NEW ZEALAND FOLK * SONG |
Songlist |
Alternative quick-loading songlist
COLOUR CODE: | Most popular | Frequently heard | Sung sometimes | Recently written |
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Song | Tune | Era portrayed | Theme | Where heard | Website |
Across The Line | - | 1830s | sailor's memories | Radio NZ | NZFolk |
Akoako o te Rangi | midi | 1975 | Whisper of Heaven | Kiri: Maori CD | NZFolk |
All Black Haka | mp3 | 1810 | unity is strength | heard world wide | NZFolk |
Aotearoa E Ihowa Atua | mp3 | 1975 | Nat. Anthem, in Maori | known world wide | NZFolk |
Apple Pickers' Ball | - | 1950s | end-of -harvest | Henderson | BillKath |
Auckland to the Bluff | midi | 1890s | sea shanty | popular in France | NZFolk |
Auntie Alice Brought... | - | 1960s | goodtime band | middle aged | NZFolk |
Barb Wire Annie | - | 1910s | rural mail lady | singer-songwriter | NZFolk |
Battle of the Waikato | mp3 | 1860s | jeering at Brit army | most NZers | NZFolk |
Big Bad Don | mp3 | 1960s | All Black Don Clark | rugby fans | NZFolk |
Billy the Bus | midi | 1990s | Stewart Is. identities | the bus driver | NZFolk |
Black Matai Culler's Lament | midi | 1950s | deer-culling | folk/nat. radio | NZFolk |
Black Swans | midi | 1870s | gum-digging | older folkies | NZFolk |
Blood Red Roses | midi | 1830s | whaling | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
Blue Smoke | midi | 1940s | troopship dreams | on world charts | NZFolk |
Boers have got my Daddy | Real | 1900 | Boer war | historical | NZHist |
Bright Fine Gold | midi | 1860s | miner's wife | on 13 albums | NZFolk |
By The Dry Cardrona | - | 1860s | alcoholic's dream | folk/nat. radio | NZFolk |
C'mon Kiwi | midi | 1980s | social injustice | Otago | KiwiFolk |
Charlie's Bash | - | 1950s | sly-grogging | older folkies | NZFolk |
Chesdale Cheese ! | - | 1960s | tv jingle | all NZers | NZFolk |
Chocolate | - | 1980s | the best way up | folkies | NZFolk |
Christmas songs | - | our | down-under | festival | NZFolk |
Come All You Tonguers | - | 1830s | whalers cry | folk /nat. radio | DigiTrad |
Crossing the Kaipara Bar | - | - | 'the graveyard' | Northland | BillKath |
Davy Lowston | mp3 | 1810 | stranded sealers | on 8 albums | NZFolk |
Day the Pub Burned Down | midi | 1920s | Save the beer! | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
Don't Be Afraid of the Sky | midi | 1980s | confronting dogma | singer-songwriter | NZFolk |
Don't Dream It's Over | mp3 | 1980s | hope in alienated world | world pop hit | NZFolk |
Down the Hall on a Sat... | - | 1940s | rural dance hall | middle aged | NZFolk |
Down Trou | - | 1960s | student parody | older folkies | NZFolk |
Dulcie and the Moa | midi | 1920s | children's fable | families | NZFolk |
E Ipo | mp3 | 1980s | Tui Teka love-song | 20 cover versions | NZFolk |
E Papa Waiari | midi | - | stick game | maori concerts | NZFolk |
E Pari Rä | midi | 1918 | lament | maori concerts | NZFolk |
E Rere Taku Poi | - | - | poi song | most NZers | Kapahaka |
Eel Song | - | 1950s | wading waistdeep! | folkclubs | NZFolk |
Farewell to the Gold | midi | 1860s | miner's angst | on 25+ albums | NZFolk |
Farewell to the Gumfields | - | 1890s | bleak house | Northland | BillKath |
Ferdinand | - | 1960s | provincial rugby | Taranaki | NZFolk |
Fields Of The Gum | - | 1890s | old mates | Northland | BillKath |
Ghost Gulls Of Picton | - | 1980s | around the ferry | folk /nat. radio | Dexter |
