Episodes

  • Episode #2.12 - Lully, Lulla
    Dec 18 2025

    Happy Holidays! Coventry Carol is a lullaby to a "little tiny child"...but surprisingly, that child is not Jesus. Learn more about this Christmas carol that was almost lost to time, including the history of modern Western Theatre and the origins of the picardy third, in this final episode of the second season of Folk Files.

    Host: Olivia Harding

    Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast

    Special thanks to Aaron J. Morton

    Musical excerpts:

    ARTIST: The Sixteen

    WORK: The Coventry Carol

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/_jIYyPOoEc8?si=mgPi4WH4G9LUnMT7

    ARTIST: Sting (from A Winter's Night Live from Durham Cathedral)

    WORK: Coventry Carol

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/hahwYqQd_gA?si=wJR4Qz-ZmUW9IaD2

    ARTIST: Nora Fischer and Marnix Dorrestein

    WORK: Oblivion Soave from Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/JTHQqJDV4os?si=820upsG60MJJyC5M

    ARTIST: Jeanette Blakeley

    WORK: "Lullaby" from Menotti's The Consul

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/nImWN8o1f-E?si=Coj_UsTcod6m1Bbr

    ARTIST: Barry and Beth Hall

    WORK: Coventry Carol

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/JCFg4S3kSV4?si=CleozvHduvVsAAxB

    ARTIST: Chicago

    WORK: Wishing You Were Here

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/Zv0OwvsP0ek?si=cVc25wbawFlT7pkw

    ARTIST: The Zombies

    WORK: Time of the Season

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8ecsAI3FhY

    ARTIST: Alison Moyet

    WORK: The Coventry Carol

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/kcrYqDqCN_Y?si=DoKE80e3peRMtvSo

    ARTIST: The Choir of Magdalen College Oxford

    WORK: Song of the Nuns of Chester

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0UtKzXb9Js

    ARTIST: The Cambridge Singers

    WORK: Coventry Carol (composed by Kenneth Leighton)

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/uAA0lZ1YG90?si=VQYE2a0KSeFhZGks

    ARTIST: Sufjan Stevens

    WORK: Coventry Carol

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/o6492UYw_hs?si=U0k6ZlmkfoIcULct

    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
  • Bonus Episode: The Ballad World of Anna Gordon
    Dec 5 2025

    In this bonus episode of Folk Files, I interview Ruth Perry, the author of The Ballad World of Anna Gordon, Mrs. Brown of Falkland. Anna Gordon is one of the most famous source singers in the history of folk music from the British Isles, and Ruth Perry's book dives into her life as a woman and ballad singer in 18th century Scotland.


    The book is available at https://global.oup.com/academic/

    It's pricy, and understandably so, since it contains a wealth of new information and scholarship, but you can use the discount code AAFLYG6 to save 30%.


    You can listen to the accompanying ballads for free at https://global.oup.com/booksites/content/9780198939092/

    In this episode, I use clips from the following songs: Lady Elspat, King Henry, Lamkin, and Thomas Rymer & Queen of Elfland


    You can purchase a CD with all twelve of the ballads at birnamcdshop.com or on Amazon (See more information here: https://www.birnamcd.com/birnam-pr/anna-gordon/ )


    This interview has been edited for time.

    Special Thanks to Ruth Perry and Aaron J. Morton

    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • Episode #2.11 - The Flower of England
    Nov 21 2025

    For a long time, "The Death of Queen Jane" has been considered a folk song that takes artistic liberties with the historic event of the birth of Edward VI to Jane Seymour in 1537. But is it possible that the song hints at a more complicated story, filled with propaganda and intrigue? Explore the intersection of Tudor history and folk ballads in this episode of Folk Files.


    Host: Olivia Harding

    Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast


    Musical excerpts:

    ARTIST: Oscar Isaac

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfeKFKG3JWM


    ARTIST: Cyril Tawney

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESUdOHChNKw


    ARTIST: Joan Baez

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6ZNp9le6x8


    ARTIST: Bedlam Early Music

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYGWmV2XAnU


    ARTIST: Peggy Seeger

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/7z0KILKEZhk?si=qmkqUwFtPVlKyaGH


    ARTIST: Duncan Williamson

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AB34LE2XNHS5FC8O


    ARTIST: John Jacob Niles

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnUaWKysPQM


    ARTIST: Isla Cameron

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/mMmHkgq1_T0?si=MAzM8qm8_0wHxoAc


    ARTIST: Karine Polwart

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT2uqT3am1M


    ARTIST: Bothy Band

    WORK: The Death of Queen Jane

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYHkpjkZvJA

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Folk Files #2.10 - Beware the Moss
    Oct 30 2025

    Long Lankin is the bogeyman of the Child Ballads. A mysterious figure who lives in the moss (or the gorse, or the hay), he is known as a bloodthirsty murderer. But what's the full story? Explore the origins of the horror-filled ballad in this Halloween episode of Folk Files.

