Folk music, especially in the 20th century, boasted some of the greatest lyrical lines in history. There’s a reason why 20th-century folk is so well-loved, even today. Let’s take a look at a few perfectly written folk lyrics that have stood the test of time, shall we?
“That’s The Way The World Goes ‘Round” by John Prine (1978)
“That’s the way that the world goes ’round / You’re up one day, the next, you’re down / It’s half an inch of water and you think you’re gonna drown.”
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Come on now! What a perfect line. “That’s The Way The World Goes ‘Round” is a standout song from the folk-pop-meets-country album Bruised Orange. It’s one that remains a favorite among John Prine’s fanbase. That line is also solid life advice, in my opinion. Not everything is a catastrophe.
“Both Sides, Now” by Joni Mitchell (1969)
“I’ve looked at life from both sides now / From win and lose and still somehow / It’s life’s illusions I recall / I really don’t know life at all.”
Joni Mitchell had a talent for telling it like it is, with a level of vulnerability and honesty that most songwriters could only dream of. This line from “Both Sides, Now” is frank in its recognition that life is really impossible to figure out.
“It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” by Bob Dylan (1965)
“He not busy being born is busy dying.”
The title alone is a noteworthy piece of prose, but the above-mentioned line from “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” by Bob Dylan is one of the Bard’s best. It’s an existential nightmare to think about, sure, but it’s minimalist and beautiful in a way that only Bob Dylan could muster and master.
“The Sound Of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel (1964)
“And the people bowed and prayed / To the neon god they made / And the sign flashed out its warning / In the words that it was forming / And the sign said, ‘The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls and whispered in the sound of silence.’”
Every line from “The Sound Of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel could have made it to our list of perfectly written folk lyrics from the 20th century. I went with the above line because, after years of listening to it, I still find myself trying to pick apart its meaning. This whole song is a glorious exploration of the connection between excessive communication and feeling disconnected regardless (written years before social media existed, mind you). But there are deeper, perhaps spiritual themes that fans are still interpreting in this song today.
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