We do our own thing

A dedicated follower of fashion? (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session wasn't quite as populous as recent ones, but is was great to have Paul O join us on his third visit.

Remember that while next Friday's session (11th  Sept) will have no theme, the following week (18th Sept) will have the theme Harvest. I am sure you can think of at least one appropriate song for that. Our session on 18th September will also be associated with the  4th European Folk Day - #europeanfolkday.

Back to last Friday, Colin started us off with Hard Travelin' (roud 13926 - Woody Guthrie). Simon followed that with There but for fortune (Phil Ochs).

Paul O's first song of the evening was A pair of brown eyes (Shane MacGowan).

Bob gave us Sweet little Lisa (Hank DeVito, Donivan Cowart, Walter Cowart) and Sue completed the first rotation with Big Rock Candy Mountain (Harry McClintock (claimed)).

These were the songs new to the Dragon database on this occasion:

• Colin - The commuter's coronach (*# David Diamond)
• Paul O - The salt and pepper song (*# Paul O'Sullivan)
• Sue - Dedicated follower of fashion (* Ray Davies)
• Bob - You bring out the boogie in me (* Michael Franks)
• Paul O - The ice song (*# Paul O'Sullivan)
• Paul O - The pride of Petravore (*  roud 34408 - Percy French)
• Paul O - Dreamboat girl (* Paul O'Sullivan)

Colin was pleased to get the chance for once to close the session himself with When all men sing (Keith Scowcroft, Derek Gifford).

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 not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Announcing upcoming themes

Publicity shot of American singer Dolly Parton, 1977

It was another great turn-out at the Dragon Folk Club Session last week. We were very pleased to welcome Dragon first-timer Raf complete with his accordion. It was also great to welcome back Paula and Denny's non-performing friend Chris for her second annual visit.

The main pre-session business this week was to announce some special themes, so here is a calendar going up to Christmas. Remember that Fridays not mentioned are almost certainly sessions too, but without a theme:

• 18 Sept - Harvest (associated with the  4th European Folk Day - #europeanfolkday)
• 25 Sept - No theme (associated with the  4th European Folk Day - #europeanfolkday)
• 30 Oct - Halloween / Samhain / etc.
• 6 Nov - Bonfire Night / Guy Fawkes / fireworks / campfire songs
• 13 Nov - Remembrance / war / anti-war
• 27 Nov - St Andrew's Day / St Andrew / Scotland
• 18 Dec - Christmas / Yule / Hanukkah / etc.
• 25 Dec - No session
• 1 Jan - No session
• 8 Jan - New Year / Twelfth Night / etc.

Colin started the session off from the MC's chair with The son of a gambolier (roud 2964 - Charles Ives).

Simon referred to the recent death of Dolly Parton, singing her song Love is like a butterfly.

Rob recalled when his niece once asked him to tell her a story. He invited her to fetch a book, but she said she wanted him to tell a story "out of his head". He thought that slightly challenging, but then she said she wanted him to sing it. He couldn't manage that on the spot, but later came up with a song which he sang to us, singing it for the first time in ten years: Lia and the giant (*# Rob Winder).

Paul reprised Bold General Wolfe (roud 624), which he sang here for the first time the previous week. He seemed slightly disappointed that it hadn't been new to the Dragon database, but it wasn't because Derek had sung it here before.

Denny hoped the dog which Heather had with her, which she is temporarily looking after, wouldn't be bothered by Dido Bendigo (roud 584). The dog didn't bat an eyelid despite Rob's yelps as he joined in the chorus.

Hazel regaled us with a joke about the police. During the evening she brought forth another joke, this time about a school reception class.

Heather's first song of the evening was Sea of heartbreak (Paul Hampton, Hal David).

Steve arrived in time to finish the first rotation with The field behind the plow (Stan Rogers). This was the first of three Stan Rogers songs we heard.