Gin & Raspberry | - | 1860s | gold-mining | on 9 albums | NZFolk |
God Defend New Zealand | au | - | national anthem | - | NZFolk |
Gumboot Song | midi | 1960s | a Kiwi icon | most NZers | NZFolk |
Gunners Battle 'Hymn' | - | 1970s | drinking song | NZ army | RNZA |
Gutboard Blues | midi | 1960s | freezing-worker | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
Hakaru Races | - | 1900s | painted pony scam | schools | BillKath |
Hamilton | - | 1970s | provincial blues | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
Healing Sound of Water | - | 1990s | expat's dreams | singer-songwriter | NZFolk |
Hills of Coromandel | - | 1960s | nature's return | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
Hoea Rä Te Waka Nei | midi | 1917 | WW1 Canoe Poi | tourists | NZFolk |
Hine E Hine | midi | 1907 | Goodnight Kiwi | on 40 CDs | NZFolk |
Hoki Hoki Tonu Mai | .au | - | 'Come safely home' | most NZers | Kapahaka |
Hole in the Hedge | - | 1970s | suburban games | singer-songwriter | NZFolk |
Hungover Liver | midi | 1970s | drinker's parody | folk clubs | NZFolk |
I Got You | - | 1980s | Split Enz rock song | older NZers | NZFolk |
I Only Spoke Portuguese | - | 1830s | whaler's romance | new CD, schools | BillKath |
I've Been Everywhere | - | 1991 | all those towns! | most NZers | NZFolk |
In My Little Whare | mp3 | - | whitebaiting | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
In The Tararua Ranges | midi | 1940s | trampers | mountain huts | NZFolk |
Just One Little Number | midi | 1980s | travelling muso | folk/nat. radio | NZFolk |
Ka Mate | mp3 | 1810 | All Black haka | heard world wide | NZFolk |
Kauwara Gold | mp3 | 1860s | chasing a dream | Otago | Phil G |
Kiwi Express | - | 1950s | Ch'ch to Dunedin | recitation | NZFolk |
Ko Nga Waka | - | 1970s | regimental haka | NZ army | RNZA |
Ko'rareka | - | 1830s | Whaler's R&R; | new CD, concerts | BillKath |
Kowhai & the Tui | midi | 1950s | NZ's national flower | old school song | NZFolk |
Lady loader-Driver | - | 1970s | topdressing romance | singer-songwriter | NZFolk |
Look What You've Done | - | 1950s | lonely lonely blues | parties | NZFolk |
Mahurangi Regatta | - | 18__? | Old boaties | Northland | BillKath |
McKenzie (Tait) | midi | 1860s | the sheep-stealer | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
Märie Te Pö | - | 1880s | "Silent Night" | Maori | NZFolk |
Me He Manu Rere | .au | - | 'If I had wings..' | most NZers | Kapahaka |
Mihiwaka | midi | 1860s | colonial wife | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
Minnie Dean | midi | 1895 | Baby killer | Southland | NZFolk |
Momma Told Sally | - | 1960s | lewd marching song | NZ army | RNZA |
Mum | mp3 | 1980s | sons overseas | Maori expats | NZFolk |
My Old Man's an All Black | - | 1960s | racial protest | middle aged | NZFolk |
My Tractor | - | 1970s | Don't make it rain! | singer-songwriter | NZFolk |
Now is the Hour Po Atarau | midi | 1920s | "The Maori Farewell" | sung world-wide | NZFolk |
NZ Christmas Nativity | midi | 1920s | crib in back-blocks | National radio | NZFolk |
Okaihau Express | - | 1930s | steam cream train | folk/nat. radio | NZFolk |
On The Ball | midi | 1880s | bonds of rugby | team parties | NZFolk |
One on a Tractor Dagg | - | 1960s | Xmas carol parody | middle aged | NZFolk |
Opo the Dolphin | midi | 1956s | Oponaki by the sea | pop nostalgia | NZFolk |
