Connections

Harry Liston (1843-1929)

Despite the absence of Mike and his trusty canine companion, Indy we had a great session last week. We were joined again by Steve C and for the first time by Liz. Carl also came along having visited us before in February of this year.

Remember this weeks session (30 November) will have the theme of St Andrew's Day. I listed in last week's blog report all the patronages held by Andrew, so there's no excuse for having nothing to sing but if you are still at a loss bear in mind that we are always happy for people to offer us material that doesn't follow the theme - we may even sometimes find a connection for you.

Last week's session started with MC, Colin singing The Ee-rye-ee Canal (Roud 6599).

Liz, on her first visit, came thinking she would sing only one song, that being The Three Ravens (Roud 5, Child 26). Little did she know the persuasive capabilities of our MC. Without her realising the covert coercion being applied (only joking) she sang a further three: Whiskey In The Jar (Roud 533, Laws L13A), Away Ye Merry Lasses (Georje Holper) and The Water (Johnny Flynn).

I'll say a little about Away Ye Merry Lasses. Liz chose it because she liked the way it accurately described the feeling of a group of girls, albeit witches, wanting a night together rather than with the men. She got the song from the singing of Kim Lowings. Kim credits the writer, Georje Holper. I couldn't find any definite information about Holper but it appears she is a woman which counts towards Liz's appreciation of the song and I think she may live in California.

Lowings herself got the song from Linda Waterfall at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop.

This brings me to a mini-theme I extracted from the evening of connections for Colin sang Acres Of Clams (Francis D Henry, Roud 4746) which has a line "I started one morning to shank it, for the country they call Puget Sound". Puget Sound is a sound along the northwestern coast of the US state of Washington, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea.

Arriving well into the first half, Carl was given a chance to catch up with two song in quick succession: This Old Guitar (John Denver) and Wild Rover (Roud 1173). He later followed up with The Shirelles' Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (Carole King, Gerry Goffin) and The Crystal Spring (Roud 1391).

Simon pointed out that two well-known folk singers had died within a day of each other (19 and 20 November): Bill Caddick and Roy Bailey. He had hurriedly practiced one song from each of their repertoires: John O' Dreams (Bill Caddick, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) and You Need Skin (Leon Rosselson).

Another connection existed between Derek's own song, When Cyril Poacher Sung and Geoff's singing of The Flight Of Earls (Liam Reilly). Derek's song was bemoaning the fate of The Ship Inn at Blaxhall, Suffolk, formerly a famous venue for traditional singing where the remaining locals complained that the juke box and the Americans from nearby US Air Force Bases made traditional singing impossible. Geoff's was comparing a modern exodus of youth from Ireland with 14 September 1607 when Hugh Ó Neill of Tír Eóghain, Rory Ó Donnell of Tír Chonaill and about ninety followers left Ireland for mainland Europe after defeat at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601 and subsequent loss of land and power in Donegal and Tyrone.

So, what was the connection? Both songs mentioned the band U2.

Colin gave us an interesting song in The Rustic Young Damsel which was written and arranged by T Dodsworth and J Holbrook and performed in music halls by Harry Liston. It takes the form of a folk song but turns around many familiar lines such as "Her age it was red, and her hair was nineteen".

Steve C sang William Stone, written by Graeme Miles. It tells the story of a poacher, the eponymous Stone, who first poached with his father in Wynyard Park, County Durham. Derek , being familiar with the area, said it would be difficult poaching there now because it is covered in houses.

The final song of the evening, provided by Geoff, was Kelly The Boy From Killane (Patrick Joseph McCall - Roud V13849).

Here's a selection of songs sung during this session.

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