Historical and modern ballads
The Streets of Laredo tells the story of a dying cowboy. As it is telling a story we call it a Ballad, i.e. a song or poem that tells a story. It is anonymous, i.e. we don't know who composed it.
Type of song - A Ballad which is a song that tells a story.
Tempo - Moderate
Metre - 3 (3 beats in each bar)
Form - Verse and Refrain A, B, A, B
Mood - Sad
Lyrics
As I walked out on the streets of Laredo. As I walked out on Laredo one day,
I spied a poor cowboy wrapped in white linen, Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay.
"I can see by your outfit that you are a cowboy." These words he did say as I boldly walked by.
"Come an' sit down beside me an' hear my sad story. "I'm shot in the breast an' I know I must die."
"It was once in the saddle, I used to go dashing. "Once in the saddle, I used to go gay.
"First to the card-house and then down to Rose's. "But I'm shot in the breast and I'm dying today."
"Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin. "Six dance-hall maidens to bear up my pall.
"Throw bunches of roses all over my coffin. "Roses to deaden the clods as they fall."
"Then beat the drum slowly, play the Fife lowly."Play the dead march as you carry me along.
"Take me to the green valley, lay the sod o'er me, "I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong."
As I walked out on the streets of Laredo. As I walked out on Laredo one day,
I spied a poor cowboy wrapped in white linen, Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay.
"I can see by your outfit that you are a cowboy." These words he did say as I boldly walked by.
"Come an' sit down beside me an' hear my sad story. "I'm shot in the breast an' I know I must die."
"It was once in the saddle, I used to go dashing. "Once in the saddle, I used to go gay.
"First to the card-house and then down to Rose's. "But I'm shot in the breast and I'm dying today."
"Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin. "Six dance-hall maidens to bear up my pall.
"Throw bunches of roses all over my coffin. "Roses to deaden the clods as they fall."
"Then beat the drum slowly, play the Fife lowly."Play the dead march as you carry me along.
"Take me to the green valley, lay the sod o'er me, "I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong."
Choice songs
The one that got away (Katy Perry) - tempo - lively - metre 4 (4/4) - love story - syncopation - composed by K Perry - verse and chorus
Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)
Love Story (Taylor Swift) Story about forbidden love. Metre is 4. Syncopation. Acoustic guitar and pop instruments
Spanish Train (Chris de Burgh)tells a story of the Lord and the Devil playing poker for souls. Verses spoken. Choruses sung up-beat. Sycopation. 4/4..
City of Chicago (Christy Moore) composed by - famine - metre 4 - tempo moderate - guitar (acoustic) - syncopation - verse and chorus
The A team (Ed Sheeran) - living on the street etc. - syncopation - tempo moderate - verse and chorus - guitar -
For the first time (The Script) is a song by Irish alternative rock band The Script. Written by band members Danny O'Donoghue and Mark Sheehan, It's all about going back to basics: drinking cheap wine, eating your dinner off the floor. That's when you meet each other for the first time, when you have nothing."
Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)
Love Story (Taylor Swift) Story about forbidden love. Metre is 4. Syncopation. Acoustic guitar and pop instruments
Spanish Train (Chris de Burgh)tells a story of the Lord and the Devil playing poker for souls. Verses spoken. Choruses sung up-beat. Sycopation. 4/4..
City of Chicago (Christy Moore) composed by - famine - metre 4 - tempo moderate - guitar (acoustic) - syncopation - verse and chorus
The A team (Ed Sheeran) - living on the street etc. - syncopation - tempo moderate - verse and chorus - guitar -
For the first time (The Script) is a song by Irish alternative rock band The Script. Written by band members Danny O'Donoghue and Mark Sheehan, It's all about going back to basics: drinking cheap wine, eating your dinner off the floor. That's when you meet each other for the first time, when you have nothing."