Our Homeland Aotearoa | midi | 1950s | Tui in the Kowhai | schools | NZFolk |
Packing My Things | - | 1860s | failed gold miner | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
Pillows of the Dead | midi | 1953 | Tangiwai disaster | Mangamahu | NZFolk |
Poi-E | mp3 | 1982 | 1984 hit song | all NZers | NZFolk |
Pokarekare Ana | midi | 1912 | "Oh, return to me" | all NZers | NZFolk |
Poor Dim Sally | - | 1980s | Sally joins a cult | singer-songwriter | NZFolk |
Postholes | - | 1984 | virtual rail freight | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
Pot o' Gold | midi | 1980s | Rainbow Warrior | peace movt. | KiwiFolk |
Pretty Girl Hogsnort R | mp3 | 1970 | skiffle song | middle aged | NZFolk |
Proud to be a Kiwi | mp3 | 1990s | standing strong | school concerts | Phil G |
Pukeko in a Ponga Tree | - | 1980s | Christmas hangi | NZ children's songs | NZFolk |
Putting on the Squeeze | - | 1990s | always some rich b... | singer-songwriter | UJBand |
Rainbird In the Tea-tree | - | - | drover's hopes | widely sung | BillKath |
Right Wing Articulate Rebel | midi | 1990s | the ACT party song | singer-songwriter | NZFolk |
River of Life | - | 1980s | independent woman | singer-songwriter | NZFolk |
Rugby, Racing & Beer | - | 1960s | pub culture | 60s parties | NZFolk |
Scrub and Blackberry | midi | 1981 | Farm nostalgia | unique melody | NZFolk |
Sea shanties | - | - | songs of the sea | old and new | NZFolk |
Seal Children | - | 1980s | Greenpeace | folkclubs | NZFolk |
Send the Boats Away | - | 1980s | French nuc. tests | folk/nat. radio | NZFolk |
Shaky Isles | - | 1980s | seismic politics | folkclubs | NZFolk |
She'll Be Right Mate | - | 1960s | real Kiwi joker | most NZers | NZFolk |
Small Town | mp3 | 1990s | you pass through me | singer-songwriter | UJBand |
Soon May The Wellerman... | midi | 1830s | Shore whalers' tale | USA folkies | NZFolk |
Spider In The Bath | midi | 1980s | arachnid's phobia | folkclubs | NZFolk |
Stable Lad | - | 1870s | goldfields love | on 4 recent CDs | NZFolk |
State House Song | - | 1950s | working class bliss | folk/nat.radio | NZFolk |
Suitedcallousedfragilemystic... | - | 1970s | James K Baxter | schoolyard chant | NZFolk |
Super-Man | - | 1950s | aerial topdressing | folk/nat radio | NZFolk |
Tahora (Don't Worry Mate) | - | 1990s | farm folk festival | muddy campers | NZFolk |
Tarakihi, the Locust | mp3 | ancient | revived by Kiri | Te Kanawa CD | NZFolk |
Taumarunui | - | 1950s | steam train ht/break | middle aged | NZFolk |
Taumata...... | - | 1960s | longest placename | nat.radio | NZFolk |
Te Harinui | midi | 1958 | NZ Christmas | most NZers | NZFolk |
Ten Guitars | mp3 | 1967 | urban Maori singalong | most NZers | NZFolk |
Te Rina | mp3 | 1974 | Terina Pomare | 15 covers | NZFolk |
The 'Terri' Song | - | 1970s | territorials | NZ army | NZFolk |
The Day the Pub Burned.. | midi | 1920s | Save the beer! | folk /nat. radio | NZFolk |
The Dunstan | mp3 | 1990s | urbanite's dream | Graham Wardrop | NZFolk |
The Orpheus | midi | 1863 | ship wreck | France, Auckland | NZFolk |
The Philomena D. | midi | 1850s | whaling cruise | France, Auckland | NZFolk |
Thompson's Bus | - | 1940s | off to Mangamahu! | nat. radio | NZFolk |
Tihori mai te Rangi | mp3 | 1980 | Rain rain go away! | ten cover CDs | NZFolk |
Toia Mai Te Waka | mp3 | old | Haul the canoe! | at pöwhiri | NZFolk |
Tophouse Lament | - | 1976 | old pub closed | history archives | NZFolk |
