Skyrim:Bardic Performances

Throughout Skyrim are musical performers, often called Bards or Skalds, that play and sing a number of different songs. In addition to the normal NPC interactions, these characters allow the player to request performances of specific songs they wish to hear. However, not every performer can play every song. These bards will also play purely instrumental numbers in between performances on drums, flute, or lute. Performers can most often be found in taverns but can wander to other locations during the day.

A complete list of bards in Skyrim can be found here. For a list of bards that perform, see below.  

Music
There are five songs able to be requested during the game, although a bard can only play two or three of them depending on if the main questline has been completed. The songs are:
:#Ragnar the Red
:#The Dragonborn Comes
:#Age of Aggression
:#Age of Oppression
:#Tale of the Tongues
:Those songs are detailed in the books Songs of Skyrim and Songs of Skyrim: Revised.

:*Depending on the political climate of the location the bard is playing in, either "Age of Aggression" or "Age of Oppression" will be available. If the politics of the city changes the available song will also change to match the new political environment. "Age of Aggression" is played in Imperial-controlled areas, while "Age of Oppression" is played in Stormcloak-controlled areas. 
:*"Tale of the Tongues" only becomes available once the main questline has been completed.

Bards can play one of three drum performances.
:Listen to a sample of drum song 1
:Listen to a sample of drum song 2
:Listen to a sample of drum song 3

There are 6 flute songs that bards can play. They are named in their filenames, as opposed to the drum and lute songs, which are only given numbers.
:Listen to a sample of Sarba
:Listen to a sample of Psalm
:Listen to a sample of Book of Life
:Listen to a sample of Ascents
:Listen to a sample of Trip
:Listen to a sample of Spring House

There are 4 lute songs that bards may play.
:Listen to a sample of lute song 1
:Listen to a sample of lute song 2
:Listen to a sample of lute song 3
:Listen to a sample of lute song 4

Performers

  Lynly Star-Sung is unique in that she only plays instrumental music, and does not sing. For 5 gold she will play a random lute song. While working she will also spontaneously perform something on the flute, but not by request. 
  Talsgar the Wanderer will play a requested song for 25 gold. He can be randomly encountered wandering around Skyrim.

Notes
Riften does not have any performers, despite having two pubs for them to play in. The player can, however, discover why Lynly Star-Sung has fled from Riften - although only as far as Ivarstead, which is still in The Rift hold.
Winterhold also lacks a resident bard. It has a tavern but there isn't much left of the city.
Morthal's bard, Lurbuk, is considered by many to be the worst bard in Skyrim, and will improvise a "song of fear, and death!" for you if you request it. It appears that people who have heard him sing are on the point of resorting to drastic measures...
The students and teachers at the Bards College in Solitude can be heard learning and practicing, but do not take requests.
Occasionally carriage drivers can be heard singing Ragnar the Red before the loading screen pops up.
Standing too close to a bard while they are performing will cause them to step back, ending their performance prematurely.
Lute song 1 is a rendition of one of the tavern themes in Arena, also heard as a shop theme in Daggerfall.

Lyrics
Here are the lyrics for the songs shown in the Performances table:

The Age of Aggression

:Listen to a sample (Maleyoungeaager)

We drink to our youth, to days come and gone. For the age of aggression is just about done. 
We'll drive out the Stormcloaks and restore what we own. With our blood and our steel we'll take back our home. 
Down with Ulfric the killer of kings. On the day of your death we'll drink and we'll sing. 
We're the children of Skyrim, and we fight all our lives. And when Sovngarde beckons, every one of us dies! 
But this land is ours and we'll see it wiped clean. Of the scourge that has sullied our hopes and our dreams. 

The Age of Oppression

:Listen to a sample (Femaleeventoned)

We drink to our youth, and to days come and gone. For the age of oppression is now nearly done. 
We'll drive out the Empire from this land that we own. With our blood and our steel we will take back our home. 
All hail to Ulfric! You are the High King! In your great honor we drink and we sing. 
We're the children of Skyrim, and we fight all our lives. And when Sovngarde beckons, every one of us dies! 
But this land is ours and we'll see it wiped clean. Of the scourge that has sullied our hopes and our dreams. 

Ragnar the Red

:Listen to a sample (Maleyoungeager)

There once was a hero named Ragnar the Red, who came riding to Whiterun from ole Rorikstead! 
And the braggart did swagger and brandish his blade, as he told of bold battles and gold he had made! 
But then he went quiet, did Ragnar the Red, when he met the shieldmaiden Matilda who said... 
"Oh, you talk and you lie and you drink all our mead! Now I think it's high time that you lie down and bleed!" 
And so then came the clashing and slashing of steel, as the brave lass Matilda charged in full of zeal! 
And the braggart named Ragnar was boastful no moooooree... when his ugly red head rolled around on the floor! 

The Dragonborn Comes

:Listen to a sample (Femaleeventoned)

Our hero, our hero, claims a warrior's heart. 
I tell you, I tell you, the Dragonborn comes. 
With a Voice wielding power of the ancient Nord art. 
Believe, believe, the Dragonborn comes. 
It's an end to the evil, of all Skyrim's foes. 
Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes. 
For the darkness has passed, and the legend yet grows. 
You'll know, You'll know the Dragonborn's come. 

Tale of the Tongues

:Listen to a sample (Femaleeventoned)

Alduin's wings, they did darken the sky. His roar fury's fire, and his scales sharpened scythes. 
Men ran and they cowered, and they fought and they died. They burned and they bled as they issued their cries. 
We need saviors to free us from Alduin's rage. Heroes on the field of this new war to wage. 
And if Alduin wins, man is gone from this world. Lost in the shadow of the black wings unfurled. 
But then came the Tongues on that terrible day. Steadfast as winter, they entered the fray. 
And all heard the music of Alduin's doom. The sweet song of Skyrim, sky-shattering Thu'um. 
And so the Tongues freed us from Alduin's rage. Gave the gift of the Voice, ushered in a new Age. 
If Alduin is eternal, then eternity's done. For his story is over and the dragons are... gone. 

Bugs
 
The Dragonborn Comes: "With a voice wielding power of the ancient Nord art."
The Age of Aggression: ''"Down with Ulfric the killer of kings. On the day of your death we'll drink and we'll sing."
The Age of Oppression: "All hail to Ulfric! You are the High King! In your great honor we drink and we sing."''