Surprisingly good - Excellent

(Photo: Simon Meeds)

For last week's session we had tentatively suggested the theme of "numbers". Knowing that all of our core members except Simon were otherwise engaged, he quite expected to be singing alone for the evening. Don't worry, it happens occasionally. Whoever is there has to stick around for a while in case others turn up, and if you are at a folk club then how better to pass the time than to sing.

Amazingly though with a quarter of an hour to go until our usual start time someone came through the door. It was Johannes, who is in Bristol for about a month and trying out various clubs while he's around. Simon explained the situation and Johannes was happy to stay on the basis of a singing pair.

No sooner had Simon, the stand-in MC,  started to sing than in walks Ray, who we have seen before, together with Kirsten who said she probably wouldn't sing - we tried to gently persuade her, but with no luck this time.

So, there were to be three singers, and with two relative newcomers there were bound to be plenty of new songs for the Dragon database. Unsurprisingly, only Simon really approached the theme, but that's fine.

As previously announced, because this Friday is the day after World Voice Day, the theme will be "Songs about Singing", but as usual the theme is entirely optional, so please come whether you sing, play, tell stories or perform in any way as long as it's acoustic - or indeed don't perform and wish to be our audience, partake of some banter and maybe join in a chorus or two.

Simon harked back to the previous week's Easter theme with The pace-egging song (roud 614) because of the counting in the chorus.

Johannes' debut was Johnny Barnes (* roud 39909) and was the first of many newcomers to the Dragon database.

Ray completed the first rotation with Every Time (* Tom Paxton).

As is the tradition I will mention all of the songs we heard from newcomer Johannes, who was very game to dig out thirteen songs through the evening. It would have been very understandable and perfectly fine if he had opted to site out some of his turns.

By chance we heard that both Johannes and Kirsten are half German, and so Johannes gave us three songs in the language:

• Die Gedanken sind frei
• Die Moorsoldaten (* Johann Esser, Wolfgang Langhoff, Rudi Goguel) - previously in the Dragon database only for the English translation
• Die Internationale (*) - originally written in French as a poem by Eugène Pottier and put to music a year later by Pierre De Geyter, this has been translated into many languages including into German by Emil Luckhardt. Previously the Dragon database only included an English version of which there are at least three.

Here are the rest of Johannes' songs except for one which will come later:

• The bee-boy's song (* Rudyard Kipling, Peter Bellamy)
• Windy old weather (* roud 472)
• They're going to build a motorway (* Leon Rosselson)
• My bonny bonny boy (* roud 293) - another version of roud 293, The grey hawk, was already in the Dragon database
• Georgie (* roud 90, child 209), an English traveller version of the Scottish song Geordie, which was already in the database; I won't attempt to comment on which came first.
• Buckets of rain (* Bob Dylan)
• Freight train (Elizabeth Cotten)
• The ant and the grasshopper (* Leon Rosselson)

Here are the other songs (yes there were even more) that were new to the database:

• Ray - Here's a health to the company (* roud 1801) - I picked the linked video for this report on 13th April 2026, the same day that Moya Brennan (Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin) of Clannad passed away.
• Simon - Eighteen pence on the bed (*# Tommy Daniel)
• Ray - Willow tree (* roud 18831)
• Ray - I got a name (*  Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel)

Simon asked Johannes to sing a closing song for the evening, bringing each of the singers' total to thirteen performances. I was not however so unlucky for the club since, defying the early expectations, it was a great evening.

• Johannes -  Shoals of herring (Ewan MacColl)

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

(Number of people present - 4 of whom 3 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Easter 2026

Calvaire à la Sainte-Baume
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

The Dragon Folk Club Easter session last week (on Good Friday) was egg-cellent, not only because we had a decent turn-out of nine people, eight of whom performed, but also because three of those people were first timers at the Dragon.

Lee and Kris, members of the band Reivers' Gallows,  had intended to visit us before, but at that time their chosen campsite was waterlogged, so it was not until now that they made it. Sam, the other newcomer, was on his travels by train and decided to drop in. The problem was that Facebook had sent him to the Bristol city-centre pub of the same name, so on finding us he was a little later than planned (no issue), and had to leave early to get back into town and catch his onward connection. Let's hope all three of them find their way back to our little club again. They all seem to have enjoyed it and we regulars definitely enjoyed their contributions.

The lesson is, to check that you have the right address for us. The most common issue is that Facebook insists on providing an inaccurate map (not exactly Sam's problem), so make sure you find us on Google maps or some other system, not using Facebook's mapping.

This Friday's session is very tentatively themed "Numbers" since it falls on the hundredth day of the year. We are likely to be low on the number of regulars, so your presence as well as your singing, playing, storytelling or anything else will be most welcome this week whether or not you wish to follow the proposed theme. As always, anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

Although Lee and Kris had arrived first it seemed a little unfair to ask them to open, so stand-in MC, Simon, started off in the Easter theme with The pace-egging song (roud 614). The theme was only lightly followed during the evening, but that's perfectly fine; our themes are always optional.

Next came Lee (guitar and vocals) and Kris (violin). Lee warned us that though most of his songs may seem familiar, they are usually somehow modified. I have taken a slightly inconsistent approach in this report to their songs, but where possible I have linked videos of Lee singing so you can get some idea of what was happening.

As usual for a duo we asked them to sing two songs. First they gave us Back Home in Derry (Bobby Sands, Lee). Sam asked whether the song was written before or after Gordon Lightfoot's Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Lee agreed with Simon that the simple answer was "after", but said that his Irish father remembered singing something very similar before, so it was most likely adapted from a traditional song. Their second song was Matty Groves (* roud 52, child 81).

Paul's first song of the evening was Seven virgins (roud 127) and Denny added The good old way (roud 23864).

Sam's first song was Barbara Allen (roud 54, child 84). He said he'd added a refrain which is fair enough, but digging through the Dragon database I found Lucy Stewart's version, which seems fairly close to Sam's version and repeats the last line of each verse.

While this was strictly the end of the first rotation, it was at this point that Bob and Sue appeared. It seemed unfair to put them straight in the limelight, so they joined in early in the second rotation, Sue with The whistling gypsy (roud 1, child 200) and Bob with So much trouble (Brownie McGhee).

As is customary, I will mention all of the further songs from the newcomers. Kris's violin lost its tune due to the cool of the evening, so their last came from Lee performing alone with a little support from the chorus.

• Lee and Kris - The Handsome cabin boy (roud 239, laws N13)
• Lee and Kris - Roll the old chariot (roud 3632)
• Sam - Cells (* Rudyard Kipling, Peter Bellamy)
• Lee and Kris - Ye Jacobites by name (roud V31021 - Robert Burns)
• Lee and Kris - Blackleg miners (roud 3139)
• Lee - Crooked Jack (*  roud 41020 - Dominic Behan)

Apart from those mentioned already there was just one song added to the Dragon database, which was Sue's I will survive (* Freddie Perren, Dino Fekaris).

Simon brought the evening to a close, complete with a mention of Easter and with much support from the chorus, singing When all men sing (Keith Scowcroft, Derek Gifford).

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

(Number of people present - 9 of whom 8 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Putting the clocks forward

St Mary Redcliffe church, Bristol
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

At the Dragon Folk Club last week the clocks changing to British Summer Time was a slim excuse for a Spring into Summer theme, but that was what was set. Our themes are of course always optional and no one is humiliated or gets a forfeit for not following them.

It was great to see and hear Dragon first-timer Mick and the return of Terry H after an absence of  what appears to be six years. Many of us see Terry elsewhere, but it was great to get him back on our home patch.

Thanks to everyone who joined in the singing, playing and chat. There will be a session this Friday (3rd April) despite it being Good Friday - we have confirmed with the pub that we can have use of "the barn" function room as usual. Let's make the optional theme Easter, whether that's death, resurrection, eggs, rabbits, Eostre or anything else more or less related to the season. Optional as the theme always is, anything goes as long as it's acoustic. See you there.

In the absence of our usual MC last week, Simon took the reins, inviting Stuart and Carrie to sing first. They gave us Ride on (Jimmy McCarthy). As is usual for a duo, they were asked to sing again immediately and they obliged with Crazy man Michael (Richard Thompson, Dave Swarbrick).

Next up was newcomer Mick. He says he has had a break from playing and is very nervous, trying to play out as much as possible to overcome the nerves, but it barely showed with his excellent guitar playing and characterful voice, singing The banks of green willow (* roud 172, child 24).

Rob sang the first of two songs not to be found on YouTube and therefore not included in the playlist linked below. It was his own The kestrel (*# Rob Winder), apparently about a girlfriend from long ago.

Simon's first of the evening, making mention of Spring, was Memories of East Texas (Michelle Shocked). 

Denny was next, contributing When yellow's on the broom (Adam McNaughton), and Paul sang Seven virgins (roud 127).

Terry H brought the first rotation to a close with his own song, Matron (*# Terry Helyar) - the second and last song of the evening not included in the linked playlist. You can listen to all of the other songs (though not by our singers) by clicking on "a selection" at the end of this report.

As is traditional, I will mention all remaining performances from our first-time dragon, Mick:

• The scarecrow (* Lal Waterson, Mike Waterson)
•  Blind Blake's rag (* Ralph McTell)

The only song from the evening neither already mentioned nor previously in the Dragon database came from Stuart and Carrie; it was Watch me (* Labi Siffre).

The bar closed a little early so we also came to a close after only three rotations, and with a relatively small total of 24 songs and tunes having been sung and played, but the evening was very enjoyable thanks to a great group of singers and some pleasant chat between the songs. It fell to Terry H to complete the evening by singing Sally Wheatley (Joe Wilson).

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

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

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

St Patrick's Day 2026

At the Dragon Folk Club last week we were just three days late to celebrate St Patrick with an evening of mostly Irish or Irish-connected songs. Despite small numbers of singers and Colin forgetting to bring the words to most of his Irish songs we kept it going with some gusto.

This Friday and for the next couple of weeks it will be reserve MC Simon in the chair. He would very much like it if you could make a special effort to come along whether to perform (anything goes as long as it's acoustic) or to listen, take part in the banter, and maybe join in the odd chorus. To get you thinking here are some suggested optional themes:

•  27th March - Spring and the coming of summer (BST starts on Sunday)
•  3rd April - Good Friday - Anything related to Easter (death, resurrection, rabbits, eggs, etc.)
• 10th April - Numbers (100th day of the year)
•  17th April - World Voice Day - songs about singing?
•  24th April - St George's Day, by which time Colin should be back as MC

Feel free to bring your own theme or none.

Last week Colin started traditionally with Galway farmer (Steve Knightley). Colin had sung exactly this song the week before because, unusually, Cheltenham Festival week did not coincide with St Patrick's Day this year, but he couldn't resist repeating it and that's fine by us.

Paul took us from Cheltenham to Dublin with Cockles and mussels (roud 16932).

Simon completed the first rotation with Ride on (Jimmy McCarthy).

There was just one song sung in the evening that doesn't appear to be available on YouTube and is therefore not included in this week's playlist. That was Liz Draper's Galway drawl (#), clearly a parody of Galway shawl, sung for us by Paul.

Despite many of the songs being the usual suspects, and some so called "folk cheese", which in former days would have gained a black mark from our erstwhile MC, there were a couple that were new to the Dragon database:

•  Colin - The harp without the crown (* roud 7989)
•  Simon - Fisherman's blues (* Mike Scott, Steve Wickham)

Colin finished the session, not literally, with Seven drunken nights (roud 114, child 274) - although more accurately, just the first five of them. 

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

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

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Mothering Sunday 2026

At Thornbury Carnival 2019
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session marked Mothering Sunday so any mention of mothers gained imaginary brownie points.

In our house we are sticklers for "Mothering Sunday" which is a church festival falling on the fourth Sunday in Lent (see % below).

As I am writing this we have just passed St Patrick's Day so this week's Friday theme will be just that. With Denny not available this week, we saw some Irish songs creeping in last week, often also mentioning mothers.

Speaking of last week, Colin was MC and started the ball rolling with Get a little table (roud 3201 - Harry Linn, William Sim) and Simon followed him with Buttercup Joe (roud 1635).

Denny sang I'll tell me ma (roud 2649).

Paul's first contribution was a version of The "fish" cheer /I-feel-like-I'm-fixin'-to-die rag (* Country Joe McDonald) where he replaced "Vietnam" with "little I-ran". This was both to mark the recent death of the author and to demonstrate that the lyrics, although almost 60 years old, are still somewhat applicable to current events.

It was great to welcome Helen back to the club after a longer absence than any of us realised. She completed the first rotation with Poor wayfaring stranger (roud 3339).

There were several "new" songs for the Dragon database:

• Colin - Mother (* roud 10293) - A parody of Mother (written by Howard Johnson and Theo Morse, and recorded in 1916 by Henry Burr). That was a hard one to track down because it turns out to have been recorded by Oscar Brand as half of a track called Correspondence on an album called Bawdy Songs Go To College. To add to the confusion my old friend Terry "Leadfingers" Silver was the only person to mention it (on mudcat) where he called it "Letters to and from a Young Man" after the lyric rather than using its advertised title.
• Simon - Mother and wife (*) from the singing of The Jolly Boys among others.
• Helen - Driving myself home (* Rose Betts)
• Colin - Don't swat your mother boys (* roud 15690 - Brian Hooker, Porter Steele)
• Simon - Mama don't allow (* roud 11793)
• Colin - Momma (* Bob Seger)
• Colin - Mother Machree (* roud 23523 - Rida Johnson Young, Chauncey Olcott, Ernest Ball)

It fell to Paul to finish the evening with Farewell shanty.

% Traditionally people returned to their mother church for Mothering Sunday and by extension mothers were honoured. This is different to Mother's Day, which is an annual holiday celebrated in the United States on the second Sunday in May that was was established by Anna Jarvis in 1908. I believe it is the British greetings card industry that blurred the difference between the two to the point that cards sold for the former are about 80 or 90 percent "Happy Mother's Day" and thus avoided by my wife and me.

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

(Number of people present - 5 of whom 5 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

RIP George Papavgeris

George Papavgeris (1953-2026)

Your scribe wasn't present at last week's Dragon Folk Club session, but it sounds as though it was a varied and enjoyable affair albeit with one sad message, that being the death of singer/songwriter George Papavgeris, who I didn't know, but whose songs I had often enjoyed.

An appropriate theme for this Friday's session would seem to be Mothering Sunday, so songs of the mother church, and of mothers will be on topic, as well as anything else tenuously linked, but as always the theme is optional and anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

Last week Colin, MC as usual, kicked off with Dona Dona (Sholom Secunda, Aaron Zeitlin. English lyrics by Arthur Kevess and Teddi Schwartz).

Paul followed with Friends like these in honour of the recently deceased writer, George Papavgeris.

Denny completed the first rotation with The road to Dundee (roud 2300).

There were five songs new to the Dragon database last week:

• Paul - The bard (* Steve Thomason)
• Denny - Kitty Kane (* John Warner)
• Paul - Mollymauk (* Bob Watson)
• Colin - Lady Jane (* Mick Jagger, Keith Richards)
• Paul - I mean to get jolly well drunk (* roud 3466)

Colin finished the evening off with a good sing-along Roll the old chariot (roud 3632).

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

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

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

St David's Day 2026

Llwyn Celyn, Cwmyoy, Monmouthshire
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

It was that time of year to celebrate St David and by association to sing songs with some connection, however tenuous, with Wales or the Welsh. Bearing in mind that our singers had less notice than usual of the theme, and some hardly any notice at all, we didn't do too badly. As sometimes happens, some songs had their words mangled to fit, but we didn't quite get to the point of singing of whaling songs!

It was good to see Heather again, as usual with her non-singing companion Hazel. We did however have a newcomer to the Dragon. Angela has been following us on Facebook for a while and while she didn't perform, she was definitely seen singing along and should she return, which we hope she does, I suspect she may find something to sing now she knows we are a friendly audience.

Colin, MC as usual, started the ball rolling on theme with Hob y deri dando.

Heather's first song was The bunch of thyme (roud 3).

Simon referred to Welsh traditional singer Phil Tanner before singing The Gower wassail song (roud 209).

Paul sang When Jones's ale was new (roud 139), an English song which has its origins in the 16th century.

Denny brought the first rotation to a close with the much more modern Day trip to Bangor (Debbie Cook), a song which appears to tell the story of a seaside trip to Bangor in North Wales, which while in a coastal position is not renowned as a resort. Rumours spread that the song was inspired by a trip to Rhyl, 30 miles East along the coast, but "Rhyl" didn't scan and was replaced, much to the angst of the councillors of that town. Cook however stated that the song was specifically written about Bangor.

The only song of the evening not found on YouTube and therefore not included in the linked playlist was Colin's Children born to the valleys (# Dawson Smith). The song was included on a frustratingly elusive album of songs based the epic Welsh novels of Alexander Cordell.

There were just two songs sung during the evening which were new to the Dragon database. The first was The jovial man of Kent (*), sung by Paul to the same tune as When Jones's ale was new. This song was written by Charles Dibdin (1745-1814).

The other "new" song came from Heather and was Caravan song (*) written by Mike Batt for the 1978 film Caravans in which it was sung by Barbara Dickson.

The evening was finished by Colin singing the unofficial national anthem of Wales, Land of my fathers (Evan James, James James).

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

(Number of people present - 7 of whom 5 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).