If one was to ask a person on the street what a ballad was, what they would give you would probably be a half truth. The modern definition of a ballad is something along the lines of “a slow song” or “a sad song.” While many ballads are slow, and many more are sad, this is not what makes a ballad.
Definition and Traditional Description of the Ballad
In its simplest form, a ballad is a narrative set to music. Modern music lovers often refer to them as “story songs,” as the term “ballad” has been misused so often in modern language.
A ballad is traditionally set to Common Meter--a poetic rhyming scheme that follows either the a,b,a,b or a,b,c,b format. The first and third lines has four stressed syllables, and the second and fourth have three.
For example:
In Scarlet Town, where I was born,
There was a fair maid dwellin'
Made every youth cry well-a-day!
Her name was Barbara Allen.
-- Barbara Allen, Traditional
This is not always the case in modern ballads, such as in the case of the song The Boxer, by Simon and Garfunkle or Frankie and Johnny, Traditional.
Some examples of traditional ballads are:
- The Gypsy Rover
- Whiskey in the Jar
- Lord Randall
- The House Carpenter
- Cockles and Mussels
Examples of modern songs that fit this criteria are:
- Gimme Three Steps, by Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Hotel California, by the Eagles
- Me and Bobby McGee, by Kris Kristopherson
- Ode to Billy Joe, by Bobbie Gentry
- Black Diamond Bay, by Bob Dylan and Jacques Levy
Power Ballad: the Modern Interpretation of the Ballad
A Power Ballad is very often not a ballad at all, but rather any slower tempo song played by a Rock, Hard Rock, or Metal band. While not necessary, Power Ballads often exchange overdriven electric guitars for acoustic.
An interesting development from these modern ballads is in the audience. Crowds will often show appreciation for these songs by holding lit lighters in the air. Cell phones and other electronics have recently replaced lighters as the beacon of choice.
Some examples of Power Ballads are:
- Every Rose has its Thorn, by Poison
- Unforgiven, by Metallica
- 18 and Life, by Skid Row
- Babe I’m Gonna Leave You, by Led Zeppelin
- Winds of Change, by the Scorpions
The Murder Ballad
A Murder Ballad is a specific subclass in the Ballad genre. A Murder Ballad is a ballad that--simply enough--describes a murder. Often it comes from a real life murder or death-- like the song Tom Dooley--rather then something from the musician’s imagination-- like John Barleycorn.
Songs that describe great tragedies can also fit into this subset. In The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, by Gordon Lightfoot, for example, the killer is not a person, but the “Gales of November.” The oft recorded song Long Black Veil, by Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin, describes a murder. However, the ballad is not about the murder, but rather the innocent man who is hung for it.
Some examples of Murder Ballads are:
- Nebraska, by Bruce Springsteen
- Hey Joe, by Billy Roberts (recorded by Jimi Hendrix)
- Pretty Polly, Traditional
- Cocaine Blues, by TJ Arnall
- Billy Austin, by Steve Earle
The Ballad has been a part of human culture since time memorable. Before there was recorded language, balladeers were singing our history from town to town. This tradition carries on even to this day, even if today it is less about history and more about entertainment. Although the term “Ballad” has become bastardized in modern usage, the story song stays alive and well.
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