Folk Song Playlist - July 2025

In January of this year, I started a new monthly neighborhood activity: Second Sunday Sunroom Singers. It's what it sounds like. On the second Sunday of the month, a couple of us get together for about an hour in a sunroom and sing some folk songs together. With a loose definition of "folk songs." It's been a nice way to make some easy, fun music with neighbors and friends, and for me it's a great way to learn more and more about folk music traditions of all sorts. I pick about ten songs a month, usually shooting for a mix of songs people can confidently sing along to and songs I selfishly want other people to learn.

Figured I might as well share my list for July in case it inspires anyone else.

This Land is Your Land (how we start every monthly session)

She'll be Coming Around the Mountain (especially fun if kids show up; improvising some extra verses as a zipper song is a must)

We Shall Not Be Moved (another zipper song, and one I think everyone should know if they're heading to a rally)

The Big Rock Candy Mountain (for this group, I combined some of the "kid" verses and "adult" verses - for instance, "The birds and the bees and the peppermint trees" instead of "The buzzing of the bees in the cigarette trees.")

Crawdad Hole (first time we're doing this one. I thought it was a classic, but I keep talking to people who don't know it. It's a fun one!)

Pastures of Plenty (timelessly timely. It was written about Dust Bowl migrants, but I think everyone can hear the echoes of today)

Signs, by the Five Man Electrical Band (by request. I wouldn't have called it a folk song, but I can't deny it's fun to sing together)

Angel From Montgomery by John Prine (we'll see if we actually do this one. This song makes me cry pretty reliably. Maybe that's the wrong vibe for a singalong).

Down in the Valley to Pray (as performed by Doc Watson, made famous as "Down in the River to Pray" by Allison Krauss on the O Brother soundtrack. I'm not a good singer so I might rely on the guitar to carry me while other people sing)

I keep a Spotify playlist where I add chunks of albums or individual songs to consider, although this is far from my only source of music. I picked up a book of "Hootenanny Songs" at the library book sale last year, and that's got terrific sheet music. I've collected a few compilations of folk songs, like the Rise Up Singing songbook. And then I just listen to the radio, to old movies and albums, and read and talk to people and generally educate myself as best I can. If I'm really diligent I might learn a fraction of what happened before I was born before I die.

Spotify playlist for the interested (I know I oughta get off Spotify; I will one of these days):