    Host: Olivia Harding

    Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast


    Musical excerpts:

    ARTIST: The Wainwright Sisters

    WORK: Long Lankin

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8vzCkJJlSQ


    ARTIST: Steeleye Span

    WORK: Long Lankin

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Rw1SVfa_U


    ARTIST: Martin Carthy

    WORK: Long Lankin

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlYuv1ZUsZ0


    ARTIST: George Fradley

    WORK: Lankin

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/yrEuzBE0uTs?si=aIpFgzidrF7YGpnN


    ARTIST: Geordie McIntyre

    WORK: Lamkin

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/LQF9M1Omrfs?si=d0yAQwvibFAIDLeQ


    ARTIST: Alasdair Roberts & Friends

    WORK: Long Lankin

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/es-bKUVLtUE?si=yxV9vFgzZoMpPPVC


    ARTIST: Lisa Knapp

    WORK: Long Lankin

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zahxuV3H9Sk


    ARTIST: Frank Proffitt

    WORK: Bo Lamkin

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/G6MLv__s_cU?si=9kG2WJSa1F0fZ1dg

    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
  • Folk Files #2.9 - I Said the Sparrow
    Oct 20 2025

    Who Killed Cock Robin? It was I, said the Sparrow. But where did the song come from? And what does it mean? Explore a world of birds, nursery rhymes, mythology, and history in this month's episode.


    Host: Olivia Harding

    Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast


    Yuri Gohen: @yurigohenfolksong

    Who Killed Cock Robin by Yuri Gohen: https://yurigohen.bandcamp.com/album/who-killed-cock-robin

    https://open.spotify.com/album/5I5HTXbYVPOxc7MtKFU9jX?si=LXPUC86NQ1iamUUntn4GtA


    Musical excerpts:

    ARTIST: Peggy Seeger

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://www.y outube.com/watch?v=hVTcXtK_8Qo


    ARTIST: Tim Hart and Friends

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjGyLkGJBlI


    ARTIST: King's Singers

    WORK: Of All the Birds

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnr6Oxybkq4


    ARTIST: Dana and Susan Robinson

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/HqP26mqO4GY?si=xS2SAHX8BItCQ00U


    ARTIST: Jean Ritchie

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otcP8CCCt3c


    ARTIST: Glenn Yarbrough

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACX6OS6oO5k


    ARTIST: Richard Dyer-Bennet

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/lhTXFbYn3WY


    ARTIST: John Jacob Niles

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-_lfkMQGPs


    ARTIST: Robin Roberts

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB9eTpc-G1U


    ARTIST: Silly Symphony

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GK66CFljA0


    ARTIST: St. Michael's Junior School for Girls in Cumberland

    WORK: Cock Robin is Dead and Lays in his Grave

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YteMR9prrQ


    ARTIST: Yuri Gohen

    WORK: Who Killed Cock Robin?

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40-TqWBPoDs

    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • Folk Files #2.8 - Stand and Deliver
    Aug 28 2025

    Robbers, bandits, highwaymen…there are a lot of English folk songs about outlaws. In this episode of Folk Files, we'll look at why there are so many songs about criminals and what patterns exist in these ballads. Then, we'll look at Robbers' Retreat in an attempt to figure out why the song (also known as Cadgwith Anthem) doesn't seem to follow any of those patterns.


    Host: Olivia Harding

    Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast

    *This episode of Folk Files was recorded on the road. Apologies for any lapses in quality.*


    Musical excerpts:

    ARTIST: Steeleye Span

    WORK: Cadgwith Anthem

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMBpPYA8ebY


    ARTIST: Ewan MacColl

    WORK: Alan Tyne O'Harrow

    SOURCE: https://ewanmaccoll.bandcamp.com/track/alan-tyne-o-harrow


    ARTIST: Martin Carthy

    WORK: Newlyn Town

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM7hDJI85uI


    ARTIST: Roger McGuinn

    WORK: Whiskey in the Jar

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/i8iAp0mTKjo?si=htJCj3YzGDz4UWso


    ARTIST: Loreena McKennitt

    WORK: The Highwayman

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=YGFo0xn4JeY


    ARTIST: Ewan MacColl

    WORK: The Crafty Farmer

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/GT_uXRERmsE?si=bNwLhDjFCXB9yuij


    ARTIST: Magpie Lane

    WORK: The Highwayman Outwitted

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/kXHL6omuz3c?si=pnX3AOzB6sbfoNZu


    ARTIST: Jackie Oates

    WORK: Robbers' Retreat

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/ZzPA52DWzwM?si=ZkM3a4WDugEpC4yp


    ARTIST: The Mousehole Male Voice Choir

    WORK: The Cadgwith Anthem

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/yXFIUuWARB0?si=mgpBLQqoKOYtge7N


    ARTIST: The Longest Johns

    WORK: Cadgwith Anthem

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/UiBlnnN2PWU?si=78Mzy7npMptFomP1


    ARTIST: Bounding Main

    WORK: Cadgwith Anthem

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/KQbYYnoM3wM?si=UF20bLf7VaKn-lGD

    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • Episode #2.7 - I Died For Love
    Jul 31 2025

    This episode of Folk Files looks at a family of songs where the main character "dies for love." In particular, I explore "The Butcher Boy," a song with American, Irish, and English versions. The versions vary drastically: they swap out characters, drop details, and change the reasoning behind the narrator's decisions. I investigate what effect these changes have on the listener and what lessons we can draw from those effects.

