May the force be with you

Stokes Croft, Bristol
Not too far from Gloucester Road
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

We had another cracking session at the Dragon Folk Club last week. Despite five of the previous week's eight singers being absent we still met as six and managed to sing a whopping forty two songs. It's not quite a record, but it was a very good effort.

We were a little late getting round to our annual "May" theme this year because of some little royal event or other. We sang a reasonable number of songs about the month of May before we started to move to songs about people called May and songs including the word "may". I won't try to work out which were which because I would no doubt fail somewhere.

In the absence of Colin, Simon was MC and started the evening with Claudy Banks (roud 266, laws N40).

In his absence Denny took as her own one of the songs Paul usually sings with Rosabella (roud 21134). Geoff borrowed Galway Shawl (roud 2737) from Simon. No, we don't really own songs, but he did make an unnecessary apology. Steve C gave us Just as the tide was a-flowing (roud 1105).

Steve and Sue opened their account with Maggie May (roud 1757), closely followed by Nobody knows you when you're down and out (roud 18521 - Jimmy Cox). And so ended the first of seven tours of the room during the evening.

I'll mention the songs new to the Dragon database although that doesn't necessarily mean they haven't been sung here before. Unsurprisingly, most of them come from relative newcomers to the club, Steve and Sue whose repertoire is not yet a matter of record.

• Steve and Sue - Run for home (Alan Hull)
• Steve and Sue - Roll me up and smoke me when I die (Willie Nelson, Buddy Cannon, Rich Alves, John Colgin, Mike McQuerry)
• Steve and Sue - Gloucester Road (Andrew McGillan - "inspired by John Denver")
• Steve and Sue - Walking back to Blueberry Hill (Billy Mitchell - about Fats Domino)
• Steve and Sue - Killing the Blues (Rowland Salley)
• Steve and Sue - My walking shoes (don't fit me anymore) (Paul Williams, Jimmy Martin)
• Steve and Sue - You ain't goin' nowhere (Bob Dylan)
• Steve and Sue - Corinne, Corrina (roud 10030 - first recorded by Bo Carter)
• Geoff - I did what I did for Maria (Mitch Murray, Peter Callander - recorded by Tony Christie)
• Steve and Sue - Further on up the road (Bruce Springsteen)

The only song of the evening not on the YouTube playlist linked from "a selection" below was Steve C's When Adam was first created (roud 728).

The session was completed by Steve and Sue performing Bob Dylan's I'll be your baby tonight.

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

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

King Charles III Coronation

Gordon Lightfoot (1938-2023)

We met the day before the coronation in the knowledge that we probably didn't all have the same view of the King or of his coronation. Not all of the songs sung had anything to do with the theme, but those that were sung were both sung and heard non-judgmentally. The sentiment of each song may or may not represent the thoughts or beliefs of the singer.

The group of singers who met numbered a very respectable eight persons and good sing was indeed had.

Colin, as MC and first arrival, started off with Rod Shearman's London River.

Some of us were fairly tenuous in our connections, satisfying ourselves with mentions of some king or queen, and so did Denny who sang Vin Garbutt's Beggar's Bridge.

Paul had written one song especially for the evening, a version of Bold Riley (roud 18160), which I suppose he called Old Charlie. Charles III is of course the oldest British monarch to be crowned. Later he even wrote another song on the fly: a version of Roll the Old Chariot (roud 3632) which he presumably called Roll the Old Carriage.

Rob often reacts to the words of Child Ballads, realising that either the story isn't finished or lacks some element of exposition - he proceeds then to write a companion song which attempts to fill in the gaps. In just this spirit he sang his own rewrite of the Hindhorn (roud 28, child 17) story, which he calls Young Horn and Lady Jean.

Simon brought out the kings in force with a rendition of The Vicar of Bray (roud V4266).

Bob created a secondary theme for the evening (not followed up on) which referred to the recent death of Gordon Lightfoot. On this theme Bob sang Lightfoot's Early Morning Rain.

Sue took to the plains of the Wild West with Don't Fence Me In (Robert Fletcher, Cole Porter).

Geoff completed the first round of the evening with Joseph McHugh (Dermot Kelly).

I was particularly pleased to hear Rob's version of The Handsome Cabin Boy (roud 239, laws N13) which I don't think I'd heard for many years at a folk club. I wonder where Rob got his starting line "It's of a lass for Staffordshire as you will understand..."? As with all folk songs, the words vary, but the more usual version seems to be "'Tis of a handsome female, as you will understand". It's the specificity that is of interest, not simply the difference.

