St George's Day 2023

Now that's what I'm talking about! Last week's Dragon Folk Club session really was a triumph. There were twelve people present, ten of whom performed including four newcomers to the club (plus the two audience members were also newcomers). We can only hope that they will all return soon and that even more of you will join them. Everyone seemed to enjoy the evening and there was quite an eclectic mix of music and song.

The optional theme for the evening was St George's Day - we were just two days early to be celebrating it.

I assume that Paul and Denny arrived first since it was Paul who Colin asked to sing first. He stared a trend by singing Hard times of old England (roud 1206). This led later to two parodies of the same song. Paul himself sang Les Barker's Hard cheese of old England and Colin sang Grumpy old men of old England (John Conolly, Bill Meek).

Second to sing was Denny with Rolling home (to dear old England) (roud 4766). She was followed by MC Colin singing The new St George (Richard Thompson).

Malcolm was next. He sang his own song, The wild rose (Malcolm Perrett) thinking it had no connection with St George, but he was assured that St George is the patron saint of soldiers.

Bill sang in public for the first time in about thirty years. He only gave us one song, but it was a fine rendition of The water is wide (roud 87).

Rob and Sian, being a duo, were required to sing two songs in each round and the first time they gave us I am going to the west (Connie Dover) and Jordan am a hard road to travel (roud 12153).

Simon's oblique reference to St George involved a metaphorical dragon in The Lambton worm (roud 2337).

Bob gave us New train (John Prine) and Sue followed that with Jeff Lynne's Hold on tight. And so the first, rather satisfying, tour of the room was complete.

The rest of this report, as is customary, is a list of the remaining songs sung by our newcomers, Malcolm, Sian and Rob:

• Malcolm - It's a difficult question (Malcolm Perrett)
• Rob and Sian - Billy Gray (Norman Blake)
• Rob and Sian - I don't want to get married (collected from the Poplin Family of Sumter, South Carolina)
• Malcolm - Here in America (song for Sam Cooke) - (Dion DiMucci)
• Rob and Sian - Hard times come again no more (roud 2659 - Stephen Foster)
• Rob and Sian - Hush (The Manx lullaby - Arrane Ny Niee)
• Malcolm - Poles apart (Malcolm Perrett)
• Rob and Sian - Columbus stockade blues (roud 4546)
• Rob and Sian - Loch Lomond (roud 9598)

And so it fell to Paul to finish proceedings with When all men sing (Keith Scowcroft, Derek Gifford).

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

(Number of people present - 12 of whom 10 performed)