Raf arrived just slightly too late to be included in the first rotation, but as a newcomer I will mention all of the songs and tunes he performed:

• Jock Stewart (roud 975)
• Mary Ellen Carter (Stan Rogers)
• The bloody fields of Flanders (* John McLellan) / The hut on Staffin island (* Phil Cunningham) / Calum's road (* Donald Shaw)

The remaining songs that were new to the Dragon database were:

• Paul - Turn ye seasons (*# Andy Barnes)
• Heather - You don't have to say you love me (* Pino Donaggio, Vito Pallavicini, Vicki Wickham, Simon Napier-Bell) - an English-language version of the 1965 Italian song Io che non vivo (senza te)
• Denny - Crossing the bar (* Alfred Lord Tennyson)

There was one so far unmentioned song that was not found on YouTube and is therefore not included in this week's playlist: Heather - They don't  play rock of ages on the juke box (# J Spencer).

It was Steve's turn to sing us out for the week, which he did with the second Cyril Tawney song of the evening: Sammy's Bar. 

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

(Number of people present - 10 of whom 9 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

A quick roundup

Empty bed (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Please pardon me if I keep this report of last week's Dragon Folk Club session a bit bare bones. It's no reflection on the quality of the session, but just because I'm running a bit behind this week.

Colin as MC started us off with Mobile Bay (roud 4696), recently collected from the singing of the Bristol Shantymen, of whom our previous MC, Mike Starkey, was a member.

Heather's first song was It is no secret what God can do (* Stuart Hamblen). Heather's friend Hazel doesn't sing, but she amused us with a joke about a pirate.

Simon was tempted to take a prompt from Hazel's joke, but had to change to another song instead: Johnny Todd (roud 1102).

Paul W ventured Bold General Wolfe (roud 624) and was followed by Denny with Moon names (# Charlotte Oliver).

Paul M sang Nantucket (Jonathan Michael Peter Darely, David Robinson, Robert James Alexander Sattin, Andrew Robert Yates).

Bob woke up with the Empty bed blues (J C Johnson) and Sue brought the first rotation to a close with Red River valley (roud 756).

Songs not already mentioned that were new to the Dragon database were:

• Heather - Seven lonely nights (* Earl Shuman, Alden Shuman, Marshall Brown)
• Paul W -  Cheap boat (* Jon Heslop)
• Denny - Winchester geese (*# Ann Reader) 
• Heather - Help me make it through the night (* Kris Kristofferson)
•  Sue - Beautiful Sunday (* Daniel Boone, Rod McQueen)
•  Colin - We sing out (* Pete Seeger)

Sue closed the session with Whistling Gypsy (roud 1, child 200).

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

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

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Cornwall, Lincolnshire, Rome and elsewhere

Blue Hills Tin Mine, Trevallas, Cornwall (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was a little thinner on the ground than recently, but it gave us an opportunity not only for some less-sung songs, but also for a some chat on various topics. I'm sure the normal, quick-fire, song-dense session will be back on Friday.

Colin started us off from the MC's chair with Cousin Jack (Steve Knightley).

Roger's first song of the evening was one of his own and indeed one on which he is still working: In the trenches (*# Roger Stanleigh).

Simon completed the first rotation with John Sykes' The Lincolnshire song.

Colin sang The Roman gladiator (Bruce Campbell), Campbell, Groundsman at Wethered's Brewery in Marlow, wrote it with six verses in about 1940. Dave Houlden added two verses and another verse was written by Michael Paterson.

After that Simon suggested the only way he could follow it was with the Latin version of The hippopotamus song (Michael Flanders, Donald Swann, unknown) sung by Ian Wallace at his inauguration as Rector of St Andrews University.

This in turn led to a discussion of Latin and songs in the language. Colin made the mistake <smile> of mentioning that Simon had once sung his old school song, so that was unavoidably repeated: Floreat Bostona (# George Edwin Pattenden).

There was only one song not already mentioned that was new to the Dragon database, and that was Roger's own The ballad of Seamus and Rosie (*# Roger Stanleigh).

Other songs not found on YouTube, at least not in stand-alone videos, and therefore not included in this week's playlist were:

• Roger - Global meltdown (# Roger Stanleigh)
• Roger - I'm thinking of letting go (# Roger Stanleigh)
•  Colin - The bos'n, the gunner and me (# Tom Lewis)

Colin completed the evening with The drovers (Keith Marsden)

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

(Number of people present - 3 of whom 3 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Natural Phenomena

Partial solar eclipse 15 December 1982 (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was the usual eclectic mix of songs, providing an entertaining evening. There were eight songs new to the Dragon database including some surprising previous omissions at least two of which had been sung here before, but before the days of the database.