    Host: Olivia Harding

    Check out more from Pollyanna: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1Rgyvnw9WrAm20MhlS2kyp?si=irIKZtNOTFaZWDOt9mh0cA

    Special thanks to: Aaron J. Morton

    Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast

    *This episode of Folk Files was recorded on the road. Apologies for any lapses in quality.*


    Musical excerpts:

    ARTIST: Alisa Marie

    WORK: O'Carolan's Cup

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/zrBwqFco0Xs?si=-SdsYnEWGiD5SnFO


    ARTIST: Sarah Makem

    WORK: The Butcher Boy

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/x_mtUaBHWCE?si=tBXVy9ELCV9dECgh


    ARTIST: Derek and Hazel Sarjeant

    WORK: A Sailor Coming Home on Leave

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/e91Ug-CAjAc?si=sMcd-NpQC-FQmNSL


    ARTIST: Music the Gathering

    WORK: Johnny Jump Up

    SOURCE: https://www.musicthegathering.com/store/lvl-3-digital-album-esexe


    ARTIST: Frank Profitt

    WORK: Morning Fair

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/wdyO1890Zpc?si=1esdsYhrRNWTg7zD


    ARTIST: Sam Lee

    WORK: Over Yonders Hill

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2jcdbFRRYc


    ARTIST: The Kings of Calicutt

    WORK: Sheffield Park

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/o1lDKhJd6Pw?si=XWyn9hQQ3ImN2PRq


    ARTIST: Bellowhead

    WORK: Cold Blows the Wind

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/WvuxL8UQiLQ?si=Sdr7Zz7yUVEXi7zg


    ARTIST: Jean Ritchie

    WORK: Go Dig My Grave

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGrcOqcbzYk


    ARTIST: The Clancy Brothers

    WORK: The Butcher Boy

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/WMc8QSxZe_M?si=PIv8GZyRL_1vkSRD


    ARTIST: Buell Kazee

    WORK: Butcher's Boy

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/lwSJoMNRGuI?si=fehdH-zflcTkTbY2


    ARTIST: Pollyanna

    WORK: Railroad Boy

    SOURCE: https://pollyanna.bandcamp.com/album/man-time-deluxe-edition

    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • Episode #2.6 - No Strings Attached
    Jun 23 2025

    Welcome to Part II of Folk Files' exploration of the history of folk instruments! Learn about the origins and etymology of accordions, concertinas, harmonicas, bagpipes, whistles, and a sampling of percussion! (Recorded with a head cold - please excuse any stuffiness).

    Host: Olivia Harding

    Special thanks to: Aaron J. Morton

    Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast


    Musical excerpts:

    ARTIST: Duo Synkro

    WORK: Live at Paris Bal Folk

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1XgiYjo1HE


    ARTIST: Wu Wei

    WORK: Sheng performance with Helsinki Philharmonic

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xios4KtjG2A


    ARTIST: Mark Kloeg

    WORK: Cantiga 100

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtWazpkuz7o


    ARTIST: Paul Young

    WORK: Michael's Jig

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/f8TX7jO-_es?si=AWS2GmtPtNJhMRMc


    ARTIST: Sofia Ros

    WORK: La Campanella

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ARC2YxsbE0


    ARTIST: Nick Ariondo

    WORK: Flight of the Bumblebee

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxTOwXEy2Mo


    ARTIST: Yuxin Ding

    WORK: The Entertainer

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8kmUkDwgIs


    ARTIST: Sonny Boy Williamson

    WORK: Bye Bye Bird

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-PhBryFuIM


    ARTIST: Carlos Vives

    WORK: Hijo de Vallenato

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORzwHmeJAmU


    ARTIST: Piper Jones Band

    WORK: Live at the Loch Norman Scottish Festival 2023

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teJu3_eJGnM


    ARTIST: Chris McMullan

    WORK: The Limerick Lament

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=Dm3EpfuxuG0


    ARTIST: Christy Barry

    WORK: Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Music (Doolin Style)

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpN36I9xr-o


    ARTIST: Spokes Mashiyane

    WORK: A song off the 1959 album "King Kwela"

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adyM1Gx1lHU


    ARTIST: John Joe Kelly

    WORK: Bodhrán solo from "Island Songs"

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi1G-A-wdu0


    ARTIST: Abby "The Spoon Lady" and Lyle Rickards

    WORK: I'll Fly Away

    SOURCE: https://youtu.be/Ibye4LNpWD8?si=Y5wPiddyQXs5Pmj1


    ARTIST: Dom Flemons

    WORK: How To Play the Bones with Dom Flemons

    SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMokBr9cTxM

    Show More Show Less
    26 mins