Tuapeka Gold | - | 1860s | astute miner | UN songbook | Phil G |
Uhi Tai | - | 1970s | regimental haka | NZ army | NZFolk |
Up the Mangapapa | mp3 | 1940s | berko shearer | Tahora | NZFolk |
We Don't Know How Lucky | - | 1960s | Fred Dagg irony | most NZers | NZFolk |
West Coast Dream | mp3 | 1990s | wild waters | Raglan | NZMP3 |
Whakaaria Mai | mp3 | 1980s | How Gt Thou Art | H Morrison | NZFolk |
- Most Recorded
- Now Is The Hour millions of disks
- Blue Smoke many overseas artists
- Farewell to the Gold on 25+ albums
- Bright Fine Gold 13 abums
- Gin & Raspberry 9
- Davy Lowston 8+
- Old McKenzie Trail 8
- Talking Dog 7+
- Old Billy Kirk 7
- She'll Be Right 7
- Tauramunui 6
- Down the Hall on a Saturday Night 6
- Pania of the Reef 6
In real life, (unlike folk-music collections), a song does not exist on its own, with a wee note telling you where other versions can be found. Rather, it exists in performance, like a currant in a cake, sung in response to other songs, stories and banter. Seàn Corcoran
- A Study of Our Culture
- The NZFolk collection of NZ folk songs was started in 1998 to assist in two projects:
- -First, a ballad-writing instruction course.
- -Second, the continuation of a study to see how our pakeha (white NZ) culture is reflected in the way we write, select and modify the songs we sing.
- The words of the songs in the initail NZF database were collected from the singing of those in my community when I was young (1943-1958) and later from singing I've heard at folk clubs and festivals (1979-1995).
- The songs chosen here were those which;
- -have been requested, sung, and/or recorded by many people,
- -generally reflect New Zealand events, customs and attitudes,
- -and could be sung by an amateur with minimal accompaniment.
- ( A large number of the songs appeared to be about lonely, socially inept males. Does this reflect the spirit of the songwriters, the singers, or both?)
In 2000, in response to many requests, mostly from Kiwis living overseas, I started adding more old Maori songs, and the odd new one. These have proved to be very popular.
- You may use these songs for study purposes but you should obtain the permission of the songwriters or their publishers before making commercial use of the songs.
- These files will assist any person in the world to do that. Anyone anywhere singing or recording these songs for commercial purposes can now, via internet search engine, find these songs' true owners, who may then be correctly acknowledged.
- Then, hopefully, Bob Dylan's version of 'Farewell to the Gold' by Paul Metzers will not be called Australian Mining Song by Nic Jones!)
- abc Notation
- This is a new way of writing music, using only ASCII text symbols. It was invented by Chris Walshaw as an easy way of transcribing folk music, and (in 1998) is still being developed.
abc freeware can be downloaded from the abc home page.abc is a computer-readable musical language that can be easily read by humans.
With a little practice, it is possible to play a tune directly from the abc notation.Notes are shown thus...F,G,A, B, C D E F G A B c d e f g a b c' d'e'..... Rest z
c sharp, c natural, c flat,
^c =c _cPiano chord [Acea]
Guitar chord "Am"
Half note c/2 lengthened note c3/2 double note c2 etc
It does a lot more and is great for reproducing the subtlies of whistle/fiddle tunes.
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