Our MC, Colin, had been beaten to the venue by Stuart and Carrie, so they got the first slots, singing solo this time because Stuart's guitar was tuned to DADGAD. Stuart kicked us off with Waly Waly - The water is wide (* roud 18829) and Carrie followed with Country song (Jake Bugg).

Colin's first song was Cotton mill girls (* roud 11549), notably sung previously at the club by the late Betty McDonald (see the linked video).

Simon tried a new-to-him song in Halley came to Jackson (* Mary Chapin Carpenter). This was an attempt at an astronomical theme, thinking tenuously of the solar eclipse coming up on 12th August. The song is apparently biographical about the American writer Eudora Welty.

Bob gave us Blood red river (roud 15807) and Sue finished the first rotation with Love of the common people (John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins).

Songs not already mentioned and new to the Dragon database were:

• Stuart - East Virginia blues (* roud 3396)
• Colin - Sinking of the Reuben James (* Woody Guthrie)
• Stuart - Sandwood down to Kyle (* Dave Goulder)
• Colin - Blaydon Races (* roud 3511 - George Ridley)
• Colin - Prickly bush (* roud 144)

The job of closing the evening fell to Bob, which he fulfilled with White line fever (Merle Haggard).

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 not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Songs, readings and jokes

Three men walked into a bar... [they are not the folk club]
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session saw two visitors: Mark from Derbyshire returned a year after his first appearance, and Chris S, now from the Isle of Man, came along after an absence of six years. Chris, who usually sings with a shanty group, gave us a couple of songs but otherwise read the words of songs as poems, showing that pretty much anything goes as long as it's acoustic. In fact as if to drive the point home, regular non-performer Hazel was persuaded to tell us some of her jokes.

Colin, in the MC's seat, kicked us off with Cyril Tawney's That's what it's like in the navy (#). Apart from Hazel's jokes, which I won't enumerate, thre rest of the performances are all represented in the YouTube playlist linked from "a selection" below.

Mark gave us Don McLean's version of Mountains of Mourne (Percy French).

Heather reminded us of the work of the multi-talented Victoria Wood with her song Saturday night (*). 

Simon sang Tom Paine's bones (Graham Moore) and Chris S finished off the first rotation with The last shanty (Tom Lewis).

The remaining songs which were new to the Dragon database were:

• Colin - Life gets tee-just don't it (*  Carson Robison)
• Mark - It's a champion life (* Jez Lowe)
• Chris S - When the old dun cow caught fire (* roud 5323)
• Colin - John Henry (* roud 790)
• Mark - Tip o' Derwent (* Gerald Short)
• Chris S - It was a ship I saw (*) - an English translation of the Manx Gaelic She Lhong Honnick Mee
• Chris S - The gardens of Sampson and Beasley (* Thomas Lauderdale, China Forbes)
• Mark - American pie (* Don McLean)

In the end Mark was asked to finish the session which he did by singing John Tams' Cider with Rosie. 

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 not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Out of Africa

Plantation remains in Saint Lucia
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

At last week's Dragon Folk Club session we were delighted to welcome back Mel who last visited us over six years ago, and Habib who accompanied him on this visit. It was Habib's first experience of the club and we hope they will return.

Colin started us off with Navvy boots (* roud 516) and that led us into two songs which Stuart and Carrie performed together: Waiting around to die (Townes Van Zandt) and Hard times (* David Rawlings, Gillian Welch).

The first song of Mel's return to the club was When all men sing (Keith Scowcroft, Derek Gifford). Habib's debut song was a shanty which drew from his time living in Africa: Down the river of Gambia (*).

Simon completed the first rotation with Isabel makes love on national monuments (Jake Thackray).

As is usual, I must mention all the songs sung by newcomer Habib, to simply list them wouldn't do justice to how he presented them, hence a longer thank usual narrative.

He referred to the Sons of Africa, a group of freed African slaves in Britain who campaigned to end slavery towards the end of the 18th century. He took a poem entitled We are not putting down our pens (*#) and put it to a psalm tune, Truro. It certainly wasn't this rap entitled Sons of Africa from Horrible Histories, but that gives an idea of the subject matter.

