Mixing it up

Friday's Dragon Folk Club session was rather enjoyable. Denny and Paul brought along their friend Helen. As I warned last week, this will be an abbreviated blog report with no YouTube playlist, written quickly before this dragon disappears in a puff of smoke for a few days.

As far as I am aware there will be no official theme next week (20th June), but we will be short of a few regular bodies, so I would be grateful if you can make an extra effort to turn up and help Colin to sing up a storm.

Back to the recent session, the ladies' toilet was out of action so we had an intermittent stream of them through our room, but all were quiet and respectful to the singing that was going on and caused no trouble at all.

Paul kicked off proceedings with Tom Lehrer's The Irish Ballad, to be followed by Denny with Samuel Laycock's A tribute to the drowned. The latter was about a disaster at sea where 27 volunteer lifeboatmen from St Annes and Southport died on 9 and 10 December 1886 while attempting to rescue the crew of the German barque Mexico, which ran aground in a gale on the Main Bank off Southport, Lancashire, while en route from Liverpool to Guayaquil in Ecuador.

Helen had only prepared one song to sing, but it was a good joiner-inner, being Sandi Thom's I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair) (* Tom Gilbert, Sandi Thom). While this was her only solo performance of the evening, Helen proved a strong support with her chorus singing. She promised to return with more songs another time. We can't wait!

Colin's first song of the evening was The old A1 (* Pete McGregor). Stan followed that with Plaisir d'amour (* Jean-Paul-Égide Martini, Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian).

Simon completed the first rotation with The Lambton worm (roud 2337 - Clarence M. Leumane).

Keeping it very brief, here are the remaining songs new to the Dragon database:

• Colin - Rainbow warrior (* Patricia Middleton, Douglas Dinn)
• Stan - That silver-haired Daddy of mine (* Gene Autry, Jimmy Long)
• Colin - Condoleezza's Cowboys (* Pete McGregor)
• Stan - The end of the world (* Arthur Kent, Sylvia Dee)
• Stan - I will always love you (* Dolly Parton)

Denny finished the evening with Pleasant and delightful (roud 660, laws O30).

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*).

Vistors welcome

Bob Watson who died on 31st May

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session saw us able to welcome two new first time visitors: Richard and Anne are from the Stroud area and they brought some excellent songs, singing and playing to our evening as well as their two very well behaved canine companions. We hope they return soon. We really have had some great visitors recently and long may it continue. Perhaps some of them will even become regular?

This Friday there will be no official theme once again though you are welcome to bring your own or make one up as you go along. A bit of an early warning - next week's report is likely to be brief, probably without a YouTube playlist. Normal service should be resumed the following week.

Back to last week's session, Colin, MC as usual, opened the account in memory of the recently deceased Bob Watson by singing Bob's Shantyman.

Richard and Anne opened their Dragon account with No telling (* Linda Thompson) and Harvest moon (* Neil Young).

Bob's first song was So much trouble (* Brownie McGhee) and Sue's was Beyond the sea (Charles Trenet, Albert Lasry, Jack Lawrence). The latter being an English language version of Charles Ternet's La Mer.

Simon marked the 81st anniversary of the Normandy landings and completed the first rotation with D-Day Dodgers (Lance-Sergeant Harry Pynn).

In the second rotation Anne sang Cold Missouri Waters (* James Keelaghan) and Richard gave us his own version (*# Richard Cox) of Carrickfergus (roud 17556). The popular version of the song is attributed to Dominic Behan who said he learned the third verse from Peter O'Toole. Richard's version tells of a man who would like to go abroad for his holiday, but his wife wants to stay in Ireland.

Colin debuted a song which he heard from the singing of friend of the club, Terry Cock, that being What happened to the ponies (Jim Moreland). This is the first time I've been able to find a recording of the song to add to the playlist linked from "a selection" below.

Continuing the tradition of mentioning all songs from newcomers to the club, Anne and Richard sang Stan Rogers' Lock-keeper, and Richard went solo on his own version (*# Richard Cox) of Spencer the Rover (roud 1115) in which Spencer is dissatisfied with the service being provided by the council in Stroud. He tries moving to Wales, but finally returns.

On the next rotation Richard and Anne gave us Graham Nash's Wasted on the way (*), and Richard sang The man who wrote the songs (*) which was written by our very own Derek Brinkley who had paid us a long awaited visit only the week before.

Returning to singing solo, Anne performed In search of angels (* Calum McDonald, Rory McDonald) from the band Runrig, of who she was clearly a fan having attended their last gig in Stirling in 2018.

Richard's last song of the evening was Chris Smither's Origin of species (*).

Sue sang her own song, Recycled teenager (#) and Bob evoked Lynyrd Skynyrd's version of J J Cale's Call me the breeze (*).

Simon finished the session off with Stan Rogers' Northwest passage.

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

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and songs not to be found in the playlist linked from "a selection" are marked with a hash (#).

