Down but not out

Our outgoing landlady, Helen

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session marked a recent low-point in attendance, but for good reason. We were hit by other musical events taking place, not least the dying embers of the Sidmouth Folk Festival. It's worth noting also that it was the last week at The Bridge for Helen our friendly landlady of the last seven years.

We're not quite sure what happens next for the club. Please come along this Friday to show your support, but be prepared that things may not be business as usual. Let's just hope we can continue as normal, but if not then service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Back to last week, the singing was started by our MC Colin with Lamorna (roud 16636). Apparently the song, on the face of it about a village in Cornwall, was originally about a Manchester pleasure ground called Pomona Gardens.

Next came John with Leon Payne's Lost Highway, made famous by Hank Williams.

Simon asked Where have all the flowers gone? The first three verses were written by Pete Seeger before Joe Hickerson added another two verses which brought it back round to verse one.

And so, very quickly this week, the first rotation was complete.

John threw himself into the second rotation with a new song for the Dragon database, though as usual not necessarily for the club, Satan, your kingdom must come down (roud 5737). John also provided the next addition to the database with Bob Dylan's It takes a lot to laugh, it takes a train to cry.

Simon sang My grandfather's ferret, written by Derek Jolly. It was pointed out correctly that Jolly's song used the tune from My grandfather's clock, a song written by Henry Clay Work. Was it coincidence or clever design that had Colin later singing Ring the bell, watchman: a song thought to have been written by that very same Mr Work. This latter song was also an addition to the Dragon database.

Other new songs for the database last week were:

• Colin - El Salvador (Johnny Duhan)
• Colin - Bold Sir Rylas (roud 29, child 18)

Simon finished off the session with Jackson C Frank's Blues run the game.

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

(Number of people present - 3 of whom 3 performed)

Centenary of Passchendaele

Australian gunners on a duckboard track in
Château Wood near Hooge, 29 October 1917
(Photo: Frank Hurley)

We were about to start with only three of us at last week's session when Mike came through the door with his canine companion, Indy. As he left for the bar I think it was Colin who suggested we start and Derek who insisted we wait for Mike to return. And so we started with four, plus dog. But before we were through a song or two Chris and Roger arrived to make us properly quorate.

Colin was MC and started the singing with Lamorna (Roud 16636), a song from Cornwall; a version of a song from Manchester called Pomona.

Simon was next to sing with No Sir No (Roud 146). Derek noted this week's centenary of Passchendaele, the Third Battle of Ypres and sang what he claimed was the Copper Family's version of Two Young Brethren (Roud 202). Well the linked version by Folly Bridge appears to be faithful to the Copper's but isn't particularly close to what Derek sang. In any case, Mike commented in relation to Derek's version that his friend Dave Marshall sang very similar words but had two further verses, I believe making more of the brewing of the harvest to make beer.

Pot pourri

The title page of an edition of The Sacred Harp

Mike wasn't feeling too well at last week's session, so Richard was put in charge, and he ably MCed the evening.

Chico made an appearance at the club for the first time in 10 or 15 years according to his memory. We were certainly entertained by his songs: Roll along, Seaman's shuffle (a ragtime tune) and 21st century troubadour (download sample). Let's hope we see him at The Bridge before the next decade starts.

Terry isn't anywhere near as rare a visitor to the club as Chico, but this time he was missing his usual companion: his classical guitar. It was therefore from a slightly different repertoire that we hear him sing on this occasion. Terry sang The Dutchman by Michael P Smith, John Willie's ferret by the Oldham Tinkers, and Lamorna. The last song, appearing to be about a place in Cornwall, seems to be derived from a 19th century broadside providing words to a song called Down to Pomona, which is set in Manchester.