The other new entry in the database this week was Bob and Sue's singing of Creeque Alley (John Phillips, Michelle Phillips). It caused some discussion, so I hope this helps resolve things...

Recorded by the Mamas and the Papas, the band of which the writers were members, the song narrates the story of how the group was formed, and its early years. The title of the song, which does not occur in the lyrics, is derived from Creque or Crequi (pronounced "creaky") Alley, home to a club in the Virgin Islands where the New Journeymen, John and Michelle Phillips' original group, spent time on holiday.

The lyrics mention, directly or indirectly, many artists and bands who were part of the folk music scene at the time, including fellow band members Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty, Zal Yanovsky and John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful, Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, and Barry McGuire of The New Christy Minstrels. Several locations important to the band's story are mentioned, such as the Night Owl Cafe in Greenwich Village. Michelle Phillips is referred to in the lyrics by her nickname Michi ("John and Michi were getting kind of itchy, just to leave the folk music behind"). John Phillips said that he wrote the song to tell their producer Lou Adler "who was who" in the band's history.

Rob sang his version of Raggle Taggle Gypsy (roud 1, child 200), which while faithful to the usually words, puts a darker slant on the mood of the song - in the linked version Alison Moyet goes some way to getting the same feel as Rob.

It was Geoff who finished off the session with Dandy Vernon (Michael Snow).

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

(Number of people present - 8 of whom 8 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)

St George's Day 2023

Now that's what I'm talking about! Last week's Dragon Folk Club session really was a triumph. There were twelve people present, ten of whom performed including four newcomers to the club (plus the two audience members were also newcomers). We can only hope that they will all return soon and that even more of you will join them. Everyone seemed to enjoy the evening and there was quite an eclectic mix of music and song.

The optional theme for the evening was St George's Day - we were just two days early to be celebrating it.

I assume that Paul and Denny arrived first since it was Paul who Colin asked to sing first. He stared a trend by singing Hard times of old England (roud 1206). This led later to two parodies of the same song. Paul himself sang Les Barker's Hard cheese of old England and Colin sang Grumpy old men of old England (John Conolly, Bill Meek).

Second to sing was Denny with Rolling home (to dear old England) (roud 4766). She was followed by MC Colin singing The new St George (Richard Thompson).

Malcolm was next. He sang his own song, The wild rose (Malcolm Perrett) thinking it had no connection with St George, but he was assured that St George is the patron saint of soldiers.

Bill sang in public for the first time in about thirty years. He only gave us one song, but it was a fine rendition of The water is wide (roud 87).

Rob and Sian, being a duo, were required to sing two songs in each round and the first time they gave us I am going to the west (Connie Dover) and Jordan am a hard road to travel (roud 12153).

Simon's oblique reference to St George involved a metaphorical dragon in The Lambton worm (roud 2337).

Bob gave us New train (John Prine) and Sue followed that with Jeff Lynne's Hold on tight. And so the first, rather satisfying, tour of the room was complete.

The rest of this report, as is customary, is a list of the remaining songs sung by our newcomers, Malcolm, Sian and Rob:

• Malcolm - It's a difficult question (Malcolm Perrett)
• Rob and Sian - Billy Gray (Norman Blake)
• Rob and Sian - I don't want to get married (collected from the Poplin Family of Sumter, South Carolina)
• Malcolm - Here in America (song for Sam Cooke) - (Dion DiMucci)
• Rob and Sian - Hard times come again no more (roud 2659 - Stephen Foster)
• Rob and Sian - Hush (The Manx lullaby - Arrane Ny Niee)
• Malcolm - Poles apart (Malcolm Perrett)
• Rob and Sian - Columbus stockade blues (roud 4546)
• Rob and Sian - Loch Lomond (roud 9598)

And so it fell to Paul to finish proceedings with When all men sing (Keith Scowcroft, Derek Gifford).

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

(Number of people present - 12 of whom 10 performed)

Nostalgia is what it used to be after all

Leo Maguire
(1903 – 17 December 1985)

As we expected, last week's Dragon Folk Club session was down to a kernel of two singers, but sing they did. You may think a lot of the songs are not folk, but when you get two men of a similar age sat down and singing these things can happen. Don't get me wrong, I'm a bit younger and I can go happily along with the same mix. So, it was quite a sixties and seventies evening, but I hope you will agree it was a good selection, even with a bit of folk and near folk mixed in.

Colin started off the evening with Hotel California (Don Felder, Don Henley, Glenn Frey). Geoff followed on with The Whistling Gypsy (roud 1, child 200), which is obviously traditional but I suspect the version Geoff sang was based on this one copyrighted in the 1950s by Leo Maguire.

Despite there being only two singers they managed to get through several songs (including the two mentioned above) not previously on the Dragon Folk Club song database, so I will list the rest of them:

• Colin - Across the universe (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) 
• Colin - Vincent (Don McLean)
• Colin - Lady Madonna (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
• Colin - Hey Jude (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)

It was also Colin who finished off the evening fittingly with George Papavgeris' Friends Like These.

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

(Number of people present - 2 of whom 2 performed)

Easter 2023

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was actually held on Good Friday, but was optionally themed for Easter. While there were some Easter and tenuously Easter songs, I won't claim most of us stuck religiously to the title. It was great to see six singers once again and a good time was had by all, I believe.

Colin, our usual MC, started off the session on topic with Three Weeks Before Easter (roud 154).

Rob at least invoked the season with When Spring Comes In (roud 439), but Simon went a bit off the rails with Wee Pot Stove (Harry Robertson) - OK, it mentions penguin eggs.

Sue and Bob, working together, together gave us San Francisco Bay Blues (roud 20960 - Jesse Fuller). Since duets can't count for both singers, Bob followed up with Lucinda Williams' Lake Charles.

Geoff brought the first round to a close with That's What Love Will Do (Trevor Peacock) . Yes, that's Trevor Peacock who played Jim Trott in the Vicar of Dibley. The song was made famous by Joe Brown.

I'll mention the songs we sang which were new to the Dragon blog database.

Rob said that the write of his song Saint Patrick Battalion, David Rovics, is a prolific song writer. So much so that when he was once in Rob's audience, he was knocking off songs at the back of the room. Rob was a bit put out that Rovics wasn't listening until after he finished his set they had a conversation and it was clear the American had been listening as well as writing. The song tells the story of John Riley, one of the Irish fighters who switched sides in the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848, joining the Mexican side as the Batallón de San Patricio.

Geoff, maybe inspired by Rob's contribution, sang Allan Sherman and Lou Busch's comedy lyrics for the Mexican Hat Dance.

Bob sang Blood Red River (roud 15807). There seem to be many versions of the song, and many related songs, but Rob's seems to have been close to, or maybe exactly, Josh White's version.

Rob gave us The Brisk Young Sailor (roud 60, laws P25). Both Roud and Laws index this song together with There is a Tavern in the Town.

It was also Rob who sang Rocking the Cradle (roud 357). He referred to a version which had inspired him. I think it may have been the one I found by Bill Jones.

Geoff sang Sally Ann, written by Alan Klein. Geoff cited the version sung by Joe Brown, but it seems to have been originally recorded by Freddie and the Dreamers.

The final newcomer song also came from Geoff, being Andy Kim's Rock Me Gently.

The session was rounded off by Colin, back on the Easter, or at least Good Friday, topic with The Old Rugged Cross (George Bennard).

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

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

Silly, nautical or naughty?

Another great session at The Dragon Folk Club with a nicely quorate six singers. There was no official theme, but since it was the day before All Fools there were plenty of songs with some degree of silliness. A bit of a nautical theme (silly or otherwise) also developed.

After a social preamble and a fashionably late start to the session Colin as MC started us off with Jez Lowe's song Candles. Bob followed this with Matchbox (Carl Perkins) and Sue with the Crawdad Song (roud 4853).

Simon gave us the first song of the evening not present in the YouTube playlist: Richard Stilgoe's Transplant Squad.

Paul sang When All Men Sing (Keith Scowcroft, Derek Gifford) and Denny followed that with Pleasant and Delightful (roud 660, laws O30).

I'll leave you to investigate the "a selection" playlist linked below to see what other silliness and nauticality were on show, but I will mention those performances for which there is no representation on YouTube:

• Simon - House of the Rising Damp (Mary McCloud)
• Paul - Salty Young Sea Dog (Graham Holland)
• Colin - Laura The Leg (Mike Absalom)

And it was Colin who completed the evening with a good sing-a-long to Tom Lewis' The Last Shanty.

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

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)