The punk tradition - for a change

The boy from county hell
(painting by Brian Whelan,
subject Shane MacGowan)

While we were short on numbers last week, we were not short on enthusiasm and at least one person said at the end of the evening how good it had been.

Colin was MC and started off with a song he seemed to have only come across recently but at least two of us sang along with him, so perhaps he was the only one who didn't know it? The song in question was the Lyke Wake Dirge (Roud 8194). While Colin cited the Pentangle version, Mike mentioned the version by The Young Tradition (linked here). Mike also proudly stated that he has done the Lyke Wake Walk.

We had a couple of notable, themes. The first of themes, started by Geoff, was a fairly conventional one for a folk club, being the songs of Bob Dylan. Geoff sang Just Like A Woman and John P followed up immediately with Bob Dylan's Dream. The latter being noted as taking the tune of Lady Franklin's Lament (sung a couple of weeks before by Simon). According to Mike, Dylan foolishly tried to sue someone for singing the original, traditional song to "his" tune. Much later in the evening John P sang Percy's Song (Bob Dylan).

Mike harked back just a few days to 14 May with The Bonny Black Hare (Roud 1656) while Simon sang of The Galway Shawl (Roud 2737).

Best Known To Fame

The Runcorn Ferry (Old Ted, The Boatman)
drawing by John Hassall

We started off a bit thin on the ground last week; in fact it seemed that few of us that there were, we were perhaps the only people in the pub. However we gained a few people during the evening and some more appeared in the other bar as well.

Richard was MC and he started off with Bessie Of Ballantown Brae (Laws P28). Lesley's singing of A Kiss In The Morning Early set her going on a theme of cobblers ("And off to the shoemaker's shop sure she goes For a kiss in the morning early") which she followed up with more rubbish (I jest) in the shape of Cobbler's Daughter (Kate Rusby). I have previously credited Cobbler's Daughter to Kate Rusby and have not been challenged. This time I found a video claiming to predate Kate's singing of the song but I'm not sure I believe it. Your comments on this matter would be very welcome.

Remembrance

Ebenezer Theodore Joshua

This week there was no Mike or Maggie so Richard was in charge and, being the closest session to Remembrance Sunday, remembrance and war was the theme.

Most of the small number of us assembled joined in the theme.In fact Gary started the theme off last week with his song, White poppy.

Colin started us off with Ghost Story. I don't usually add too much in the report that wasn't said on the night, but my hunt for this on the web was an interesting one. Unfortunately I didn't find a recording, but I did find this mention of the song. The first place I saw it was on the website of The Church Times: