The song "Barbary Allen" is a ballad song that originated from Switzerland. This is the first thing that caught my attention because Switzerland is where my ancestors were located there and I have also wanted to visit there since I was young. This song grew in recognition slowly and became a big impact all around. If you listen to the lyrics of "Barbary Allen" it tells a story. This story consists with a rich man named William. Sick in bed, William won't get better until he gets the affection of Barbary Allen. He sends his servant to fetch her and when she came to his bedside she told him that he might as well die because he would never have her. Soon the town saw what had become of poor William and blamed Barbary Allen for having a cold heart. Barbary Allen soon feels so much sorrow and guilt that she dies of her sadness and supposedly is buried next to William. A rose is supposed to be intertwined above both of their graves. The reason I focus so much and inform you about the lyrics of this song is because this is one of the biggest factors that made this song so well known. This song was something everyone knew because of the tragic story. This song is most of the time sung by a women with no other interments, also referred to as Cappella. I enjoy this song because it sounds like something you would find at an older age and it has a very interesting story tied with it. Although I like interments in a song I love that this one is just Cappella. It makes it seem older and is noticeably different compared to the other songs.
I agree with you that this song being sung a cappella makes it feel older. I think the a cappella aspect also enhances the meaning of the song and makes it feel a little somber which adds to the context of the lyrics. In a sense I think the song being strophic makes me lose focus on the words as it is just a repeat but it could be argued that it adds to the meaning of the song.
ReplyDeletehey bekah! I loved this song as well, I almost did my blog post about it but I went with my other choice but the reason that I love this song so much is that her voice in this song/version is A Capella, and just how her voice is, it reminds me of the Lord of the Rings soundtrack if you are familiar. I also like how they don't add in any music so all you hear is her voice and you can really pay attention to the lyrics, just like how someone else mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your description of the song! I thought you did a great job including different meanings and aspects of the song that you liked. I also really liked your personal connection to the song's origin and your family history! I agree that this song has a very old feel to it and I enjoyed that part of it as well.
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