Examples from literature

• It was only an old Christmas carol, the music that of a German folk song, but dear to generations of Christmas singers everywhere. 
• The air was unfamiliar, but it sounded like a folk song of his own country, and he put into it all the poignant, peculiar melody of such a song. 
• The characteristics of German and English folk songs may be observed in the familiar airs of these nations. 
• The folk songs are the truest and most interesting national literature. 
• These folk songs have a strong similarity to Scotch and Irish songs, owing to the absence of the fourth and seventh degrees of the scale.