Political Crossfire Forums

[bob.appleyard]

Okay, this isn't exactly UK politics, but it's specific to the UK, so it's probably better placed here than anywhere else. I'd like to know what people think of the folk traditions of the British Isles.

I don't really know that much about Scottish, Welsh or Irish folk traditions, admittedly, so I won't comment on them. I invite others who might know something about them to give their thoughts though.

There are, in my mind, two aspects of English folk music in particular which make it "uncool" -- morris dancing and class politics. There is also a bit of a "woolly jumpers and beards" image associated with it. However, it is seeing something of a resurgence amongst us young'uns, and these associations don't necessarily. Apart from its beautiful melodic idiom, which is purely my personal taste, I think some of the notions underlying it are quite noble. It is intended to be a shared experience, without ego, passed on from one person, and one generation, to the next, and it intends to comment on our everyday existence, and serve as a cultural memory of past experience.

[antonio62]

Scottish folk music is pretty cool but the dances are awful and you are expected to dance to every song. I hate dancing and am terrbile at it and get confused between dances but I end up having to dance at leats one.

[bob.appleyard]

antonio62 wrote: Scottish folk music is pretty cool but the dances are awful and you are expected to dance to every song. I hate dancing and am terrbile at it and get confused between dances but I end up having to dance at leats one.

Yeah, not a massive fan of the ceilidh myself either.

[thundertaker]

Morris dancing makes me cringe. I love Scottish bagpipes though. It makes me sad to think that a bunch of bearded men with bells tied to their legs poncing about to accordian music is the closest thing we have to the Scottish regimental band belting out 'Scotland the Brave'........