Susannes Folksong-Notizen
[1997:] When I look back on my development as a songwriter, I'm convinced that I learned a tremendous amount from listening to and singing traditional folk songs. Some of the traditional melodies from Great Britain and Ireland are the most beautiful I've ever heard and the lyrics can have the fluency of poetic expression at its most natural. Folk music has been lovingly handed down from one generation to another, from people who had nothing to bequeath to those who followed but their culture. The songs have been moulded by calloused hands into things of beauty, where form and content are equally balanced. It is therefore not surprising, because of my love of folk music that I have occasionally used some of the perennial themes, most of the time quite unconsciously when my life experiences have coincided with them. One of the traditional songs which has a theme used by many is "Young Ramble Away", which I used to sing as a teenager when I was learning folksongs.
The song came so quickly I almost put it aside as it had seemed too easy to write. It was only after a month or so that I realised it had a certain innocent charm that only comes with pure inspiration. It is one of the most simple songs I have written, yet it is one of the most requested. (Taylor, Songs 39)
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