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| | Broadside Ballads - Finding Aid (New York State Library) (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-08-19) |
 | | The "broadside ballad," which Shepard notes is one of the most widespread and enduring forms of street literature, is defined as a narrative song or poem printed on one side of a single sheet of paper. |
 | | Moreover, in common with the modern "tabloid" press, broadside ballads tended to dwell on the more sensational news of the day: crimes, executions, natural disasters, scandals, battles, etc. And, as with newspapers, the market for broadside ballads was stimulated by the urgency of the events they covered. |
 | | Some broadside ballads, especially in the nineteenth century, were simply re-printings of current popular hits, often published in connection with theatrical, minstrel-show or music-hall performances. |
| www.nysl.nysed.gov /msscfa/broadsides.htm (2799 words) |
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