A welcome return

Redcliffe Wharf, Bristol (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last Friday's Dragon Folk Club session was special to those of us who have been around for a while. Not only did we have a highly respectable head count, being joined by regular irregulars Roger, Stuart and Steve, but were able to welcome back to the fold the long absent Derek and Maggie, complete with new canine companion Bertie.

Like last week's, this week's session will be without a theme so as usual anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

Despite having memory issues and having not sung in public for three and a half years, Derek made a valiant attempt with four songs from his formerly vast repertoire. Both Derek and Maggie joined in with numerous choruses in fine voice and we hope to see them again soon.

Colin started us off with Last night I had the strangest dream (Ed McCurdy) and Roger followed him with This land is your land (Woody Guthrie).

Stuart had expected to be accompanied by Carrie, so when she turned out to be unavailable he had to quickly rework his set-list. His first was Bert Jansch's Soho (*).

Simon opened his account with Bonny ship the Diamond (roud 2172).

Paul sang Song for Ireland (Phil Colclough, June Colclough) and Denny stayed in the Irish Sea with The Ellan Vannin tragedy (Hughie Jones).

Derek offered us the first song he had sung at the beginning of his singing career, suggesting that this evening was the end of it (we hope not). The song was Roger Watson's Invalid miner (#).

Steve closed the first rotation with The rare ould times (Pete St John).

In the second rotation Stuart gave us a song new to the Dragon database which I believe was How long, how long blues (* Leroy Carr).

Derek's second song was one I think he calls The lobster (roud 149) though I wouldn't be surprised if he collected it from Cyril Barber who apparently called it Jimmy Johnson. His next song was Mary went to a tea party (# roud 24991) which he collected from Bertha Brown.

Colin sang Robb Johnson's More than enough (*).

The last "new" song of the evening came from Stuart and was Roger McGuinn's version of the traditional He was a friend of mine (*) which deals with the subject of John F Kennedy's assassination. Stuart's final performance was a repertoire first with Lady Franklin's lament (roud 487, laws K09).

Derek's final song was Jack Hall (roud 369, laws L5) and the final song of the evening, coming from Steve, was Leave her Johnny (roud 354).

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

(Number of people present - 9 of whom 8 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and songs not to be found in the playlist linked from "a selection" are marked with a hash (#).

Sea and land

Dungeness (Photo: Simon Meeds)

It was another great session at the Dragon Folk Club last week. Rob made one of his occasional appearances to give us some great unaccompanied singing and we enjoyed a first visit from Mark who provided more unaccompanied singing as well as the unusual but enjoyable experience of solo five string bass guitar.

There will be no set theme again this week though that doesn't preclude people arriving with their own or something developing over the course of the evening. Remember that even when we set a theme it is always just for fun and very much optional.

Colin, MC as usual, started us off with Steve Knightley's Cousin Jack. Rob followed on with a different version of Geordie (* roud 90), which I have found in the singing of June Tabor.

Simon sang The Handweaver and the factory maid (roud 17771) and Mark's first contribution was Cyril Tawney's Grey funnel line.

Denny sang another song which I found in June Tabor's repertoire: Lisbon (roud 551, laws N8) and Paul finished the first rotation with The ship in distress (roud 807).

As usual I will mention all of newcomer Mark's songs together with anything else that needs highlighting.

Mark announced his second song as O my love's gone, which is a version of The forsaken mermaid (roud 466, laws K17).

Colin's version of The soldier and the sailor (roud 350) included versions with relatively modern verses including one about a "radiation-proof room".

Rob sang two songs written by his late friend Adey Shaw. The first was Monkey in the hold (*). The other one, about Adey's cat called Bosun, which was killed by a dog is simply To Bosun (*#).

Mark sang two of his own songs: Back and forth (*# Mark Gunner) and When it ends (* Mark Gunner). His last two songs of the evening were The crafty ploughboy (* roud 2637, laws L1) and Stan Rogers' Mary Ellen Carter.

Denny closed the evening with Dave Dodds' I can hew boys.

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

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and songs not to be found in the playlist linked from "a selection" are marked with a hash (#).

Follow my leader or be miserable

The Jacobite about to leave Mallaig station
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

At last week's Dragon Folk Club session we were back to being quorate, and there was no official theme in sight. Two things emerged though. Simon tried to follow Colin thematically on each of his turns, and Paul tried to out-miserable our resident blues-man, Bob, while others joined in that pursuit from time to time.

Colin, back as MC after a short break, started us off with Pete Budd's Somerset born and proud (*). It was the only new song for the Dragon database this week - though definitely previously sung at the club in May 2014 if at no other time. Simon took us in a southerly direction to Dorset for The Yetties' version of Buttercup Joe (roud 1635).

Denny's first song of the evening was Linden Lea (William Barnes, Ralph Vaughan Williams) and Paul gave us Somewhere to begin (T R Ritchie).