His next song was another with a slavery-related theme being another poem set to music, Come all you hearts of oak (*#) which relates to the West Africa Squadron, a squadron of the Royal Navy whose goal was to suppress the Atlantic slave trade by patrolling the coast of West Africa. The squadron operated from 1808 to 1867.

Habib said he had recently seen the silent film version of The Student Prince. While it obviously didn't include the songs from the original operetta, it reminded him of one of those songs and he therefore gave us The drinking song (* Sigmund Romberg, Dorothy Donnelly).

His final offering was a self-penned poem, again set to music. Each year he writes a poem for his wife's birthday, and this one was entitled The quilter excellente (*# Habib).

The remaining songs new to the Dragon database were:

• Colin - Morning glory (* Guy Fletcher, Doug Flett)
• Stuart and Carrie - Empty trainload of sky (* David Rawlings, Gillian Welch)
• Colin - Brown girl in the ring (* roud 13195) - a Jamaican playground song long before Boney M. sang it or at least a version arranged by their producer and covert band member Frank Farian
• Mel - Captain Jack and the mermaid (* Meg Davis)
• Carrie - Child in time (* Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, Ian Paice)

Having a longer journey home than most, Mel and Habib left with just three songs to go, the last of which for the evening was John O'Dreams (Bill Caddick, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky), sung by Simon.

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 not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Drama in the sing-around

Paul and Denny making up
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was quite a contrast to the one that came before with what we would consider a decent crowd, and the singing wasn't too bad either. It was great to see Helen for the first time since March, but otherwise it was all regulars except for... well' I'll come to that in a minute.

This Friday though we are likely to be a bit thinner on the ground with regulars, so you are strongly urged to come along and see what what we do. While we'd love you to perform it's fine if you don't feel like doing so this time, we'd just appreciate your company, your chat, and maybe you can join in with a chorus or five!

Last week Simon had arrived first, but was preempted by a slightly drunk pub customer who came into the room and asked whether we knew King Billy's on the wall (*). We didn't, so he gave us a chorus of it and thus found himself on the official record as the first singer. Unfortunately we didn't catch his name.

Simon sang I don't like Mondays (Bob Geldof) and Colin lightened the tone with Fred Wedlock's parody of English country garden (roud 29760).

Paul got us singing along to Shallow brown (roud 2621) and Denny continued that trend with Down by the sally gardens (roud V28639 - W B Yeats).

Helen gave us Poor wayfaring stranger (roud 3339) and Heather followed that with When you walk in the room (* Jackie DeShannon).

Simon had just started on You need skin (Leon Rosselson) when Sue and Bob arrived. By the time Simon finished singing it was Sue who ready to perform, so she went straight into Something (George Harrison). Bob therefore completed the first, slightly extended, rotation with Blood red river (roud 15807).

Colin gave us the first of three songs from the evening not found on YouTube and therefore not included in the linked playlist:

• Colin - 7TV Nights (*# Stanley Accrington)
• Heather - They don't play rock of ages on the juke box (*# J Spencer)
• Colin - Columbus' song (*#)

The remaining songs new to the Dragon database were as follows:

•  Helen - Hazel eyes (* Sabrina Jordan)
•  Colin - Don't cry for me Argentina (* Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice) - possibly influenced by the recent exit of the England team from the football World Cup
• Sue - Yesterday (* Lennon-McCartney)
• Bob - You can't judge a book by its cover (* Willie Dixon)
• Colin - Come my little son (* Ewan MacColl)

Meanwhile a comedic soap opera (at least I hope it was comedic) played out between our married couple, Paul and Denny. It started when Paul turned his back on Denny and sang Bonnet and shawl (Dave Webber) to their friend, Helen (a definite chat-up song). The rest of the conversation went something like this:

• Denny -  Let him go, let him tarry (roud 1034) - "He don't care for me, and I'm sure I don't for him"
• Paul - Peggy Gordon (roud 2280) - "Oh Denny..., you are my darling. Come sit you down upon my knee"
• Denny -  Love is pleasing (roud 1049) - "If I had known, love, before I courted, I never would have courted none"
• Paul -  Green grows the laurel (roud 279) - "I once had a sweetheart but now I’ve got none"
• Denny - Young banker (roud 3321) - "It pierced her through the very heart, To think that young banker and her should part"

To avoid any confusion "young banker" is not someone of the financial profession but rather a strapping lad involved in making walls and ditches.

