TikTok is famous for this. People pluck songs from "obscurity" as background music to help convey a feeling or emotional connotation for whatever video is being shared, and then it becomes a trend. The most recent song making the rounds is the sullen, hauntingly beautiful tune "500 Miles" (also known as "500 Miles Away from Home" or "The Railroader's Lament"), sung by none other than folk icon Joan Baez.
? SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox ?
The Original Writer of '500 Miles'
Hedy West, an American folk singer born Hedwig Grace West in Georgia, is largely credited with writing this forlorn tune.
Like most folk artists, West was a bit of a cultural historian and wrote songs about her understanding of Appalachian culture, which was extremely impoverished and full of destitution, hard work, and untimely deaths.
West's original version came out in 1961 and had a country twang, but it was quickly covered by The Journeymen and the folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary.
West was always considered a prolific songwriter. The Guardian reported in her obituary after her death in 2005 that, at the tender age of 12, she won a prize for ballad singing and, by her teens, was singing at folk festivals. She went to college in New York in 1959 to study music at Mannes College and drama at Columbia University, and fell heavily into the folk scene. Pete Seeger even invited her to sing with him at Carnegie Hall.
While her work largely reflected the poor, average countrymen of the 1960s and 1970s, her music's soul remains relatable and applicable for many today.
Hence then, the article about the tragic story behind the 1961 beloved folk song that s currently going viral was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The Tragic Story Behind the 1961 Beloved Folk Song That's Currently Going Viral )
Also on site :
- Adidas' 'Sporty and Cute' Crossbody Bag Comes With a Mini Pouch, and It’s on Sale for Just $32
- Vector Science & Therapeutics Builds 15-Patent-Application Intellectual Property Portfolio Around Precision Therapeutic Delivery, Anchored by Peptide and Biologic Administration Technologies
- Israel demolishes factory and agricultural structures, bulldozes land west of Hebron, establishes settlement homes in Tel Tarousa