Lorna sees the Nenes

Lorna is taken to a club some years ago…

Sanae: It’s a small place but a bit special. They’re famous.

Lorna: What does Nenes mean?

Sanae: Sisters. 

Lorna: And look, a sanxian. 

Sanae: We say sanshin. Same, same.

Lorna: Snakeskin, right?

Sanae: Heart of Okinawan music. Came from China, of course, as you well know. Small venues suit Okinawan music. Good ramen here, too. Rich and garlicky. Try some?

Lorna: Ooh, yes.

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Voice-over

In Okinawa the Nenes were known for their harmony and ballad-style story-telling songs: the sea, fishing villages, longing, a bit of melancholy. Singing in small clubs creating community. Nice.

Woody Guthrie

Lyrics that stick…

Tim: Had a line about getting robbed—"Some will rob you with a six-gun, and some with a fountain pen."
Pete: Woody Guthrie! “Pretty Boy Floyd.” Sang about justice, struggles of working folks.
Tim: Ah. And trains? Something about “This land…”
Pete: “This Land Is Your Land.” That’s his most famous one, but his songs weren’t just about the land—they were about people, railroad workers, even outlaws.
Tim: So folk music was more than just songs—more like stories?
Pete: Yup. Folk music is storytelling put to melody. Voices of farmers, laborers, wanderers—all carried on a simple tune. No fancy production, no gimmicks—just a person, a voice, and six strings.
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Voice-over
Woody inspired a lot of others - Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez. Folk music developed into protest songs. Nostalgia of the 60s.