Hard times and folk music – will the economic crisis affect Canadian playlists?

by J. David Sparham

Everything depends on the dollar. From where you live to where you drive, from what you eat to what you read; it all looks, feels, and tastes a little bit different when you are worrying if you’ll still have a job next week. Anybody who has been watching the news or reading the newspaper at all in the past several months ought to be well aware of the economic downturn that has been happening in North America. It has effected so many aspects of our lives and I believe it may effect our taste in music.

Over the past forty five years a lot has changed in popular music. We have somehow gone from 1964’s “The Time’s They Are A-Changin’” to 2009’s “If U Seek Amy”. Folk music has been pushed to the past, and in the minds of many young people it exists only in memories.

Folk music, as famously described by the queen of contemporary folk, Ani Difranco, “is not an acoustic guitar–that’s not where the heart of it is. I use the word folk in reference to punk music and to rap music. It’s an attitude, it’s an awareness of one’s heritage, and it’s a community”. Within that sweeping definition you have a wide variety of music. However, a lot of it deals with the struggle to survive in through the tough times. Whether it be Tupac Shakur rapping about “trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents” or Johnny Cash singing “I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down, livin’ in the hopeless, hungry side of town”, strife and struggle live in the histories of the many cultures on this continent and are reflected in our folk music. The themes within these songs are just as important now as they were in 1964, 1971, or 1993.

Folk music, within the more traditional sense of the genre, is a Canadian tradition. Just ask Bob Mersereau, author of the 2007 book “The Top 100 Canadian Albums”. He has listed the top four albums in Canadian history as Harvest by Neil Young, Blue by Joni Mitchell, After the Gold Rush by Neil Young and Music From Big Pink by The Band. Beyond that, Canada’s rich folk music history also includes The Guess Who, Leonard Cohen, Blue Rodeo, Gordon Lightfoot and scores more.

If you are like me, and you’re sick of listening to millionaires in their early twenties and late teens singing about drinking and dancing; tired of being told to shake your ass; and bored with songs about being “In Da Club”, then try some classic folk music. I would recommend the songs “The Last Time I Saw Richard” by Joni Mitchell or “Bird On A Wire” by Leonard Cohen.

Although it is not on popular radio any more, folk music is not dead. There are plenty of excellent contemporary folk and folk-inspired musicians that are always releasing intelligent new music. With the economy the way it is, you just might be hearing a lot more from them. I have a feeling that today’s pop music and the themes therein just may start to disappear in favour of music that really speaks to regular people, music we can truly relate to. Groups like Okkervil River, who seem to gain more and more momentum with each album might find that the social climate is just about ready for them to break through. Canadian acts like Winnipeg’s The Weakerthans, Vancouver’s Oh! Susanna, Toronto’s Elliott Brood and Ottawa’s The Acorn are all excellent songwriters and musicians who could be on the cusp of breakthroughs and radio success.

So, the next time your driving to work, walking around handing out resumes with your iPod on, in the record store browsing, or at home on your computer; why not mix in a little folk music with your pop? You just might find it speaks to you in a way that Lady Gaga never could.

J. David Sparham is a third-year criminology student at Carleton.