So I hope they made up before Paul was called upon to sing the last song of the evening. He pointed out that John Ball was hanged on 15 July 1381 so the anniversary of his death had just passed, and therefore sang John Ball (Sydney Carter).

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

(Number of people present - 10 of whom 9 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

What happens when...?

Caversham Charity Folk Festival 2004
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

It had to happen sooner or later: a perfect storm of several of our Dragon Folk Club regulars being unavailable and there being no visitors, so two singers held the fort all evening. A good time was had and maybe the mix of songs was slightly more eclectic than is usual even for us!

Colin had raided the depths of his song drawer, and Simon, challenged by his wife, sought out mostly songs suitable for a hot day and warm evening - our stone barn venue may be a tad chilly in the winter, but it's certainly a refuge at the height of summer.

Colin as MC started off with Jordan is a hard road to travel (roud 12153) and Simon quickly completed the first rotation with Summertime (DuBose Heyward, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin).

Colin had a monopoly this time on songs not in the Dragon Database, and there were a good number of them, all now duly added:

• Earthcare (*# Selly Oak Methodist Church Green Team)
• Colours (* Donovan Leitch)
• The Broomsquire's birdsong (*)
• Eight days a week (* Lennon-McCartney)
• The beggar (* roud 1537 - Tune: Bob Johnson)
• The man who couldn't sing [Caedmon's song] (* Keith Gregson)
• The original folk song (*#) - Derek Brinkley wrote on mudcat.org "Someone (I think it was Malcolm McDonald) wrote a song consisting almost entirely of floating lyrics. It went somewhat after this fashion" Derek didn't give it a name, but this is the one Colin has recorded.
•  (Is this the way to) Amarillo (* Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield)
•  Bantam cock (* Jake Thackray)
•  Geordie lost his penker (* roud 8244) - I won't apologise for linking this surprising version sung by Brian Johnson of AC/DC accompanied by Billy Mitchell of Lindisfarne even though Brian calls the marble a "liggie" rather than a "penker"
• Serafina (*) 
• Hells Angel (* parody of Wild Rover - roud 1173)

After all that Simon 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 - 2 of whom 2 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Song clusters

Florence iron ore mine, Egremont, Cumbria
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

There weren't hordes at the Dragon Folk Club session last week, but we all had a good time and it was great to see Gabriel join us for the second time. We hadn't frightened him away, which is always a good sign!

We're carrying on the run of themeless sessions, so there is no pressure this Friday, not that there ever is since our themes when they do crop up are always optional.

Colin, in the MC's chair as usual, started us off with Tom Lewis' Tinker, tailor (*#) and was followed by Simon singing Jean Ritchie's The L&N don't stop here anymore. This wasn't the last we'd hear from Tom Lewis, and if you listen to the playlist linked below from "a selection" you will also hear more from Jean Ritchie in the form of her duet with Doc Watson on Pretty Saro (roud 417) which we heard from Denny.

Heather gave us Bob Dylan's Blowing in the wind; another songwriter who will crop up again. This was followed by Denny with Down in your mine (Colin Wilkie), a song written following an iron ore mining accident in Lengede, Germany, in 1963. The subsequent rescue mission was the inspiration for Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds supermarionation TV series.

Gabriel completed the first rotation with Norman Blake's Last train from poor valley (*), another mining song.

Other songs new to the Dragon database were:

• Gabriel - Colorado girl (* Townes van Zandt)
• Gabriel - Water upon water (*# Gabriel Wynne)
• Gabriel - No more for today (*# Gabriel Wynne)
• Colin - Barnacle Bill the sailor (* roud 4704) - a bawdy version, but not the most extreme
• Gabriel - One more cup of coffee (* Bob Dylan)
• Gabriel - Open up the window Noah (* Phil Rosenthal)
• Gabriel - an instrumental medley of Sage Green (*# Gabriel Wynne) and Old Grimes (*)
• Colin - The mermaid (* a different version of roud 124, child 289 to the one already in the database)

Since I mentioned them, here are the other songs from Bob Dylan and Tom Lewis:

• Gabriel - Buckets of rain (Bob Dylan)
• Denny - Sailor's prayer (Tom Lewis)

Gabriel finished the session off with an unaccompanied version of Lady Franklin's lament (roud 487, laws K09).