Bob said he had wondered how Gram Parsons' Luxury liner could be made of just 40 tons of steel until he realised it referred to a railway (railroad) locomotive rather than to a great ship.

Sue completed the first rotation with The whistling gypsy (roud 1, child 200 - Leo Maguire).

When Colin sang If (David Gates) Simon responded with another love song albeit unrequited and slightly creepy: Elusive butterfly (Bob Lind). Simon pointed out that in the early 1980s Paul Gambaccini declared on BBC Radio that Telly Savalas' version of If was the UK number one hit with the shortest title and Simon thought the record probably stood. Wikipedia says that "In the U.S., Bread's tune was the shortest song title to become a top ten hit until 1993, when Prince hit No. 7 with 7, later matched by Britney Spears' No. 1 hit 3 in 2009." Given that 7 only reached #27 in the UK and 3 only reached #7 I would suggest that Gambaccini's statement probably still holds. In the same broadcast the song San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) written by John Phillips and recorded by Scott McKenzie was said to be the longest UK #1 title. It would be much more difficult to prove whether or not that still holds. I know, this story is the antithesis of folk, but I think it's interesting if trivial and very nerdy.

Paul's first attempt at out-miserabling Bob was with The last of the great whales (Louis/Louisa Killen) to which Bob's riposte was Leon Payne's Lost highway.

Colin lightened the mood with Just kidding (# Miles Wootton, Fred Wedlock) which unfortunately cannot be linked so you can't experience the joys of clingfilm over the loo. Simon's answer to that was bed bugs eating paper off the wall in Down our street.

When Bob sang Orange Blossom Special (roud 17742 - Ervin T Rouse) he suggested there were no songs about British trains. The list, like a head of steam, started building: Last train (Stanley Accrington), Children of the train by our own Mike Starkey (not his tune in the linked video), Railway station song by Steve Andisaw (definitely worth a listen), ... To prove the point Sue sang Blackpool Belle (Howard Broadbent, Jimmy Smith).

Colin took an eco and sligtly miserable turn with Leave them a flower (Wally Whyton) and Simon followed him down the path of (anti) environmental destruction with Brian Bedford's This is the way the world ends.

Denny's contribution to the miserable theme was Ron Angel's The chemical worker's song about life inside ICI's Billingham factory and Paul continued with the negative side of industry, remembering the Aberfan disaster with Close the coalhouse door (Alex Glasgow). Maybe Bob had had enough of the misery since he added Blues stay away from me (Alton Delmore, Rabon Delmore, Henry B Glover, Wayne Raney).

Colin sang of the trials of Wreck of the Ragamuffin (roud 10466 - John J. Stamford) so Simon followed that with the tragic end of The Bergen (Jez Lowe) which our own Derek Brinkley once claimed to be the only song written about Seaton Carew where the crewmen were buried.

Paul dredged the depths of misery with Hanging Johnny (roud 2625) and Bob made his last offering another railroad ditty: Golden Rocket (Hank Snow).

Sue finished off the session in good spirits and with High hopes (Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn).

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

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and songs not to be found in the playlist linked from "a selection" are marked with a hash (#).

VE Day (80) 2025

P-51 Mustang and Spitfire MH434
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Unusually for recent sessions of the Dragon Folk Club, last week we were running on a skeleton crew. Yes, some of our core regulars had "notes" for medical reasons or family commitments, so we will forgive them. The two of us who sang nevertheless had an enjoyable evening of music and chat. With an optional theme of VE Day 80, Simon sang mostly his usual selection of war songs while Denny added an impressive count of new songs to the Dragon database by giving us a wartime "greatest hits".

I don't think there's too much cause to have an official optional theme this Friday at The Dragon Folk Club, but if you need some inspiration, here is what has happened in the past on 16th May.

Back though to last week, Denny started as she meant to go on with Run, rabbit, run (* Noel Gay, Ralph Butler). In fact she added two songs to the database in one by also singing the wartime parody, Run, Adolf, run (* words by Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen).

Along similar lines, Simon opened his account with Bless 'em all (roud 8402 - Fred Godfrey, Robert Kewley) which, although credited to Godfrey and Kewley with a date of 1917, may have existed in some form amongst British military personnel in the 1880s in India (probably not with "bless" in the title). More importantly for us here it was first recorded by George Formby in 1940.

With the first rotation over I will concentrate on Denny's "new" songs, all popular and well known for their choruses, but challenging for their often less well known verses and sometimes a barely remembered preamble.

(There'll be bluebirds over) The white cliffs of Dover (* included in roud X4988) was written in 1941 by Walter Kent and Nat Burton and was made famous by "forces sweetheart" Vera Lynn's 1942 version. Interestingly, American lyricist Burton was probably thinking of the North American bluebird which I have seen on my travels, but I had always rationalised it as referring to the duck-egg blue painted underside of early Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes. I remember this colour name from my youth when painting Airfix models, but apparently the official name for it is Sky Type "S". Either way the aim was presumably to camouflage aircraft flying over in a pale blue sky. Note also that there are often bluebirds (and other inappropriate species) in an English country garden (roud 29760 - Thomas Walker, Robert M Jordan).

