The Octogenarian

Bob Dylan at Azkena Rock Festival
in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, in June 2010

We were only four at last Friday's Dragon Folk Club session but we got through twenty nine songs which isn't too shoddy.

Colin as MC started the evening with Jez Lowe's The Lazarus Dance.

The main theme that emerged was driven by Geoff who sang exclusively songs by octogenarian, Bob Dylan, for his birthday:

• She belongs to me
• The times they are a-chaingin'
• It ain't me babe
• Blowing in the wind
• Just like a woman
• Positively 4th Street
• Mr tambourine man
• Don't think twice it's alright

Simon added one to the Dylan count with The mighty Quinn.

There's one more thing to mention before signing off and that is that Colin Colin sang a song which doesn't seem to know its own name. I think Colin thought of it as Wimoweh, possibly after the version by Karl Denver (or possibly not). Younger readers may know it as The lion sleeps tonight, possibly from the version by Tight Fit. It was however written in 1939 by Solomon Linda under the title Mbube.

It was also Colin who finished the session with Three Jolly Fishermen (roud 3496).

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

(Number of people present - 4 of whom 4 performed)

Bob Dylan's Prize

Bob Dylan, pictured just down
the road from us at Aust ferry in 1966

For last week's session we ended up in the public bar again, displaced by a private party but our numbers, at 11 were pretty reasonable and swelled by a newcomer, who I believe said his name was Steve. He didn't sing but indicated that he could be prepared to perform on another visit. We look forward to it.

Colin was MC and there was no set theme though some people chose to mark Bob Dylan being honoured by the Nobel Committee as its literary laureate. I note that the latest reports as I write this indicate that Bob hasn't responded to repeated attempts to contact him and that they have now given up. We shall see whether he turns up to receive his award.