3 Folk Songs That We Could Listen to for the Harmonies Alone

There’s nothing quite like a good vocal arrangement in folk music. Here are some folk songs we could listen to all day long, just because of the harmonies.

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“Scarborough Fair/Canticle” by Simon & Garfunkel

Simon & Garfunkel made their own version of the traditional folk song “Scarborough Fair” in the late 60s. The “Canticle” part of this song is actually a separate song that’s placed underneath the “Scarborough Fair” melody. Hauntingly, the lyrics from “Canticle” make references to the Vietnam War as they echo after the original lyrics.

Tell her to make me a cambric shirt
(On the side of a hill, in the deep forest green)
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme
(Tracing of sparrow on snow-crested ground)
Without no seams nor needle work
(Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain)
Then she’ll be a true love of mine
(Sleeps unaware of the clarion call).

“Go Where You Wanna Go” by The Mamas And The Papas (and later The 5th Dimension)

If you’re on the hunt for good harmonies, pretty much any song by The Mamas And The Papas will do. I could’ve easily picked “California Dreamin”, but I wanted to pick this one simply because of how upbeat and fun it is. I feel like when most people think of good harmonies, they think of the more ballad-y songs, but that’s not the case with this one.

The 5th Dimension also later released their own version of this song, and it did pretty well. Group member Marilyn McCoo shared, “The record company wasn’t going to release it as a single, but we put our whole thing into it, released it and it was a hit.”

“Seven Bridges Road” by Eagles

Steve Young wrote and recorded this song, and Eagles’ live version made it even more popular in the 80s. Their version literally starts and finishes a cappella, which honestly contributes to the song’s magic even more.

Apparently, “Seven Bridges Road” was actually a song that Eagles would use for vocal warmups in their green room. One night, they decided to bring the song onstage, and fans loved it.

Photo by: Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns