Song

A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usually made of sections that are repeated or performed with variation later. A song without instruments is said to be a cappella.

Written words created for music are called lyrics. Songs can be simple and learned by ear, like folk songs, or created for professional singers to perform, known as popular songs. Songs are performed in studios and recorded, or they are performed live for an audience. They may also appear in theatre, such as in opera, films, and TV shows.

A song may be for a solo singer, a lead singer with background singers, a duet, a trio, or a larger group singing in harmony. Songs can be sung without instruments or with accompaniment from instruments like guitars, pianos, or full bands. In different music styles, singers learn songs in various ways, sometimes by ear and sometimes from written music.

Genres

Art

Main article: Art song

Art songs are special songs performed by classical singers, often with piano or other instruments. These songs need strong singing skills and understanding of language and poetry. They come from many European countries and now other places with classical music. The words are usually written by a poet, and the music by a composer. Art songs can be more complex than everyday songs, but some early ones are simple. The music is an important part of these songs.

Folk

Main article: Folk music

Folk songs are old songs that often have no known writer and are passed down by mouth. They are important to many cultures and can become like folk songs when people forget who wrote them. Folk songs exist in nearly every culture and can be about many things, like love, work, or rituals. There are many kinds of folk songs, including lullabies, dance songs, and more.

Sporting

A sporting song is a folk song that talks about activities like fox hunting, horse racing, and gambling. Though songs about boxers and racehorses were popular in the past, few are sung today. One famous song is "D'ye ken John Peel", which is often used as a marching tune.

Lute

Main article: Lute song

Lute songs were a style of music from the late 1500s to early 1600s in England and France. These songs were usually sung by one voice with lute accompaniment, though sometimes other instruments were used too.

Part

Main article: Part song

A part song is a type of group singing where the song is written for several voices. These songs are usually not religious and are often sung by groups of men or women.

Patter

Main article: Patter song

A patter song is a fast-paced song with quick rhythms where each word matches one note. These songs are common in funny operas and musicals.