"Ballads derive from the medieval French chanson balladée or ballade, which were originally 'dance songs'."
Narrative songs that tell a story, often about love, loss, or tragedy.
"They were widely used across Europe, and later in Australia, North Africa, North America and South America."
"Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century."
"Many ballads employ quatrains with ABCB or ABAB rhyme schemes, the key being a rhymed second and fourth line."
"While ballads have no prescribed structure and may vary in their number of lines and stanzas..."
"...it is rare if not unheard-of for a ballad to contain exactly 13 lines."
"Additionally, couplets rarely appear in ballads."
"Many ballads were written and sold as single-sheet broadsides."
"The form was often used by poets and composers from the 18th century onwards to produce lyrical ballads."
"In the later 19th century, the term took on the meaning of a slow form of popular love song..."
"...used for any love song, particularly the sentimental ballad of pop or rock music..."
"...although the term is also associated with the concept of a stylized storytelling song or poem, particularly when used as a title for other media such as a film."
"...originally 'dance songs'."
"They were widely used across Europe, and later in Australia, North Africa, North America and South America."
"Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century."
"Many ballads employ quatrains with ABCB or ABAB rhyme schemes, the key being a rhymed second and fourth line."
"While ballads have no prescribed structure and may vary in their number of lines and stanzas..."
"...the term took on the meaning of a slow form of popular love song..."
"Although the term is also associated with the concept of a stylized storytelling song or poem..."
"Many ballads were written and sold as single-sheet broadsides."