Happy Birthday Maggie 2

Judith Durham

So, this week was Maggie 2's birthday. Maggie provided a buffet in the break and we had a raffle in aid of BUST. Of course Happy Birthday was sung. Maggie 1 had collected £20 in donations before the night, from Rachel, Betty and Rose that I remember (sorry if I've missed someone). The raffle raised about £47 and the pot was open at the end of the night for emptying your pockets of change. Gerty the dog wasn't feeling too well and spent the evening in her papoose.

Rising from the heat of The Ashes

Cootamundra Wattle

Last week's session was as hot and sweaty as a dingo's armpit except we didn't have a dingo, just Gerty who took great pleasure in sitting on Mike's notebook as he tried to write down the songs we sang. There was also the competition with the band in the bar, which I think we won.

The only theme I discerned during the evening was Australia, introduced by Rachel, and one can only assume, relating to the ongoing Ashes series, in which England seems to be doing well. Rachel's contributions were from the collecting of A L Lloyd: Wallaby Stew and The Shearer's Dream. Tom added Cootamundra Wattle and Rose came in with Diamantina Drover.

Thursday was Maggie's birthday, so we all sang Happy Birthday.

What shall we do with a drunken folk club?

Sperm Whale

A slight increase in numbers over last week was united in creating a better evening by the silence from last week's rogue speaker. In fact the only unexpected accompaniment was occasioned by Ray's phone, and since Gary was forced to admit that its warble tone was in the right key, this did not constitute a serious problem.

Those non-attenders who had their windows open and heard peals of laughter from the area of Shortwood may like to know the story of its origin. After a mention of whores, Colin was asked to raise the tone, and seemed genuinely convinced that he was about to do so. Hint to readers – when attempting tone-raising, try to avoid a song like New Zealand Whales / Coast of Peru which opens with the words “Come all of you whalermen who are cruising for sperm” (let alone the mention of se[a]men in the next line). In the absence of any other theme for the evening Robin proceeded to give us Dave Oakley's Clonakilty Whaling Song, in which they 'prefer minke to sperm', and Derek could not resist Cruising Round Yarmouth.

Getting down to the beat!

Thank you to Derek for the following excellent report while I'm out on a field trip. I haven't found any interesting new French songs yet.

A new if somewhat distracting addition to the club this week came in the form of the speaker nearest the door, which although allegedly switched off, persistently bled in the bass track from whatever rubbish was being played in the bar. Well done to everyone for coping with it. Singing Rambling Boy to the bass line of Out West by the Pet Shop Boys is something one rarely practices in anticipation. (Ed: Let's hope that's fixed quickly)

Inevitably, given the large number of regulars who last week brought anticipatory absence notes from their mothers, attendance was very slim, and singing was wound up prematurely at 10.30 with Mike singing Child #95 - The Maid Freed From The Gallows, though with omission of some of the less popular verses such as “I think I see my second cousin's daughter in law coming over yonder stile.”