Popular ballads refer to a specific form of poetry that spreads among the people. They express people's feelings of struggle, pain and ideals, and also reflect the culture, history and values of a society.
On a global scale, folk songs are the oldest and most extensive cultural form, and they are an important part of recording people's lives and social history. The following is a further discussion on the term popular ballads:
1. The origin and popularity of folk ballads
Folk ballads originated from the oral tradition in ancient times, and many of the ancient ballads were related to ancestor worship, agricultural labor and social life, and survived through thousands of years of oral communication.
There are many similar folk songs in ancient Greek and Roman cultures. With the passage of time, folk songs have evolved and spread to other countries and regions. Famous English folk songs such as greensleeves and Upper House in Gutenberg are one of the most representative examples. In China, the representative works of folk songs include Happy New Year and Mother.
2. Characteristics of folk songs
The most remarkable characteristics of folk songs are their oral circulation and rich structure. As its name suggests, folk songs are usually spread by word of mouth rather than written records.
They are usually characterized by simple and beautiful music and rhythm, and the lyrics are simple, but they often reflect the customs, feelings and thoughts of the society at that time. Besides, they also have diverse styles, forms and contents. Some folk songs are fragmented stories, while others are touching songs describing love or marriage.
3. The role of folk songs
Folk songs play an extremely important role in people's lives. First of all, folk songs, as an art form representing social culture and customs, have great value in the whole historical process.
Secondly, folk songs are often used in singles, Gong Tang, Chinese New Year and other occasions, and become an entertainment program and a way to express emotions; In addition, folk songs can also pass on social values and historical and cultural heritage to future generations through their lyrics and music.
to sum up, folk songs have become an excellent folk culture because of their oral spread and processing, and the characteristics of local people's lives. They evoke people's memories of social history and culture, and also meet people's emotional needs, so they occupy a decisive position in folk culture.