The last buds of May?

Bessie Smith (Photo: Carl Van Vechten)

Last week's session again had no theme but again we managed to squeeze out some May themed songs between us. This week again will have no theme, so any sort of performance will be just fine as long as it's acoustic.

Colin, the MC, started us off by twisting May a little as a name, and singing a song of Sam May, which I have failed to trace. It however inspired Derek to think of using "May" as a name and did a version of Tom Paxton's brief The Ballad Of Spiro Agnew but re-titled The Ballad Of Theresa May.

Mike's first May contribution was Bonny Black Hare (Roud 1656) "On the fouteenth of May...".

Having failed at the first fence the previous week, Simon just about managed Claudy Banks (Roud 266, Laws N40) this week which served to deprive Mike of one of his candidates for the evening.

I woke up on a May morning...

The Bristol Shantymen
including our own Mike and occasional visitor, John

I don't think there was an official theme this week, but quite a few people had at least one offering relating to May. Mike opened the evening with Hal an Tow.

Hal-an-tow

Jolly-rum-ba-low

We were up

long before the day-o

To welcome in the summer

To welcome in the May-O

Summer is a coming in

and winter's gone away