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)