We'll meet again (*) was written in 1939 by Ross Parker and Hughie Charles. The original recording used a Hammond Novachord, arguably the first commercial polyphonic synthesizer, sold from 1939 to 1942.

Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye (*) was written by Phil Park and Harry Parr-Davies. It appeared in the 1939 film Shipyard Sally, sung by Gracie Fields.

A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square (*) was written in 1939 by Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin. The song was published in 1940 and was first performed in the London revue New Faces by Judy Campbell.

Hands, knees and boomps-a-daisy (*) was written around 1939 by Annette Mills, sister of John Mills and presenter of Muffin the Mule. The linked recording isn't the best quality, but has Mills singing.

The Lambeth walk (* roud 25672) was written by Noel Gay, Douglas Furber, and L. Arthur Rose for the 1937 musical Me and My Girl. In 1942 British propaganda film "Schichlegruber Doing the Lambeth Walk" Nazis are made to look as though they are doing the dance.

Down at the Old Bull and Bush (* roud 23914) is an adaptation of Under the Anheuser Bush, a beer garden song commissioned by the Anheuser-Busch brewing company in 1903 with music by Harry Von Tilzer and words by Andrew B. Sterling. The Old Bull and Bush refers to a pub of that name in Hampstead Heath, London. This version was written for Australian music hall singer Florrie Forde.

Knees up Mother Brown (* roud 24984) is believed to date back to the 19th century, but was first published in 1938. It is documented to have been sung widely in London on 11 November 1918 (Armistice Night). The 1938 version was attributed to Bert Lee, Harris Weston and I. Taylor. During the Second World War it was performed frequently by Elsie and Doris Waters (Gert and Daisy).

After Denny had sung all these 30s and 40s songs Simon finished the evening with a 1940 American song: You are my sunshine (roud 18130 - Jimmie Davis, Charles Mitchell).

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

(Number of people present - 2 of whom 2 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and songs not to be found in the playlist linked from "a selection" are marked with a hash (#).

May Day 2025

(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was our first one of May, so our optional theme was that very month, and certainly there are lots of songs which mention it.

This week's theme will be VE Day and everything that goes with it. No doubt songs of war and anti-war will emerge.

We were pleased to see Stan who has been an occasional visitor for some time, as well as Stuart and Carrie who are become more frequent which is great. Denny was without Paul who was apparently biting his nails over the snooker on television.

Stand-in MC Simon, while not late, was last to arrive and so was relegated to the graveyard shift on each rotation. It was Stuart and Carrie who kicked things off with Bonny light horseman (* roud 1185).

As usual with a duo Stuart and Carrie (or should that be Carrie and Stuart?) were asked to sing again immediately and they gave us Hills of Shiloh (Shel Silverstein, Jim Friedman).

Denny started the May theme with Rosabella (roud 21134) "One Monday morning in the month of May...".

Singing I'd never find another you (* Gerry Goffin, Carole King), Stan referred to the version by Billy Fury, but here we have the original version by Tony Orlando.

Simon finished off the first rotation with Lady Franklin's lament (roud 487, laws K09). Stuart mentioned that he had been asked by someone to sing this song and wanted to play along. Simon suggested he might play the same tune again later (which he did).

On the second rotation Stuart and Carrie sang Joni Mitchell's Urge for going (*). If you watch the video, please bear with the first minute because it's worth the wait for this less-well-known of her songs.

It was on this second time round also that as promised Simon gave Stuart a chance to try his accompaniment, this time to Les Barker's Lord Franklin. Stuart continued, joined by Carrie to sing Mark Knopfler's Why worry (*).

Carrie was very pleased when Stan introduced one of her favourite songs, Don MacLean's Castles in the air (*).

Stuart and Carrie introduced yet another new song for the Dragon database in You've got to walk that lonesome valley (* roud 7098), represented here by the earliest recording of the song with The Jenkins Family singing it in 1925.

Carrie performed Jake Bugg's Country song (*) alone followed by Stan introducing us to Hier encore (Georges Garvarentz, Charles Aznavour), but in its English version: Yesterday when I was young (*), with words by Herbert Kretzmer.

Stan's final song was Always on my mind (* Wayne Carson, Mark James, Johnny Christopher). He was thinking of Willie Nelson's version, but here we have the original recording by Brenda Lee.

Simon finished off the session with Big rock candy mountain, claimed to have been written by Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock. This version is a bit harder-hitting than that sung by Burl Ives and a mainstay of BBC Radio's children's programmes.

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

(Number of people present - 5 of whom 5 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and songs not to be found in the playlist linked from "a selection" are marked with a hash (#).

