Brigham City Bugler | 1891-09-05 | Page 2 | The Value of Folk Songs

Tho Vulao of Folk Songs. Tho value of folk songs and labor songs or workers' songs is not easily overestimated. over-estimated. In this country we have very little distinct literature of that class, ox copt what wo gather from tho negroes. Undo Ilemus and negro myths, as given us by CharleB C. Jones, modo us familiar with the songs and the stories that complement com-plement them to make a low strata of life chcorful. Tho Nineteenth Century has collected quite a motley group from other sources. Burns' pooms get flavor from association with tho Scotch working classes. Tho different departments of labor have all developed songs peculiar to the class of work. The dairy maids of Greece and other old Aryan races wove their work into music, nnd so gave to it an air and alniosphero of poetry. ThiB was specially true of herding and pastoral 1 labor of all sorts. The Russians have a corn grinders' song. The old chimney sweepers' chant that was beard in our streets fifty years ago has vanished, but stevedores and Bailors perform work with chanting or intoning. Song lightens labors, its office is a grand one. Globe-Democrat. Globe-Democrat. t