A great evening of song

Thornbury Carnival 2019 (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Of course I almost always say we had a great evening at the Dragon Folk Club session, but yesterday really was exceptional I think. We were joined by first-time dragon, Gabriel, who not only showed us his skill at singing, guitar playing and song writing, but brought the average age of the sing-around down by a significant margin. We definitely hope to see him again, which of course also applies to second-timers Paul O and Rich. It was great to see Stuart and Carrie again, as it was Rob, and the regulars who were there also seemed in fine voice.

The next session on Friday 26th June will again be without a theme and as usual everyone is welcome to come and sing, play, recite or perform in any way within reason as long as it's acoustic.

Back to yesterday's session (19th June), Colin was MC, but Stuart and Carrie had arrived first and were therefore asked to sing first. They opened with Don't want to know (John Martyn). Since it's one song each per rotation they were asked to sing again and gave us Genesis Hall (Richard Thompson).

Colin's first of the evening was The squaddie's Lullaby (Graeme Miles) and Heather followed that with an unusual version of My favourite things, said, almost certainly apocryphally, to have been sung by Julie Andrews on her 69th or 79th birthday depending on where you read it.

Simon sang Sugar in the hold below and Rob gave us a new song for him: Fair Mabel of Wallington Hall (* roud 59, child 91).

Gabriel's debut song at the Dragon was Keep me from blowing away (* Paul Craft). Gabriel said that during a period of bad weather earlier in the year he learnt a lot of related songs.

Paul, saying that he rarely does so sober, sang unaccompanied The band played waltzing Matilda (Eric Bogle) before Rich finished off the first rotation with Mammas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys (Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce).

While there wasn't an official theme, there was a very tight one that emerged. After Heather sang Scarborough Fair (roud 12, child 2), which itself is a version of The elfin knight, Rob sang his own version of the same song which he calls Scarborough so fair (Rob Winder). Gabriel continued the theme by singing the song that Bob Dylan wrote after playing Scarborough fair with Martin Carthy: Girl from the North country (*).

Traditionally, I will mention all of the songs we heard from newcomer Gabriel. Apart from those already mentioned he sang:

• Born in 41 (*# Gabriel Wynne)
• Church Street blues (* Norman Blake)

 Other songs not previously in the Dragon database were:

• Paul O - Gwyn Fawr (*# Paul O'Sullivan) - Paul describes it as a love song to a reservoir 
• Heather - When I fall in love (* Edward Heyman, Victor Young)
• Paul O - The well below the valley (* roud 2335, child 21) - while the song was in the database this was the third distinct version to be added
• Rich - Ernie (the fastest milkman in the West) (* Benny Hill) - most people present knew the words well, which indicates their ages (except for Gabriel). Your scribe for one was very young, but even I remember it on Top of the Pops and was able to sing along to almost every word!

Stuart and Carrie finished off the session with Dimming of the day (Richard Thompson)

Now listen to a selection of songs sung during this session.

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Songs and stories

The bellringers (Photo: Simon Meeds)

It was songs and stories at the Dragon Folk Club session last week thanks to our occasional visiting story-teller Jane. It was great to see, and hear, her. 

I'm not aware of an official theme this Friday, so bring whatever songs, tune, stories or other types of performance you wish, maybe forming your own personal theme, but that's definitely not a requirement.

Colin, our regular MC, starting things off with Steve Knightley's Tall ships. Simon gave a first outing to is version of The lish young buy-a-broom (roud 1865).

Paul found Somewhere to begin (T R Ritchie) and Denny looked for her Young banker (roud 3321).

Steve sung about William Stone (Graeme Miles) before Jane gave us the first of her stories to finish off the initial rotation. Jane's story, called Sammy (* Jane), was a true one about a rook which her mother rescued and which then coexisted for some time, happily it seems, with the family's car and bull terrier dog. I won't let on the direction of the story for fear of spoiling it if Jane tells it to you.

All of Jane's performances were new to the Dragon database, probably because we hadn't heard them before, but even if we had I haven't previously recorded many of then, so who knows?