St George's Day 2025

The session less Ian who was taking the photo
(Photo: Ian Garbutt)

With St George's Day officially moved to 28th April this year the Dragon Folk Club's Friday session with that theme was just three days early. We had a good gathering, which included on first time visitor, Ian, who shared with us his self-penned songs and a hint of the style of his band, Blue Badgers (nothing to do with disability by the way).

It seems we are in the midst of a theme season, so I will tell you that this Friday (2nd May) will be a May Day theme, so "I walked out on a May morning..." could be a very good way to start a song. Next week (9th May) will mark VE Day (also just one day late), and that should bring out some war and anti-war songs. Of course all of our themes are optional and whatever I say anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

Back to last week, Paul was asked to start and so he did, right on theme with St George and the dragon (Pauline Willoughby). Denny claimed her song Worcester city (* roud 218), being about an English place, was good enough to be on theme and so it was.

Colin hit the mark with Richard Thompson's The new St George.

Roger S apologised for not bringing along songs that were aimed at the theme, but we promised to find links somewhere. His first song of the evening was If I were a carpenter (Tim Hardin).

Ian's first song was his own as were all that he sang during the session. Matilda (*# Ian Garbutt) is about Empress Matilda. Ian, who played the guitar and sang for us, told us that he played bass guitar and whistle in his band, but he didn't mention that he also plays trombone, saxophone and clarinet. That's a bit impressive!

Simon gave us Marriott Edgar's monologue George and the dragon before Steve C completed the first rotation with Stan Rogers' Field behind the plow (sic).

Roger's second song was the self-penned Global meltdown (*# Roger Stanleigh) and Ian's, called Featherweed (* Ian Garbutt), recalled a cycling trip to the Hebrides. As promised, a tenuous link to the theme was found from Roger's song since it mentioned fire, as breathed by dragons.

Simon sang Puff and bold St George (#), written to the tune of Puff the magic dragon (Leonard Lipton, Peter Yarrow) by friend of the club, Richard Gillion.

Denny was next with something new for the Dragon when she used her voice to "play" the tune Barwick green (*). It is most famously the theme tune for The Archers on BBC Radio 4, but predates even "the world's longest-running present-day drama by number of episodes", having been composed in 1924 by Arthur Wood. The Archers started on 29th May 1950. The oldest existing recording of The Archers is from 11th March 1952.

Ian sang The Volunteer (* Ian Garbutt), inspired by the figurehead of a small wooden ketch (65 tons, built 1861) that supplied the Isles of Scilly with coal: one of thirty such figureheads on display at The Valhalla Museum, on Tresco, Isles of Scilly.

Roger sang a song called Dry your eyes (*#) which I have been unable to trace based on the information I have. Its first line was "I can see the fear showing in your pretty blue eyes". Roger writes songs, so it may be one of his own, or it may not be.

Ian's penultimate song of the evening was The battle (* Ian Garbutt).

Colin's last song was one I have struggled with before. I assume it's called Britannia waives the rules (#), but I know nothing else about it.

Ian finished off the evening with everyone joining in on the chorus of Walking down The Chums (* Ian Garbutt) about a Bristol micropub of that name where his band used to play and hang out.

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

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

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and songs not to be found in the playlist linked from "a selection" are marked with a hash (#).

Easter 2025

Sanctuaire de la Sainte-Baume
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

We had a great Easter session at the Dragon Folk Club. We loved welcoming first time visitors John and Howard who call themselves Old Friends, and now they are our friends too.

This Friday the optional theme will be St George's Day (just three days early). Don't worry if you can't follow the theme, but there's plenty of scope to follow it. St George, dragons and England are the obvious ones, but look also to his other patronages which include: agricultural workers, farmers, field workers, soldiers, archers, armourers, equestrians, cavalry, saddle makers, chivalry, peacekeeping missions, skin diseases, lepers and leprosy, syphilis, sheep, shepherds, scouting, Albania, Bulgaria, England, Ethiopia, Greece, Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Castile and León, Catalonia, Alcoi, Aragon, Genoa, and Rio de Janeiro.

Back to last week, according to blog tradition I will mention all of the songs sung by newcomers John and Howard (Old Friends). Songs which are new to the Dragon database, although they may have been sung at the club before, are marked with an asterisk (*) and songs not in the YouTube playlist liked from "a selection" below are marked with a hash (#).

Colin started off with a proper Easter song: The pace-egging song (roud 614). Simon followed on with just a mention of Easter in The moonshine can (roud 9949).

Old Friends specialise in Simon & Garfunkel songs and as a duo were asked to sing two each round. They opened their account with Leaves that are green (* Paul Simon) and the eponymous Old friends (* Paul Simon).

Paul's first of the evening was the Easter-appropriate Seven virgins (roud 127) and Denny evoked Easter chicks with The chickens in the garden (roud 2552 - James Alan Bland). And so the first rotation was complete.

