5 Folk Songs That Defined the American Experience

The folk genre has always been a huge part of political music and patriotic songs alike. These five particular folk songs are beautifully intertwined with the American experience, and they are still so relevant decades after they were first released. Let’s take a look, shall we?

1. “Blowin’ In The Wind” by Bob Dylan

Arguably one of Bob Dylan’s greatest songs of his career, the 1963 song “Blowin’ In The Wind” is a notable Americana protest song. Not only is the song itself compositionally sound, but its lyrics about freedom, war, and peace are intentionally ambiguous. It’s constantly found on lists of the greatest American songs of all time, and we understand why it’s so loved years after it was released.

2. “This Land Is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie

Few folk songs capture the American experience quite like Woody Guthrie’s classic “This Land Is Your Land”. Guthrie was ahead of his time with this 1945 release. “This Land Is Your Land” was written as a response (and criticism) of “God Bless America” by Irving Berlin. The lyrics explore all of the natural beauty the United States has to offer, juxtaposed with the mention of private property and a mild (but notable) criticism of land ownership and wealth.

3. “Early Morning Rain” by Gordon Lightfoot

Canada’s darling Gordon Lightfoot released “Early Morning Rain” back in 1966. While living in Los Angeles, Lightfoot penned this song about being homesick and watching the planes leave the Los Angeles International Airport on particularly rainy days. It’s since become a bit of a legendary and incredibly relatable track to anyone who has journeyed to the United States for a better life, but still yearns for the comfort of home.

4. “The Circle Game” by Joni Mitchell

Another Canadian-penned tune, the 1970 track “The Circle Game” is one of Joni Mitchell’s very best. The song also happens to be one of Mitchell’s most-covered compositions to date. It makes sense why. “The Circle Game” is a response to Neil Young’s “Sugar Mountain”, a song about mourning one’s youth. 

Mitchell’s “The Circle Game” is significant in its positivity and hope: “So the years spin by and now the boy is twenty / Though his dreams have lost some grandeur coming true / There’ll be new dreams, maybe better dreams and plenty / Before the last revolving year is through.” That’s the kind of Americana poetry that got Mitchell famous in the first place.

5. “Diamonds And Rust” by Joan Baez

Joan Baez’ 1974 song “Diamonds & Rust” is one of her best pieces of work. It also happens to be about her ex, Bob Dylan. The lyrics itself may not reference the American experience exactly, but it’s a shoo-in for any list of legendary Americana songs from the 1970s. For many, this song was playing in the background of their day-to-day lives in the US back in the day.

Photo by Universal History Archive/ Universal Images Group

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