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

(Number of people present - 6 of whom 5 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

More welcome young blood

Brinegar Cabin, Milepost 238.5, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

After remarking the previous week that the presence of singer/songwriter/guitarist Gabriel had significantly reduced the average age of our Dragon Folk Club session, it was as if someone was trying for some sort of record when 13 year-old singer Grace, accompanied by her father, Greg on banjo, turned up last week to our lair. Your scribe wasn't present, which also accounts for the order of songs in the YouTube playlist probably being awry, but I am told that Grace's voice "really suited the songs she had chosen to sing". I hope I get to hear her in the future.

As far as I'm aware there will be no theme at this Friday's session, and let's hope we continue the streak of being able to welcome fantastic new singers and musicians into our lair... maybe some of them, as several have already, will return for more. We really are a friendly, non-judgemental bunch, and the Dragon Folk Club is a great place whether you are sharing your old party piece or trying something new.

Back to last week, Colin, in the MC's chair, started the session with Caledonia (Dougie MacLean).

Paul's first song of the evening was The bard (Steve Thomason) and Denny followed that with Old fid (Bill Lowdes).

Grace, with Greg on banjo, sang the Crawdad song (roud 4853) and being a duo I assume went straight into Charming Betsy (* roud 7052), thus completing the first rotation.

Of course I will mention all of the songs sung and played by our first-time dragons:

• Grace and Greg - Little birdie (* roud 5742)
• Grace and Greg - Gum tree canoe ( * roud 759 - Silas Sexton Steele, Anthony 'Tony' Fannen Winnemore)
• Grace and Greg - Old Dan Tucker (* roud 390 - Daniel Decatur Emmett)
• Grace and Greg - Jimmie Brown the newsboy (* roud 4996 - William Shakespeare Hays)
• Grace and Greg - I'm my own grandpa (* roud 10444 - Dwight Latham, Moe Jaffe)
• Grace and Greg - Keep my skillet good and greasy (* roud 7479 - Uncle Dave Macon)
• Grace and Greg - Five pounds of possum (* Timothy W. White)
• Grace and Greg - Zombie (* Dolores O'Riordan)
• Greg - Long black veil (roud 18510)
• Greg - Bad moon rising (John Fogerty)

There was just one other song new to the Dragon database:

•  Colin - The dive (* Steve Knightley)

Songs not found on YouTube and therefore not in the playlist linked from "a selection" below were:

•  Colin - Sea dog (# Bob Zentz from a poem by Burt Franklin Jenness)
•  Colin - As long as someone sings a song (# George Papavgeris)

Denny was asked to finish the session, which she did with The Holmfirth anthem (roud 1046).

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 not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

A great evening of song

Thornbury Carnival 2019 (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Of course I almost always say we had a great evening at the Dragon Folk Club session, but yesterday really was exceptional I think. We were joined by first-time dragon, Gabriel, who not only showed us his skill at singing, guitar playing and song writing, but brought the average age of the sing-around down by a significant margin. We definitely hope to see him again, which of course also applies to second-timers Paul O and Rich. It was great to see Stuart and Carrie again, as it was Rob, and the regulars who were there also seemed in fine voice.

The next session on Friday 26th June will again be without a theme and as usual everyone is welcome to come and sing, play, recite or perform in any way within reason as long as it's acoustic.

Back to yesterday's session (19th June), Colin was MC, but Stuart and Carrie had arrived first and were therefore asked to sing first. They opened with Don't want to know (John Martyn). Since it's one song each per rotation they were asked to sing again and gave us Genesis Hall (Richard Thompson).

Colin's first of the evening was The squaddie's Lullaby (Graeme Miles) and Heather followed that with an unusual version of My favourite things, said, almost certainly apocryphally, to have been sung by Julie Andrews on her 69th or 79th birthday depending on where you read it.

