Bardic songs in real life!

[Bibliophile]

So, what songs that actually exist would you consider "bardic?"
I'm not referring to the bardic music ability from the PhB, but more to the feel of the songs. What songs could you imagine a bard performing (either in a medieval setting, or if it was a modern bard)?

The three that immediately come to my mind are:

Dire Wolf - Greatful Dead (Definitely a bardic song in my mind)

Hurricane - Bob Dylan (Modern day bardic)

Joan Baez - One Tin Soldier (kind of an Aesob's Fables styled song)

 

[Henry]

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2883/music.html

Let's go OLD SCHOOL!

 

[JimAde]

American Pie - Don Maclean. I actually ran a campaign that started with a bard performing a (very slightly) modified version of that song. The whole backstory of how the local kingdom was founded was explained in the song.

 

[Bibliophile]

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2883/music.html

Let's go OLD SCHOOL!

Those look pretty cool! Of course, I need to try out those tunes on the piano to get a feel for them, but it's a bit early in the morning for that on the west coast.

American Pie - Don Maclean. I actually ran a campaign that started with a bard performing a (very slightly) modified version of that song. The whole backstory of how the local kingdom was founded was explained in the song.

Wow! That sounds very interesting. Would you be willing to post your modified lyrics here? I'd be interested to see what you did with them.

 

[JimAde]

Those look pretty cool! Of course, I need to try out those tunes on the piano to get a feel for them, but it's a bit early in the morning for that on the west coast.



Wow! That sounds very interesting. Would you be willing to post your modified lyrics here? I'd be interested to see what you did with them.

It was a long time ago, so I don't remember exactly. Mostly it was removing the references to "Rock and roll" and "pickup trucks." I included a French-speaking carriage manufacturer who made "chariots des chevaliers", which the locals called "Chevys" The campaign world (which was created by a friend of mine) was unusual and included lots of references to the modern world.

The song was written by the current king (anonymously) as a tribute to his troubador friend who died in the battle to defeat a usurper called the Duc du Player. The bit in the song "when the players tried to take the field, the marching band refused to yield" was a tribute to a heroic stand by the troubador and what was basically a musical unit holding a key piece of ground until the wounded king and his forces could relieve them.

The Jester is a reference to the king himself, who felt like a bit of a fraud.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

My LEW bard had a running gag for a while where she was singing a modified version of billy joels The Entertainer as "I am a bardic wanderer...."

Do You Hear the People Sing from Les Miserables is a very stirring bard-esq song to me. When I play a singing bard thats always the song I envision for Inspire Courage.

Modern Folk or balladeers will give you some good bardic sounding songs. Almost anything by Harry Chapin has strong single vocalist, one or more backup instuments (mostly strings) and a story in the lyrics. Dar Williams, Lori McKenna, a bunch of other chick folk singers that my old boss got me into....

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Blackmore's Night's discography contain a LOT of songs with a pseudo-medieval feel. "Home Again" is the perfect tavern-sing along.
http://www.blackmoresnight.com/

 

[JimAde]

And Led Zeppelin's Tolkien-inspired stuff fits. The Battle of Evermore, especially.

I also think Immigrant Song would be great for a Norse Skald-type.

 

[diaglo]

National Anthem... whatever country you're from.

 

[lukelightning]

I'm always up for a good song of "bluff, bluff, bluff the stupid ogres!"