31 Best Folk Songs Of All Time

The Bells of Rhymney by The Byrds

Song Year: 1965

Idris Davies wrote the lyrics to ‘Bells of Rhymney’ in 1938. His poem was the result of what he perceived as the failure of the 1926 general strike, coupled with a then-recent coal mining catastrophe.

Seeger put it to music, but it’s the version sung by The Byrds that people know best.

It’s eerie and evocative because of its powerful reinvention of the rhyme ‘Oranges and Lemons.’

Guantanamera by The Weavers

Song Year: 1957

Pete Seeger and his band The Weavers collected many foreign-language songs. Based on a poem by José Martí, ‘Guantanamera’ is one of the most famous examples.

It made waves when The Weavers released it because it was a Cuban poem by a Cuban composer debuting on the heels of the Cuban Missile Crisis. But like many of Seeger’s best songs, this one features a speaker who longs for a peaceful future.

The Little Black Fly by The Travellers 

Song Year: 1960

Some of the best folk songs ever speak on serious causes, like:

• The Vietnam War
• Environmentalism
• Civil Rights

‘The Little Black Fly’ is more whimsical. Here Canadian folk group The Travellers sings about the menace of the biting North Ontario black fly.

What makes ‘Little Black Fly’ interesting is how the group exaggerates ‘Canadian Raising’ in the chorus. That’s the distinct vowel sounds that make Canadian accents distinctive.

Passing Through by Leonard Cohen

Song Year: 1979

‘Passing Through’ sometimes gets overlooked when discussing the best folk songs of all time.

Like many folk songs of its time, it’s preoccupied with fostering peace between races and nations.

But it’s also linguistically playful, something seldom seen in these folk songs, which makes it memorable.

Pussy Willows, Cat-Tails by Gordon Lightfoot

Song Year: 1968

‘Pussy Willows, Cat-Tails’ is another example of how many folk songs have poetry for lyrics.

Here, Gordon Lightfoot pays homage to the variability of Canadian seasons. His descriptions unforgettably capture their characters for listeners everywhere.

I Ain’t Marchin’ Anymore by Phil Ochs

Song Year: 1965

Phil Ochs died young, and his career was tragically short. But the songs he wrote and sang at that time made a dramatic impact on society.

‘I Ain’t Marching Anymore’ is a damning indictment of the Vietnam War. Written in 1965, it's a sharp contrast to Seeger’s peace anthems because it conveys the exhaustion, frustration, and unhappiness many returning veterans experienced.

Old Man Atom by Ozie Waters 

Song Year: 1950

Sometimes called ‘Talking Atom Blues,’ ‘Old Man Atom’ makes an unlikely candidate for one of the best folk songs of all time.

It’s distinctive for its blend of folk and blues music, especially for using near-speech patterns in the verses.

‘Old Man Atom’ is a damning condemnation of the atom bomb. Debuting at the beginning of the Cold War made the song and anyone who sang it unpopular, but it didn’t lessen its impact on listeners.

Go Tell Aunt Rhody by Woody Guthrie

Song Year:1944

‘Go Tell Aunt Rhody’ has a storied history. It started as a somber gavotte in a Baroque French opera.

Eventually, it morphed into one of America’s best-loved folksongs about the death of a goose.

Despite the dirge-like tonality prevalent in some versions of the song, the titular Aunt Rhody doesn’t seem too upset about her dead poultry. After all, she was going to make it into a featherbed.

The Mighty Quinn by Manfred Mann

Song Year: 1968

What makes ‘The Mighty Quinn’ a song for the ages is its singability.

In large part, the folk revival was about bringing people together in song, something Pete Seeger was especially famous for.

‘Mighty Quinn’ does this in spades. It’s catchy and fast-moving, and anyone can sing along.

Jennifer’s Rabbit by Tom Paxton

Song Year: 2009

We end on a whimsical note. ‘Jennifer’s Rabbit’ by Tom Paxton sounds like the musical love-child of ‘Jabberwocky’ and ‘The Owl and the Pussycat.’

It’s surreal in the way only a handful of the best folk songs of all time are. It’s also a masterful exploration of how strange dreams can be. More than that, it’s a loving tribute to the innocence of childhood and the importance of preserving it.

Top Folk Songs, Final Thoughts

The best folk songs ever vary wildly. What they have in common is a good tune and a meaningful story.

Many of them also have a pet cause, like peace in our time or the environment. But it’s not a requirement.

What makes these great songs great is that they are music written by the people for the people; Years later, we’re still singing them.