Simon sang Sugar in the hold below and Rob gave us a new song for him: Fair Mabel of Wallington Hall (* roud 59, child 91).

Gabriel's debut song at the Dragon was Keep me from blowing away (* Paul Craft). Gabriel said that during a period of bad weather earlier in the year he learnt a lot of related songs.

Paul, saying that he rarely does so sober, sang unaccompanied The band played waltzing Matilda (Eric Bogle) before Rich finished off the first rotation with Mammas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys (Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce).

While there wasn't an official theme, there was a very tight one that emerged. After Heather sang Scarborough Fair (roud 12, child 2), which itself is a version of The elfin knight, Rob sang his own version of the same song which he calls Scarborough so fair (Rob Winder). Gabriel continued the theme by singing the song that Bob Dylan wrote after playing Scarborough fair with Martin Carthy: Girl from the North country (*).

Traditionally, I will mention all of the songs we heard from newcomer Gabriel. Apart from those already mentioned he sang:

• Born in 41 (*# Gabriel Wynne)
• Church Street blues (* Norman Blake)

 Other songs not previously in the Dragon database were:

• Paul O - Gwyn Fawr (*# Paul O'Sullivan) - Paul describes it as a love song to a reservoir 
• Heather - When I fall in love (* Edward Heyman, Victor Young)
• Paul O - The well below the valley (* roud 2335, child 21) - while the song was in the database this was the third distinct version to be added
• Rich - Ernie (the fastest milkman in the West) (* Benny Hill) - most people present knew the words well, which indicates their ages (except for Gabriel). Your scribe for one was very young, but even I remember it on Top of the Pops and was able to sing along to almost every word!

Stuart and Carrie finished off the session with Dimming of the day (Richard Thompson)

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 not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Songs and stories

The bellringers (Photo: Simon Meeds)

It was songs and stories at the Dragon Folk Club session last week thanks to our occasional visiting story-teller Jane. It was great to see, and hear, her. 

I'm not aware of an official theme this Friday, so bring whatever songs, tune, stories or other types of performance you wish, maybe forming your own personal theme, but that's definitely not a requirement.

Colin, our regular MC, starting things off with Steve Knightley's Tall ships. Simon gave a first outing to is version of The lish young buy-a-broom (roud 1865).

Paul found Somewhere to begin (T R Ritchie) and Denny looked for her Young banker (roud 3321).

Steve sung about William Stone (Graeme Miles) before Jane gave us the first of her stories to finish off the initial rotation. Jane's story, called Sammy (* Jane), was a true one about a rook which her mother rescued and which then coexisted for some time, happily it seems, with the family's car and bull terrier dog. I won't let on the direction of the story for fear of spoiling it if Jane tells it to you.

All of Jane's performances were new to the Dragon database, probably because we hadn't heard them before, but even if we had I haven't previously recorded many of then, so who knows?

• Being on my own (Jane) - a poem about the fact that she likes her own company
• Jane's school friend Nick (Jane) - about a school friend who was an ornithologist with whom she had some adventures, and who had a tendency to appear at unexpected times.
• A lament for a bath (Jane) - a poem for a friend who is no longer able to enjoy her beloved bath times.
• The last elephant - a story about the last elephant and its keeper, perhaps triggered by Paul's singing of The last of the great whales (Louis/Louisa Killen).
• The flatmate - a joke in the form of a story about a young man, his female flatmate and his mother. 

The only song of the evening new to the Dragon database - but certainly sing at the club before the database was created - was Paul's John Kanaka (roud 8238), the penultimate performance of the evening.

Denny finished off the session with The bellringing (roud 1515).

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 not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

A Battling Assortment Box

Field Gun Competition, Portsmouth c1988 (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was theme-less and brought together an eclectic mix of songs. The same should apply this Friday, so please come along and show us your performances of any type as long as they are acoustic. Everyone is most certainly welcome, whether you perform or prefer to listen, maybe joining in a chorus and some banter.

Colin was in the MC's chair and asked Roger to start off. Roger often sings us his own songs and so he did with the brand new Apocalypse (*# Roger Stanleigh). Colin himself followed with The battle of Sowerby Bridge.

