What is a ballad?

Today, the word ballad perhaps brings to mind the work of popstars, with power ballads and love ballads aplenty from the likes of Bonnie Tyler, Meat Loaf and many more. However, traditionally, the term ballad refers to any spoken poem or song that tells a story in short stanzas, and it is a style that dates back to the Middle Ages, at least.

The word ballad itself has its roots in the Latin word ‘ballare’ (to dance) and an old French word for ‘dancing song’ (ballade). Like most modern pop songs, traditional ballads often dealt with matters of the heart, but some were also dedicated to historic triumphs and disasters, among other themes. These types of ballads could be categorised as folk songs today, their narratives often relaying important themes relevant to the time they were written.

Typically learnt by listening and repeating, some lyrics may have been written down but the melodies were less likely to be. In fact, some set different ballad lyrics to the same well-known tune, making them easier for people to learn and replicate. However, it is due to the oral nature of passing on ballads to future generations that many have been lost and forgotten over the centuries.

Topi image: Folk singer John Tams by Getty Images