know you are going to be there when they come home. And that they are always welcome home.
ReplyDeleteThe Gambler by Bobbie Gentry is a song about how to gamble. The singer is directing it to the listener and telling them to "know when to fold them, know when to hold them, and know when to walk away..."
The Ballad of Ira Hayes by Johnny Cash is just one example of how he became greatly known. This song is about war, drinking and bad crop.
cat's in the cradle- About a father who does not spend time with his son and in turn when he wants to spend time later on his son does not have the time for the father.
ReplyDeleteThe Gambler- About a man who meets a gambler on a train and is given an important lesson on gambling and life in general.
Me and Bobby McGee- About a girl who lets a boy she loves slip away.
Cat's in the Cradle- was a good song because It talks about how a father was never really around for his son. When his son grew up the father finally had so much time for his son but his son was too busy growing up he did not have anytime to spare for his father. This reminds me of my dad, who's father wasnt around to raise him because he was always with work and basically sent him off to live with his grandma instead.
ReplyDeleteOde to Billy Joe- is a nice song because it pays respects to Billy Joe whom jumped off a bridge but it never says how he died and the girl never says who she was in his life. But I think Billy Joe was crazy because they say he never did have common sense, and that girl was probably his bestfriend.
The Ballad of Ira Hayes-this song is not my favorite it is sad and shows how little they appreciated what a native did for the U.S. whom they removed from their land. but still was brave enough to fight in the american war, so that later on nobody really remembered him. they only remember him by calling him "Drunken Ira Hayes", and his grave was a ditch in two inches of water where he Ira Hayes died drunk. i HATE THE LACK OF RECOGNITION in this song. its not enough.
You really hate the Ira Hayes one? I think Cash's point was that Ira died alone, unlamented and unrecognized, even though he was a famous American hero.
DeleteMe and bobby McGee: This song has the meaning of if you have nothing then you can’t lose any more. Freedom means you have nothing to hold on to.
ReplyDeleteCats in the cradle: a man never spent time with his son, his son still looked up to him and then when he got older was just like his dad. The father then realized he was like his father, it was a chain.
The Ballad of Ira Hayes: Ira Hayes was and Indian that fought for land but not his own land. He became a unhappy drunk and died with no friends of family, because he did not stand for his Indian land.
The Lonesome Death- Bob Dylan is speaking for Hattie the victim. She was killed and basically got no justice at all.
ReplyDeleteCats in the Cradle- It seems like the father wanted some much more for his son once he became a man.
The Gambler- This basically says to just have some self control in everything that you do because it can help you to prevent things from happening that you don't want to happen.
The Gambler is about a man who meets a gambler on a train and the gambler gives him advice from his wealth of street smarts. It sounds like he's talking about gambling or a game when really, he's talking about life. "Knowing what to throw away and what to keep" really stuck out to me.
ReplyDeleteMe and Bobby McGee is about a couple who fell in love on the road, singing and having a good time together. Bobby Decided he wanted to settle down and she didn't want that, and that she'd rather be "free." My favorite line is "I'd trade all my tomorrows for a single yesterday."
Ode To Billy Joe is a really casual way of showing the shock you feel when someone kills themself. You never expect it. You're like, "Well I just saw them yesterday," which is kind of how the song goes. It almost hints that the girl narrating knows something more about the death of Billy Joe than it lets on.
I like that line in Bobby McGee too. Also, it very much implies the girl at least knew why Billy Joe killed himself--they had some sort of relationship, they threw something off a bridge, and then he kills himself a short while later. Hmmm...
Delete..
ReplyDeletethe cats and the cradle by harry chapin - this song is about a little boy who cherishes his father and wants to be just like his father. As he follows his father he builds a relationship with his father where he misses him.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Rodriguez
Deletethe gambler is about a man who meets a gambler on a train and then he tells him to play the game
ReplyDeletethe ballad of ira hays ws about how the indians went to war amd only 2 came back out of 200 ode to billy joe was abouta boy wo killed himself
the cats in the craddle-- this is about a young man and his father never spending time together.
ReplyDeletethe gambler-- this is refering to cards but the deper meaning is living life the right way.
me and bobby mcgee-- this is telling how her and bobby were happy together playing music and traveling the road worry free. until they decided to split because he wanted to settle down and she didnt.
“CATS IN THE CRADDLE” – is about a father and his son as his son is growing up.
ReplyDelete“THE LONESOME DEATH OF HATTIE CARROLL” – it’s about a guy William Zanzinger being taken into court for first degree murder.
“ME AND BOBBY MCGEE” – it’s about how freedom mean have nothing else left to lose.
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ReplyDeletethe gambler- is about a guy who meets a guy on the train and shows the guy how and the right way how to gamble
ReplyDeleteAndrew Rodriguez
Well, the right way to live his life. The gambling is a metaphor.
DeleteCats In The Cradle is about a father who neglects his son and his son misses him.
ReplyDeleteThe Gambler who gives this guy tips and whisky in return for gambling advise.
Ode To Billy Joe is about a song about the death of Billy Joe.
Cats in the Cradle- Harry Chapin
ReplyDeleteIts sad to say that this happens everyday. What this song explanied is repeated through generations. Where parents find it hard to have time for their kids and then in the future their kids have no time for them.
The Gambler- Kenny Rogers
Gamblers know how to survive so this man said, and he gave advise to guy that was with him.
ode to billy joe bobbie gentry-
This song was bind boggling especially after Mrs.Biondi shun some light on me. Why would a girl and a boy be on a bridge throwing somehting off of it and then the boy to be so upset to commit suicide. A baby!! It was most likely a abortion. Which is something extremly sad, back then they couldnt do anything about it, and someone always takes the relationship so serious to the point of almost suicide.
well not almost... this guy did commit suicide.
ReplyDeleteme and bobby mcgee janis joplin- this song was about how a woman and a guy named bobby who were riding in the car as they were on the road they had fell in love, but soon her bobby is not fully comittied and leaves her
ReplyDeleteI feel that "the Lonesome Death" is a sad song talking about the racial inequality of the United State back when segregation was legal and some time forced
ReplyDelete"The Gambler" is about how in special situation one should know what is the proper action to do be that, walking away, tough it out, or run away as fast as you can
"Cat's in the Cradle" is about a son how grows up loving his father wanting to be like him but then, the grew up and changed into a busy man who does not do like his father.