ballad
Narrative folk song
A ballad is a narrative song or poem, typically telling a dramatic story in short stanzas.
Traditional ballads recount tales of love, tragedy, or adventure: the ballad of John Henry.
In popular music, ballad has come to mean any slow, emotional song, especially about love: power ballad, The album closes with a ballad.
Pleasing sequence of notes
- chorusSingers performing together
- verseMetered poetic passage
- refrainAbstain from acting
- tuneMusical sequence of notes
lyrics · stanza · rhyme · meter · serenade · lullaby · anthem · hymn
Metered poetic passage
- stanzaPoem's line grouping
- quatrainFour-line poetic unit
- coupletTwo successive verse lines
- refrainAbstain from acting
rhyme · meter · lyric · iamb · pentameter · recitation
Account of events
- taleSpoken or written narrative
- sagaExtended heroic narrative
- epicImpressively grand in scope
- chronicleOrdered historical record
yarn · legend · adventure · account · recital · tragedy · romance · broadside
Mournful expression of grief
- sorrowfulFilled with grief
- plaintiveSounding sad, sorrowful
- wistfulSadly longing for something
- yearningIntense prolonged craving
mournful · elegy · heartache · forlorn · pensive · doleful · tragic · weeping
Traveling performer of songs
- troubadourMedieval Provençal lyric poet
- bardPoet of epics
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- broadsideFierce written assault
heritage · Appalachian · Celtic · Scottish · English · Irish · American · griot
Intense fond attachment
- passionIntense emotional drive
- serenadeOutdoor romantic performance
- sweetheartAffectionate name for beloved
- courtshipSeeking another's romantic favor
tender · sentimental · affection · devotion · longing · heartbreak · amorous · pining
melody
Pleasing sequence of notes
tune · lyrics · stanza · rhyme · meter · serenade · lullaby · anthem · hymn · duet
verse
Metered poetic passage
refrain · rhyme · meter · lyric · iamb · pentameter · recitation
story
Account of events
chronicle · yarn · legend · adventure · account · recital · tragedy · romance · broadside · dramatic
lament
Mournful expression of grief
yearning · mournful · elegy · heartache · forlorn · pensive · doleful · tragic · weeping · loss
minstrel
Traveling performer of songs
- troubadourMedieval Provençal lyric poet
- bardPoet of epics
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
broadside · heritage · Appalachian · Celtic · Scottish · English · Irish · American · griot · jongleur
love
Intense fond attachment
- passionIntense emotional drive
- serenadeOutdoor romantic performance
- sweetheartAffectionate name for beloved
courtship · tender · sentimental · affection · devotion · longing · heartbreak · amorous · pining · beloved
lied
Told a falsehood
- songssong, songs, tune, melody, ditty
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
- folkfolk song, folk tale, folk hero, folk costume, folk remedy
- folk musicfolk, folk music, folk songs, folk singers, folk singer
- versepoem, stanza, couplet, sonnet, rhyme
- vocal musicsong, vocals, soprano, tenor, alto
balladuptempo
Musically brisk
dance number · banger · club banger · dance track · club anthem
- beach ballLightweight inflatable for shores
- ball gameSporting contest with spheres
- tennis ballHollow rubber sporting sphere
- crystal ballFortune-teller's viewing sphere
- soccer ballKicked sport sphere
- play ballCooperate or begin game
ball, ballet, ballroom, balled, ballads, balladeer, balladry, balletic, ballade