Unit 1 : The Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Periods (495–1485) : Ballads and Blues

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	Unit 1 : The Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Periods (495–1485) Ballads and Blues

Barbara Allan / Sir Patrick Spens / Get Up and Bar the Door Ballads and Blues (p. 199) Use the Web sites below to complete the following activity. Research contemporary blues music and find examples of songs that combine characteristics of ballads with traditional tragic themes. Play recordings of these blues songs for your classmates. The Mudcat Cafe http://www.mudcat.org This fascinating site is a complete resource for information on blues music, with lyrics, sound clips, and profiles of musicians. BluesNet Home Page http://www.hub.org/ bluesnet/ Another great blues site, with artist summaries, photographs, a listing of mentors (experts who welcome questions about a particular artist or topic), essays and interviews, and links to other blues sites. Traditional Song http://www.standingstones.com/ tradsong.html This site provides information and links on traditional songs and ballads, most of which are European. The Blue Highway http://www.thebluehighway.com/ The history of the Delta Blues and its musicians is explored.

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