I am collecting traditional folk songs, but mostly from the Balkans. Here are some of my favorite examples:
Serbia
Zanovet - Svu noć mi bilbil prepeva
Etno grupa Trag - Kad lijevčansko žito zatalasa
Danica Krstić - Prelete Ptice Lastavice
Danica Krstić - Da sam bistra voda
Svetlana Stević - Devojka se suncu protivila
Mexico State Choir - Ajde Jano
Grupa Iskon - Oj livado rosna travo
Grupa Iskon - Marijo, čero mori
Izvor - Gusta mi magla padnala
Bojana Brdarić - Rasti, rasti moj zeleni bore
Ivana Zigon & Kosovski Bozur - Oj Kosovo, Kosovo
Slobodan Trkulja - Lepe moje crne oči
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Bosnia & Herzegovina
Mostar Sevdah Reunion - Čudna jada od Mostara grada
Meho Puzić - Snijeg pade na behar na voće
Himzo Polovina - Kad ja pođoh na Bembašu
Nedžad Salković - U lijepom starom gradu Višegradu
Safet Isović - Zarasle su staze moje
Arabeske - Kad procvatu Behari
Hanka Paldum - Ja te pjesmom zovem
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Croatia
KUD Vranovci, Bukovlje - Dođi diko, nemoj bez alata
Zlatni Dukati - Ne dirajte mi ravnicu
Klapa Maslina - Da te mogu pismom zvati
Slavonske Lole - Oj Đakovo, šokadijo stara
Klapa Šibenik - Kad su tukle stare ure
Slavonski Dukati - Da sam znala majko stara
Zvonko Špišić - Zagrebacke spancirancije
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Macedonia
Aleksandar Sarievski - Zajdi, zajdi jasno sonce
Aleksandar Sarievski - Kinisa Moma Na Voda
Aleksandar Sarievski - Mome Odi Niz Livada
Aleksandar Sarievski - Filizo mome Filizo I
Bojana i Nebojša Brdarić - Uči me majko
Vaska Ilieva - Imala majka devet sinovi
Vaska Ilieva - Son sonila Ordanica
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Montenegro
Guslar Djordjije Koprivica - Smrt Popa Mila Jovovića
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Bulgaria
Romanian folk used to be about haidouks (some sort of Robin Hood outlaws) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vnxemB0D6s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NBX_hlkocc Then in the 80's-90's it switched towards jazzy, postmodernist, romantic motifs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNDrZPctw1E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt5Zsgsbmp4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKlxWA3xEgE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NDouPzwG9w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOJ_FM4rAaA Folk music was the accompanying voice of the 1989 Eastern Bloc Fell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eiQ4sLsC00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E19EPlofKcY although even the Communist Party used to dig it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UejMK3xTwV8 As of recently, new-school folk has mostly to do with satire and sarcasm: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuXIYVyKh18 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r-Kkd-w5Tk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXqFAbtg8gk bonus: Karma band bestly represents casual Romanian folk - the song of the mountaineers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87uWR3Jo4yc also, it is important to realize that folk music is not to be confounded, at least in Romanian, with folklore music, also known as "popular music", or traditional. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk8XCOLDbtY A link between folk and folklore is this living legend http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4rCfkyB_X8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VfW0B1YP7w "Folk You" is currently the main promoting platform: http://www.romania-insider.com/folk-you-alternative-music-fe.../
We have a running gag with my Romanian friends where we put this song on repeat at parties until someone notices it's been playing for 10 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAJ9RxfvvtU After a weekend at the country house it's the go to song to annoy locals who made the mistake to come with us ;)
Have you ever seen this stand up by Jon Mulaney? It's hysterical. Enjoy.
my netlabel released an album of Finnish songs from wax cylinders http://www.last.fm/music/Juho+Koskelo/Old+Weird+Finland they are free downloads
How about Bubamara ? Or is it in your list under a different name? Apparently the song was a traditional Serbian song which was translated into Romani by Dragan Ristic. I don't know much about it apart from the fact that it sounded great in "Black cat, White cat" by Kusturica. I'll go look for more songs, i love folk music :) We have a great band in town called "Roma Carnivale" that do a great take on Bubamara. It's a bit more hardcore than usual: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBZ3TPaz5VU Update: Ukrainian Горіла сосна, палала and This version by Воплі Відоплясова is my favorite. It's a great band. Ой ти, Галю, Галю молодая Ти ж мене пiдманула Червона рута Ой, чорна я си чорна Russian очи черные катюша Polish Hej Sokoly (I think the Ukranians have this song too)
Interesting. I didn't know that this song is from the 30's. I've only knew the version from Kusturica's No Smoking Band, or the melody from the legendary Bosnian band Zabranjeno Pusenje.
I'm honetsly not sure how old that song is and I can't find much information on the internet. It's hard to tell sometimes. "Maki Maki" by Goran Bregovic is a pretty old song called Bun e vinul ghiurghiuliu apparently. But honestly I don't really care if they are genuine folk songs or just songs written in the same style. Balkan Folk is the best! I had a blast when the Lemon Bucket Orchestra came to my town and played a mix of Balkan songs and Satisfaction outside until the police came over. Here's the video my friend took:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwQJC8Oh_Ug (They played Mesecina right after the end of the video)
Check out the Chumbawamba album English Rebel Songs 1381-1914. It's amazing. The band and album are recent, but not the songs. Most are Al Capella.
The song that Passion Pit sampled in Sleepyhead is pretty good.
Damn , this is going to be a fun list to mull over. I'm still working on Owl's Classical Music -French Edition post. Now it looks as though I'll be exploring European folk songs from the Baltic. -thanks for posting. I have some friends that are fans of European folk, I'll send them this post.