Harvest 2023

(Photo: Simon Meeds)

There was a great turn-out for our 2023 Harvest themed session at the Dragon Folk Club. Our traditional spread of food was supplied with great thanks to Sara, our late friend Geoff's daughter, who arranged to leave the left-overs from his wake for us. Four of our number had attended the funeral and wake earlier in the day.

We welcomed occasional visitors Carrie and Stuart as well as a good complement of eight of our regulars.

This week's session will once again have a theme. This time it is Halloween.

Colin was MC, but it was Carrie and Stuart who stared off the evening with Come all you fair and tender ladies (* roud 451). I'll mark songs new to the Dragon database with an asterisk (*) and songs on the theme with an at sign (@).

Carrie and Stuart being a duo were, as usual, required to contribute two songs per rotation and their second was Yellow (* Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, Will Champion).

Colin was first on theme with All of a row (@ roud 1474). Sue hit the target with Fields of gold (@ Sting).

Bob, self-declaring as "miserable as usual", gave us Livin' with the blues (Brownie McGhee).

Paul referred us to the upcoming 218th anniversary of Admiral Lord Nelson's demise by singing The death of Nelson (roud 18837).

We'll give Denny credit for her Good English ale (@ roud 1512) on the basis it mentions various types of produce.

Chris gave us a very sweetly sung rendition of The Eriskay love lilt and Roger seemed to be Doin' what comes natur'lly (* Irving Berlin).

Simon returned to the theme, taking a leaf out of our friend Mike's songbook with John Barleycorn (roud 164) to the tune Wir pflügen (We plough the fields and scatter).

And so the first marathon rotation came to an end.

I will list the further songs which hit the theme (sorry for any I miss) together with a few others which didn't:

• Carrie and Stuart - Ghost (* Kate Rusby)
• Colin - Man in green (@ Steve Knightley)
• Bob and Sue - Tina Louise (* Kevin "Blackie" Farrell)
• Paul - Country life (@ roud 1752)
• Denny - Hey John Barleycorn (@ roud 2141)
• Simon - Buttercup Joe (@ roud 1635)
• Carrie - Autumn Leaves (@ Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer)
• Colin - All the good things are dead and gone (* Bonny Sartin) - The only song of the evening not in the linked "a selection" playlist
• Paul - The farmer's toast (@ roud 1603)
• Denny - I can hew boys (@ Dave Dodds) - Denny claimed it was about a "mineral harvest".
• Simon - Windmills (@ Alan Bell)

Colin finished the evening with Flying high, flying free (@ Leon Rosselson)

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

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