Work Song

Work songs may be sung choral (in unison or antiphonally) or solo. Despite the mundane context in which the songs are sung, the lyrics are often religious.For example, Buddhist mantras are sung while harvesting, and building songs use religious imagery to praise the new structure. Work songs include harvesting, sowing, plowing, and threshing songs, grass-cutting songs, building songs, weaving and felt-making songs, milking songs, and animal husbandry songs that encourage new livestock mothers to nurse their offspring.