Colin once again brought us a seasonal offering with Dave Goulder's The Easter Tree.

John and Howard sang Scarborough Fair (roud 12, child 2) and Summertime (DuBose Heyward, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin).

Apart from our visitors, Colin was the only one to add entries to the Dragon database during the session. He first did this with Johnny Cash's Redemption (*), and later with Eggs and bacon (*# roud 377 - collected from Stan Steggles). I didn't find a recording of Eggs and bacon, but I did find the closely related Eggs in her basket (roud 377).

Completing the collection of songs from John and Howard (Old Friends) we have:

• Vincent (Don McLean)
• April come she will (* Paul Simon)
• All I have to do is dream (* Boudleaux Bryant)
• Don't let the old man in (* Toby Keith)
• Detectorists (* Johnny Flynn)
• Man of the world (* Peter Green)

Paul gave us one song that didn't make its way to the playlist: Tracks in the snow (# Steve Thomason).

Denny closed the session with When all men sing (Keith Scowcroft, Derek Gifford).

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

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

Some songs less sung

Morris dancers at the
Royal County of Berkshire Show
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

We were a bit thin on the ground at last week's Dragon Folk Club session pretty much as expected, and we had a fair amount of chat, some music-related, as well as singing, so we hit the end after "just" 24 songs. Not bad really. The small group allowed us to bring out some of our less sung songs. There was even a fair group of new songs to the Dragon database, though not necessarily new to the club. As usual these are marked in this report with an asterisk (*).

All songs sung are available to listen to in the YouTube playlist linked from "a selection" below.

Despite this Friday being Good Friday we will be meeting - 8:15pm in the barn (just past the toilets) at The Bridge Inn, Shortwood, Bristol (UK), BS16 9NG. The obvious (optional) theme is all things more or less to do with Easter, related and equivalent seasonal festivals.

At last week's session Colin started off with Sweet Jenny Jones (* roud 13857). Colin pointed out that this is a song set to a morris dance tune, a mini theme which he kept up in his second song of the evening: Little Johnny England (*).

Simon's first song was one he expected to be new to the database, Bristol Girls (roud 486 - adapted by Dean Calin). It was written for the Bristol Renaissance Faire which takes place near Kenosha, Wisconsin (there is a small town called Bristol in the county). After referring to the Dragon database it can be seen that Simon was preceded by several years and it has been sung before by Colin!

Colin added a number of other songs to the database through the evening:

• First we take Manhattan (* Leonard Cohen)
• The road to Venezuela (* Andy Davis, Andrei Smegmakovitch - the latter being a pseudonym for all members of the band Stackridge)
• Mull of Kintyre (* Paul McCartney, Denny Laine)
• Born free (* John Barry, Don Black)
  

Another "new" song which sang was The collier's rant (* roud V48016 - adapted by Michael Raven). It took a while to track this down because it isn't the well-known song from the North East of England The collier's rant (roud 1366), but is is derived from another song and another area.

This song is an adaptation by Michael Raven of the song The town in danger of a siege which appeared on a Shrewsbury broadside. It is thought that the song was first published in 1832 at a time when local colliers were causing civil disturbances and that it is a description of earlier riots which occurred in 1821 when the town of Chirk was besieged by rebellious miners.

The final song of the evening came from Simon and was Galway shawl (roud 2737).

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

(Number of people present - 2 of whom 2 performed)

All Fools 2025

(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session turned into an event to mark a slightly belated April Fool's day with mirth, fun and nonsense. It was particularly good to mark it with a respectably large crowd. This Friday's session will have no theme, so the pressure is off and with the expected absence of a few regulars you are particularly encouraged to come along for a low-key, low-pressure opportunity to try performing your party pieces, or if you don't fancy that to see what we are going to perform. You are very welcome to join in the banter and a hopefully a chorus or two.

Back to last week, Colin, in the chair as MC, started us off with a marker of April fools (* Rob Carlson). That asterisk indicates a song that is new to the Dragon database though not necessarily a first appearance at the club since the database only goes back a fraction of the club's history which spans well over 50 years. The database is even incomplete and inclined to errors over its restricted period.

The YouTube playlist linked from "a selection" below is also incomplete, and more so this week than usually, mostly for good reason. Performances not to be found there will be marked with a hash (#). The playlist acknowledges 30 performances, but we had a total of 37 during the evening.

It was good to see occasional visitor Roger S, and his first song of the session was his own Ukrainian lament (*# Roger Stanleigh).

Simon was first in with a comedy song, which was Richard Stilgoe's The transplant squad.

Steve came in with what some consider "folk cheese": The fields of Athenry (Pete St John), and he was followed by Jane with one of her stories; this time about some stolen doughnuts (#).

Denny told us about Albert's return (Marriott Edgar) and Paul gave us Somewhere to begin (T R Ritchie).

