Rhubarb, rhubarb

Rhubarb (Photo: yems Dinn)

We're managing quite well at the Dragon Folk Club under the new management of The Bridge Inn. We had seven singers last week and the usual varied mix of songs... and one poem. You can listen to all but the poem by following the "a selection" link below, but first a few scant details of what went on.

Colin, the MC, started off the singing with Tom Paxton's Bottle of wine. This was the first of several songs new to the Dragon database - though as usual, not necessarily new to the club. Subsequent songs new to the database will be marked with an asterisk (*).

John followed on with U2's I still haven't found what I'm looking for (* Bono).

Simon's first song of the evening was Drill ye tarriers drill (roud 4401 - Thomas Casey, Charles Connolly).

Sue brought us Island in the sun (Harry Belafonte, Irving Burgie) and Bob followed her with Went to the river (roud 469).

Chris ventured Cockles and mussels (* roud 16932) and Roger sang Mountains of Mourne (Percy French).

And so the baton returned to Colin, who sparked memories for at least two of the other singers with Malvina Reynolds' Little boxes (*).

If it need to be proved, John showed how eclectic we could be with You can't always get what you want (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards).

Bob and Sue followed up on Sue's Gatherin' rhubarb of the previous week with John Fogerty's Rhubarb pie (*). With a Kipper Family song (Not sixteen til Sunday) from Colin, and Simon diddling the theme from Roobarb and Custard, I think we could almost have ourselves a rhubarb theme.

Chris gave us the one item of the evening which is not on the linked YouTube playlist: a peom which she wrote herself entitled evening. Roger meanwhile was Makin' whoopie (*) with the song written by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn, and originally performed by Eddie Cantor.

I'm not sure how Chris' The lark in the clear air (* roud 24791 - Sir Samuel Ferguson) had managed to stay out of the Dragon database until now.

It was Colin who finished off the night with the sing-along Air fa la la lo (a traditional gaelic song translated by Hugh S Roberton).

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

(Number of people present - 7 of whom 7 performed)

On a roll

Harry Belafonte (1927-2023)

The Dragon Folk Club has really been on a roll recently with a host of "new" singers gracing us with their presence and entertaining us with their songs... and hopefully vice versa. Last week the newcomers were Susan and Steve who played and sang together when their turns came throughout the evening.

It was our MC, Colin, who started off the evening with John O' Dreams (Bill Caddick, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky). Maybe strange to start off the evening by sending everyone to sleep?

Next came Sue with Island in the sun (Harry Belafonte, Irving Burgie), no doubt marking the recent death of Harry Belafonte, and Bob with Eddie Heywood Sr's Pawn shop blues.

Steve and Susan's first contribution was Me and Bobby McGee (Kris Kristofferson, Fred Foster). Being a duo they were requested to go straight into another song which they did with Gordon Lightfoot's Redwood hill. This was before Lightfoot's recent death.

Denny sang The white cockade, which since I wasn't present I have assumed to be roud 709 rather than roud 191 - sorry if my assumption is incorrect. In retrospect I think I probably was wrong. My excuse is that 709 is The white cockade whereas 191 is effectively The <insert colour of your choice> cockade.

Paul's first song was Tom Waits' Innocent when you dream, and Geoff finished off the first round with As I roved out (roud 277, laws O17).

As is customary, I will list the remaining songs sung by newcomers to The Dragon Folk Club, Susan and Steve:

• Dimming of the day (Richard Thompson)
• If it hadn't been for love (Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton)
• Tequila sunrise (Don Henley, Glenn Frey)
• The pilgrim: chapter 33 (Kris Kristofferson)
• The ballad of St Anne's Reel (David Mallett)
• The boys in the barroom (Robert Hunter)
• I'll be your baby tonight (Bob Dylan)
• Key to the highway (Charles "Chas" Segar, William "Big Bill" Broonzy)

It fell to Geoff to close the session, which he did with Paul Simon's Slip slidin' away.

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

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