Traditional Ballads (Folk Ballads):
* "The Ballad of Robin Hood": A classic English ballad about the legendary outlaw.
* "Barbara Allen": A tragic love ballad about a young woman's death.
* "Lord Randall": A ballad about a young man poisoned by his lover.
* "The Twa Corbies": A Scottish ballad about crows feasting on a dead knight.
* "Sir Patrick Spens": A Scottish ballad about a ship that sinks in a storm.
Literary Ballads (Inspired by Traditional Ballads):
* "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" by John Keats: A romantic ballad about a knight who is enchanted by a mysterious woman.
* "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge: A supernatural ballad about a sailor who is cursed for killing an albatross.
* "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" by Oscar Wilde: A powerful ballad about the execution of a man in prison.
* "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes: A dramatic ballad about a love story set against a backdrop of highway robbery.
Modern Ballads (Influenced by Folk and Literary Traditions):
* "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan: A protest song with elements of balladry.
* "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" by Marianne Faithfull: A melancholic ballad about a woman's life.
* "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin: A classic rock ballad with elements of fantasy and mythology.
* "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen: A widely covered ballad about love, faith, and regret.
Other Examples:
* "The Ballad of the Green Berets" by Barry Sadler: A patriotic song about the Vietnam War.
* "The Ballad of John and Yoko" by The Beatles: A song about John Lennon and Yoko Ono's relationship.
* "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" by Carson McCullers: A novel with elements of balladry.
Key Characteristics of Ballads:
* Narrative Focus: They tell a story, often with dramatic elements like love, betrayal, death, or supernatural events.
* Simple Language: They use straightforward language and imagery.
* Repetitive Structures: They often include refrains and repeated lines.
* Musical Form: They are originally meant to be sung or recited to music.
* Emotional Impact: They aim to evoke strong emotions in the listener or reader.
This list gives a taste of the diverse range of ballads that exist, spanning centuries and genres. You can explore further to discover even more fascinating examples!