Sue's first song was Eric Idle's Always look on the bright side of life from The Life of Brian, and Bob brought the first rotation to a close with The same thing happened to me (John Prine, Gary Nicholson).

I was sure that Denny had previously sung The lightning tree (* Francis Essex) which some of us remembered as the theme tune to the ITV children's drama Follyfoot. However, the database had no record of it, so either I'm mistaken, or it was another omission from its vault; well it is no longer.

Roger sang us another of his own compositions which he entitled Expectation (*# Roger Stanleigh).

Jane's next story was entitled Chocolate (#) and was about a soldier who liked the sweet stuff considerably more than he liked being a soldier.

Colin entered the realms of "one song to the tune of another" with Your Baby 'as Gorn Dahn the Plug'ole (Jack Spade - a pseudonym of Elton Box, Desmond Cox and Lewis Ilda [aka Irwin Dash]) to the tune of My bonnie lies over the ocean (roud 1422).

There is a previous record of Devil woman (Terry Britten, Christine Authors) being sung by an unknown attendee at the club (maybe someone who happened to wander in from the bar?), but Roger's rendition of Devil Woman (* Marty Robbins) seems to have been a debut for that song of the same name.

Jane Followed Steve's singing of When Adam was first created (roud 728) with her own unexpected story of how Adam and Eve may have been created (#).

Denny proudly displayed her footwear while singing These boots are made for walking (* Lee Hazlewood).

Roger's last song of the evening was Ned Miller's Do what you do do well from 1965.

After everyone had sung, recited, read or told four performances, Colin sang the final song which appropriately was One more song (Jimmy Monthieth-Towler, Val Monthieth-Towler).

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

(Number of people present - 9 of whom 9 performed)

Mothering Sunday 2025

(Photo: Simon Meeds)

At last week's Dragon Folk Club session we took up my suggestion of a Mothering Sunday theme with Simon and Colin following it all the way through, and both Bob and Sue making valiant attempts given that they arrived with no prior warning of it. I'm not aware of a theme for this Friday (4th April) unless you want to go for Fools and Nonsense - optional as always.

Unusually last week there were no new songs for the Dragon database, and while there was one that Colin sung not to be found on YouTube, Simon has since filled the gap, so every song we sang can be listened to by following the "a selection" link below to the customary YouTube playlist.

Colin started off with that previously missing song, The Mother Country, believed to have been written by Benjamin Franklin and sung to the tune of Greensleeves (roud V19581). It is a common myth that Greensleeves was written by King Henry VIII. However, Henry did not write Greensleeves as the piece is based on an Italian style of composition that did not reach England until after his death.

Bob asked that Blues stay away from me - a song written by Alton Delmore, Henry B Glover, Rabon Delmore, Wayne Raney. Sue sang Steve Goodman's City of New Orleans.

Simon finished the first rotation with Geordie (roud 90, child 209).

I'll pick up on some mini themes that emerged during the evening and ignore the order which the songs were sung.

Bob followed Sue's first song into a mini railway theme with Orange blossom special (Ervin T Rouse).

Colin sang two Beatles' songs: Lady Madonna (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) and Mother nature's son (John Lennon, Paul McCartney).

Sue sang Gatherin' rhubarb (Keith Hopwood, Phil Bush), a song from the TV mini-series Soul Music based on the Terry Pratchett novel of the same name. Bob followed up with Rhubarb Pie (John Fogerty). I suspect the fit isn't quite as close as it at first appears. Much like a lot of old blues songs, this newer song may be referring to something stronger: in this case a strain of cannabis. Apparently it is a hybrid strain with a sweet, dessert-like flavour much like its namesake dessert, blending together fresh sweet fruits, spicy cherries and red berries.

Simon's second song of the evening was one which our former organiser, Maggie Starkey (who was not present) does not like: Summertime (DuBose Heyward, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin). When he was asked to sing the closing song of the evening Simon thought he would make it up to Maggie (in her absence) by singing one she does like: Speedy Gonzales (Buddy Kaye, Ethel Lee, David Hess / Dante).

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

(Number of people present - 4 of whom 4 performed)

From Pook's Hill to the Hills of Shiloh

View from Cleeve Hill,
the highest in the Cotswolds
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session had no theme and the offerings were as eclectic as you would expect and hope for. It was good to see Stuart and Carrie return and they may almost now be turning into regulars, which is great.

This Friday's session will again have no official theme, but after my slightly premature suggestion last week, this Sunday really is Mothering Sunday, so songs about Mums or the Mother Church may be appropriate.

I have an apology to make to Stuart, although he seemed amused so maybe it's not so bad. Three weeks ago I was not present, so it was more difficult to check my facts, and I credited Bryson City not incorrectly to Daniel Babin, but in fact Stuart sang Bryson City Blues (*), the only song so far that he has written himself (no link to a video I'm afraid).

