More Mike songs, and some others

HMS Mars

Mike and Maggie were off on their travels again last week, so some people took a theme of Mike's songs, but since most of us were sung out of them only three weeks before coverage was patchier than last time.

Richard Started off with Tom Lewis' Marching Inland depriving Robin of his first possible Mike song. The theme was kept going for now with Derek singing Three score and ten. Derek said the scribe at one folk club used to note this one down with what seemed to be a strange symbol. Only years later did Derek realise that the strange symbol was "70".

Derek sang Landlord fill the flowing bowl, saying that he had refrained from singing it at the club in the sure belief that it was a song Mike would sing but he has never heard him do it.

Lesley took to singing Mike's songs, some, such as A-rovin', being cleaned-up versions. Her version of John Conolly's Fiddlers Green became the second Mike song that Robin would have sung. Nevertheless Robin managed Fathom the bowl, Old Maui and John Barleycorn (given that he was absent for harvest). Derek asked if anyone has the words for a parody of Fathom the bowl which includes "pissed as a newt"; no one had. Please let us know if you have them.

The visitors this week were Carol and Kevin. Kevin entertained us with tunes on the concertina, often accompanied by Derek on the spoons. His tunes included Portsmouth (yes, I know that version is on an accordion rather than a concertina), Michael Turner's Waltz, Princess Royal, The girl I left behind me (which we know from a few weeks ago to be Brighton Camp), Maggie in the wood, and Salmon tails up the water. Carol had a stated personal theme of anti-war songs, singing Where have all the flowers gone, and Holly Near's I ain't afraid (from the singing of Roy Bailey). Departing from her own theme, she sang The Norley gate by Reg Holmes, The Derbyshire by Hughie Jones and Pete McGovern's Rent collecting in Speke.

Actually there was another visitor. Terry was apparently a non-singing regular at the club when it was at The Lamb, many years ago. He turned up and stayed, disappointed to have picked an evening when Mike and Maggie weren't around, and asked to be remembered to them.

Colin started off with a Mike song: Rosa Bella. I think Hanging Johnny may be a Mike song, but I don't think either Get up and go or The bastard king of England are Mike's (maybe I'm wrong).

Richard caused some hilarity with his Star of the County Down parody, which is Star of the counting down, and is about Portishead resident, Carol Vorderman. He went on to close in good Mike-style with Mars Forevermore.

Here's a selection of these songs plus some others sung during the session.