Goodbye Tony, hello Neil

Tony Bennett in the 1960s

At last week's Dragon Folk Club session it was great to invite Neil on his first visit. He came in just as Geoff was finishing the first round and so was straight in to sing. To his credit he didn't flinch and simply asked if we wanted a happy song or a sad one. He contributed to another great evening and we hope to see him again very soon.

Colin as MC started the singing, and noting the recent death of jazz singer Tony Bennett gave us one from his repertoire: Anything goes (Cole Porter).

In a similar musical vein Sue sang Everything stops for tea, written by Al Hoffman, Al Goodhart and Maurice Sigler. Both of these first two songs were new to the Dragon database, though of course not necessarily entirely new to the club.

Bob's first song of the evening was Gordon Lightfoot's Early Morning Rain.

Simon brought us a more sombre tone with Peat bog soldiers, written by prisoners in the Börgermoor Nazi moorland labour camp in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Denny sang the Scottish love ballad, Broom of the Cowdenknowes (roud 92, child 217). Paul called his song old, but finally admitted that Cyril Tawney's Grey funnel line was slightly younger than his own years.

Geoff was singing Ralph McTell's Streets of London as Neil walked into the room. Barely catching a breath, Neil gave us The rebel soldier, which is seems is a precursor to songs such as Jack o' Diamonds and Rye whiskey. All these songs are under 259 in the roud index. While Rye whiskey was already in the database, The rebel soldier was a new entry.

And so we completed the first circuit of the room.

Tradition is that I mention all the songs of a newcomer to the club, Neil in this case:

• The most laementable ballade of Edward the Young (Daniel Kahn) - new to the database
• Tiny notes (Sean Cooney) - new to the database
• Oh Shenandoah (roud 324) - bizarrely, new to the database (it must previously have escaped)

A little more about Neil later in this report.

Sue sang another "new" song: The ugly bug ball written by brothers Robert B Sherman and Richard M Sherman. It was written for the Disney film Summer Magic in which it was sung by Burl Ives. At first, Walt Disney didn't care for "Ugly Bug Ball", but Robert Sherman explained that to bugs, other bugs were not ugly even if they looked ugly to us, beauty being in the eye of the beholder. Disney liked the idea and the song went on to become one of the most popular songs of the year.

It fell to Neil to close the evening which he did with Picture in a frame (Tom Waits, Kathleen Brennan) which was alos the final new entry into the database for the evening.

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

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

New friends and old

Terry C a few years ago
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Once again your usual scribe wasn't at the Dragon Folk Session last week, but it was great to hear that our old friend Terry C made an appearance for the first time in a long time. Also great to hear was that it was the first visit by Stuart and Carrie who both play the guitar and the ukulele.

Stuart and Carrie were straight in at the deep end, starting the session with Fresh as a sweet Sunday morning (Bert Jansch) and Waiting around to die (Townes Van Zandt).

Bob sang Merle Haggard's White line fever which Sue followed that with Ain't misbehavin' (Andy Razaf, Fats Waller, Harry Brooks).

Terry C's long-hoped-for return to the club started with Jim Moreland's What happened to the ponies. Sorry, there's no YouTube video in the playlist of this lovely song and even an article I have linked before about Jim has disappeared from the Sunderland Echo website.

On easier ground for this report writer, Colin went to Newfoundland for I'se the b'y (roud 4432).

Denny sang Broom of the Cowdenknowes (roud 92). The linked recording, made by Terry H, is of the club's late friend Ray.

Paul finished the first round with Keith Marsden's Bring us a barrel.

It is tradition that I mention all the songs sung by newcomers Stuart and Carrie. Their remaining offerings were:

• Bring me a boat (Kate Rusby, Phil Cunningham)
• Don't let the sun catch you crying (Gerry Marsden, Freddie Marsden, Les Chadwick, Les Maguire)
• Nine hundred miles (roud 4959)
• The rambling Irishman (roud 3572)
• Spancil Hill (roud 22062 - Michael Considine)
• Don't want to know (John Martyn)
• Long black veil (roud 18510 - Danny Dill, Marijohn Wilkin)
• Summertime (DuBose Heyward, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin)

There were lots of songs sung during the evening that are new to the Dragon database (though not necessarily new to the club). Some of these have already been mentioned, but the remainder are listed here:

• Sue - Love of the common people (John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins)
• Colin - Drinking with Rosie (Richard Digance)
• Terry C - Soap, starch and candles (V56772) - not in the playlist linked below
• Colin - Down on the corner (John Forgerty)
• Bob and Sue - Blue eyes crying in the rain (Fred Rose)
• Bob and Sue - Blackpool Belle (Howard Broadbent, Jimmy Smith)
• Colin - My friend the sun (Roger Chapman, Charlie Whitney)
• Paul - Rufford Park poachers (roud 1759)
• Terry - Goodbye my old friend (Mike Denver)

After all that excitement it feel to Colin to complete the evening with Peter Bellamy's Sweet ladies of Plymouth from his folk opera "The Transports".

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

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