That asterisk indicating a song new to the Dragon database comes out immediately for the song with which Stuart and Carrie started the evening: Oak, ash and thorn (*) with words from the poem "A Tree Song" in Rudyard Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill and music by kiplingologist Peter Bellamy.

The same duo continued with The Beatles' Norwegian wood (John Lennon, Paul McCartney).

Colin provided the main challenge of the evening for your scribe. The Labourers' Union is the one song I didn't find on YouTube and therefore the only one not included in the playlist linked from "a selection" below.

Colin had reported the week before on the health of our friend Tom Mossman, so Simon thought to bring out Tom's own Lasso the Moon, written in consultation with our late friend Ray Croll.

Denny, having sung herself out of Irish songs at the previous week's St Patrick's Day session, had realised she knew at least one more and therefore gave us The rose of Tralee (* roud 1978) which we can credit either to English writer Edward Mordaunt Spencer (words) and English composer Charles William Glover (music), or to William Pembroke Mulchinock, depending on which story we believe.

Paul brought the first rotation to an end with Somewhere to begin (* T R Ritchie).

Stuart and Carrie introduced us to The Hills of Shiloh (* Shel Silverstein, Jim Friedman), introduced to them by Martin Simpson's version, who in turn acquired it from his collaboration with June Tabor. They also made the "additions to the database" list for the week with Sandy Denny's Who knows where the time goes (*).

Colin also entered the database with Ewan MacColl's The Trafford Road Ballad (*) which was written in 1948 for "Landscape With Chimneys", a play dealing with life in Salford. It is told from the perspective of a WWII veteran who expresses his disdain for needless warfare and death. The melody is based on the 1870's Irish ballad, "Spancil Hill".

Carrie announced that she was singing 10,000 miles (*) from the repertoire of Mary Chapin Carpenter. This is an alternative name for Fare thee well (roud 422).

And so it was also Carrie who gave us our last "new" song of the evening with Stevie Nicks' Dreams (*) and a fine performance it was too. It wasn't the first song of the evening to have everyone singing along.

The final song of the evening came from Stuart and Carrie with Dink's song. Stuart told how John Lomax, on his way to collect and record songs near Huston when, passing over a bridge on the Brazos River he heard a black woman singing a song while washing her husband's clothes in a tent camp of migratory levee-builders. He was so impressed that he stopped and recorded her. Her name was Dink. He decided to come back and hear more songs from her another day, but on his return she had already died.

Cyril Tawney, while serving in the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Indefatigable, found the song in the Lomaxes' book American Ballads and Folk Songs. He was struck by the first verse, and incorporated it into the second verse of his song about the navy, The Grey Funnel Line.

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

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 6 performed)

St Patrick's Day 2025

Cobh, Cork glimpsed over Spike Island
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session had a St Patrick's Day theme being just two days before the actual date. This Friday there is no theme.

I am pleased to say that the new manager of The Bridge Inn, Mike, is looking after us very well and in particular keeping us warm - previously a bit of an issue for some visitors.

When listening to the songs from last week, bear in mind that though the obvious topics were Ireland or the Irish, I invited people to consider St Patrick's other patronages: Nigeria, Montserrat, Archdiocese of New York, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Boston, Rolla, Missouri, Loíza, Puerto Rico, Murcia (Spain), Clann Giolla Phádraig, engineers, paralegals, Archdiocese of Melbourne. He is also invoked against snakes and sins.

Colin, MC as usual, started us off with Steve Knightley's The Galway farmer, a timely tale of an Irish visitor to the Cheltenham Festival who puts a tidy sum on one particular horse.

Paul stayed in the same county with The Galway Shawl (roud 2737). A few of this week's videos are a bit personal to me. Mike shown here on guitar is a friend of mine, and Andy on mandolin is the player I told Denny of who I used to accompany on Bodhrán.

Denny continued the session with She moves through the fair (roud 861) and Simon completed the first rotation with Muirsheen Durkin (roud 9753). This last video is the first of several by The Boston Folk Orchestra, who aren't Irish, but several of it's current and past members attended the same school as I did, though not at the same time. This is from their 1978 cassette - remember those? In April 2025 the band celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Given the theme I didn't expect many additions this week to the Dragon database, but in fact there were four, and for the first I have an apology to make. I suggested that Denny's singing of Bold Robert Emmet (* round 3066 - Thomas Maguire) would not be new to the database, but as indicated by the asterisk I was wrong!

Next for the database was Colin's singing of The orange and the green (* Anthony Murphy).

Danny sang The Kipper Family's Bored of the dance (* Chris Sugden) and the final new song for the database came from Colin: Liverpool Lou (* Dominic Behan).

The ony song of the evening not found on YouTube and therefore not in the playlist linked from "a selection" below was Denny's King of the railways (Roy Duffield).

The final song of the evening, appropriately resulting in a sing-along, was Simon's Paddy lay back (roud 653).

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

(Number of people present - 4 of whom 4 performed)