3 Deep-Cut Folk Ballads From the 1970s That Aren’t by Dylan, Mitchell, or Young

One of our main missions is introducing you to music you might not have found otherwise. That being said, we are going you introduce you to some folk ballads of the 1970s that aren’t by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, or Neil Young. Furthermore, we aren’t going to list other popular tracks by say Graham Nash, Paul Simon, and other notable figures. With all that in mind, here are three deep-cut folk ballads from the 1970s.

Videos by American Songwriter

“Christmas In Prison” by John Prine

The most popular John Prine ballad is, without a doubt, “Sam Stone”. However, it is far from the only ballad the masterful songwriter created, and one of the more obscure ballads by John Prine is his 1973 single, “Christmas In Prison”. In typical Prine fashion, he brings humor to sadness in this single.

In short, Prine’s single tells the tale of a man spending Christmas in prison. It’s a tale of loneliness, longing, separation, and how all of those sentiments are amplified during the holiday season. While tragic in its foundation, Prine delivers some lines in this song that will surely have you chuckling.

“Mr. Mudd And Mr. Gold” by Townes Van Zandt

In recent years, the career of Townes Van Zandt has entered the forefront of the Americana folk scene. However, people still seemingly only recall “Pancho & Lefty”, “Waitin’ Round To Die”, and “If I Needed You”. If you are one of these people, then stop right now and look up Van Zandt’s fictional card-game ballad, “Mr. Mudd And Mr. Gold”.

At its surface, Van Zandt’s ballad sounds like a song about a simple poker game, but the man was never into simple. So, “Mr. Mudd And Mr. Gold” is a heavily allegorical tune that tells the story of class poverty, luck, fate, and ultimately the tenacity of the underdog.

“Peanut Butter Conspiracy” by Jimmy Buffett

Jimmy Buffett‘s life and legacy are defined by a robust sense of playfulness and optimism, and that was instilled far before songs such as “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger In Paradise”. Before Buffett became a household name, one of the many songs that laid the thematic foundation for the rest of his career was his 1973 single, “Peanut Butter Conspiracy”.

The song is an autobiographical folk ballad about Buffett’s days as a broke musician. Buffett turns a simple act of shoplifting into a captivating yet comical tale of petty crime and a promise to pay back what he stole. It’s relatable, detailed, and completely organic, but in Buffett’s catalog, fairly obscure.

Denver Post via Getty Images