A collection of powerful and evocative songs spanning five centuries of the British oral tradition, My Song is My Own takes the reader on a musical journey of courtship, desire and sexual relationships, marriage, motherhood, childhood and work.

From ballads and industrial songs of the mine and factory, to the folk revival and children's rhymes from the street and playground, this collection reveals the hidden culture and history of women through song. Its notes and introductions offer rich insights into the songs and their historical context, and musical notation makes it perfect for singers and readers alike.

Created during the women's movement of the 1970s, this book remains the definitive collection of women’s songs in the United Kingdom.