• Being on my own (Jane) - a poem about the fact that she likes her own company
• Jane's school friend Nick (Jane) - about a school friend who was an ornithologist with whom she had some adventures, and who had a tendency to appear at unexpected times.
• A lament for a bath (Jane) - a poem for a friend who is no longer able to enjoy her beloved bath times.
• The last elephant - a story about the last elephant and its keeper, perhaps triggered by Paul's singing of The last of the great whales (Louis/Louisa Killen).
• The flatmate - a joke in the form of a story about a young man, his female flatmate and his mother. 

The only song of the evening new to the Dragon database - but certainly sing at the club before the database was created - was Paul's John Kanaka (roud 8238), the penultimate performance of the evening.

Denny finished off the session with The bellringing (roud 1515).

Now listen to a selection of songs sung during this session.

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

A Battling Assortment Box

Field Gun Competition, Portsmouth c1988 (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was theme-less and brought together an eclectic mix of songs. The same should apply this Friday, so please come along and show us your performances of any type as long as they are acoustic. Everyone is most certainly welcome, whether you perform or prefer to listen, maybe joining in a chorus and some banter.

Colin was in the MC's chair and asked Roger to start off. Roger often sings us his own songs and so he did with the brand new Apocalypse (*# Roger Stanleigh). Colin himself followed with The battle of Sowerby Bridge.

Denny gave us  Row on (roud 2084) and Paul W debuted Cold coast of Iceland (* Mike Waterson).

Simon added John Bowlin' (* roud 1760) to the Dragon database, though it has definitely been sung at the club before, by Richard Gillion if no one else, but it probably predated the birth of the database.

Paul M introduced us to The Dreadnoughts' tribute to Stan Rogers in the form of Dear old Stan (*).

Sue sang Blowin' in the wind (Bob Dylan) before Bob completed the first rotation with Bear Creek blues (roud 17345 - AP Carter). 

There were two other songs new to the Dragon database:

• Paul M - A ballad of the ranks (* Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) - the linked video is a reading of the original poem. Paul not only had a tune but had also rewritten some verses to include counties close to his heart.
• Denny - Old fid (* Bill Lowndes)

Other songs not found on YouTube and therefore not included in the "a selection" playlist were: 

• Roger - Can't be doing this no more (Roger Stanleigh)
• Roger - Dry your eyes (this may be a Roger Stanleigh original, but I'm not certain)

one further song that needs mentioning is Colin's The Mermaid (roud 9143) which I misidentified on a previous outing as roud 124, which is another song of the same name. Having mentioned that I feel I should also record that Denny sang The forsaken mermaid (roud 466, laws K17).

Paul W finished off the evening with The rose of Allandale (roud 1218 - Charles Jefferys, Sidney Nelson).

Now listen to a selection of songs sung during this session.

(Number of people present - 9 of whom 8 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

A Solid Session

(Photo: Simon Meeds)

With Colin back in the MC's chair it was another excellent Dragon Folk Club session last week. There were six singers and two people made up our audience: Hazel and Jane. There was no theme, and that was reflected in the variety of songs.

With no theme again this Friday you are encouraged to come along and show us any type of performance as long as it's acoustic. If you want to bring your own theme then that's fine too.

Last Friday MC Colin started proceedings with a parody written by friend of the club, Richard Gillion, The last thing on your mind (#), as Richard puts it with "apologies to Tom Paxton".

Simon kept it parody, and referred to the singing of the source song the previous week, with Mary McCloud's House of the rising damp.

Paul M made us chuckle with Tommy Armstrong's apparent recollections of the first few days after his birth in The birth of the lad (* Tommy Armstrong) or more properly "Th' Borth E Th' Lad", and Denny kept it light with Les Barker's Sloop John A.

Paul W reprised his new song from three weeks before, I will always love you (Les Sullivan).

Heather brought the first rotation to a close with Save the last dance for me (* Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman).

There was a good number of other songs new to the Dragon database:

• Heather - Que sera sera (* Jay Livingston, Ray Evans)
• Paul M - The Batavia shanty (* John Warner)
• Paul M - Joli Rouge (* The Dreadnoughts) - about the Canadian cider of the same name
• Colin - The Dorset Juggernaut (* Bonny Sartin)
• Paul M - Lowlands low (* roud 8286) - yes, this appears to be a different song from Lowlands (roud 681) which shares a roud entry with Lowlands (roud 681).

This week it fell to Denny to finish off the session and she had us all chorusing along to Dave Dodds' I can hew boys.

Now listen to a selection of songs sung during this session.

(Number of people present - 8 of whom 6 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).