Denny gave us  Row on (roud 2084) and Paul W debuted Cold coast of Iceland (* Mike Waterson).

Simon added John Bowlin' (* roud 1760) to the Dragon database, though it has definitely been sung at the club before, by Richard Gillion if no one else, but it probably predated the birth of the database.

Paul M introduced us to The Dreadnoughts' tribute to Stan Rogers in the form of Dear old Stan (*).

Sue sang Blowin' in the wind (Bob Dylan) before Bob completed the first rotation with Bear Creek blues (roud 17345 - AP Carter). 

There were two other songs new to the Dragon database:

• Paul M - A ballad of the ranks (* Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) - the linked video is a reading of the original poem. Paul not only had a tune but had also rewritten some verses to include counties close to his heart.
• Denny - Old fid (* Bill Lowndes)

Other songs not found on YouTube and therefore not included in the "a selection" playlist were: 

• Roger - Can't be doing this no more (Roger Stanleigh)
• Roger - Dry your eyes (this may be a Roger Stanleigh original, but I'm not certain)

one further song that needs mentioning is Colin's The Mermaid (roud 9143) which I misidentified on a previous outing as roud 124, which is another song of the same name. Having mentioned that I feel I should also record that Denny sang The forsaken mermaid (roud 466, laws K17).

Paul W finished off the evening with The rose of Allandale (roud 1218 - Charles Jefferys, Sidney Nelson).

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 not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

A Solid Session

(Photo: Simon Meeds)

With Colin back in the MC's chair it was another excellent Dragon Folk Club session last week. There were six singers and two people made up our audience: Hazel and Jane. There was no theme, and that was reflected in the variety of songs.

With no theme again this Friday you are encouraged to come along and show us any type of performance as long as it's acoustic. If you want to bring your own theme then that's fine too.

Last Friday MC Colin started proceedings with a parody written by friend of the club, Richard Gillion, The last thing on your mind (#), as Richard puts it with "apologies to Tom Paxton".

Simon kept it parody, and referred to the singing of the source song the previous week, with Mary McCloud's House of the rising damp.

Paul M made us chuckle with Tommy Armstrong's apparent recollections of the first few days after his birth in The birth of the lad (* Tommy Armstrong) or more properly "Th' Borth E Th' Lad", and Denny kept it light with Les Barker's Sloop John A.

Paul W reprised his new song from three weeks before, I will always love you (Les Sullivan).

Heather brought the first rotation to a close with Save the last dance for me (* Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman).

There was a good number of other songs new to the Dragon database:

• Heather - Que sera sera (* Jay Livingston, Ray Evans)
• Paul M - The Batavia shanty (* John Warner)
• Paul M - Joli Rouge (* The Dreadnoughts) - about the Canadian cider of the same name
• Colin - The Dorset Juggernaut (* Bonny Sartin)
• Paul M - Lowlands low (* roud 8286) - yes, this appears to be a different song from Lowlands (roud 681) which shares a roud entry with Lowlands (roud 681).

This week it fell to Denny to finish off the session and she had us all chorusing along to Dave Dodds' I can hew boys.

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

(Number of people present - 8 of whom 6 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

New friends

(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was a real surprise. Simon, the stand-in MC, knew that new regular Paul M was likely to be there, but was quite prepared for that to be it. While he was at the bar he first saw another newish regular, Heather, which implied that her non-singing friend Hazel would also be there. Then, returning to the "barn" he passed Kay, who had made her single previous appearance "in the before-times" as one friend of the club says. Was she singing tonight? Apparently so, and interestingly, she was surrounded by others.

So when we were all settled there were nine of us. Kay's friends at that stage were Adele, Rich, Sue and Harry. The last two would be our audience though we are told that Harry plays the saxophone, which he didn't have with him. That's six singers out of nine present... so far.

We were later joined by another of Kay's friends, Paul O, who was definitely a singer, and for a significant part of the evening by one of the pub's customers, impressed by the music, so we will count him too. A further pub regular joined us for just one song, so I could have added her, but I won't be so rash.

Simon kicked off the session with In the good old colony times (roud 130).

Paul M sang The Manchester rambler (roud 26771 - Ewan MacColl). He said he had heard a different tune to this one since moving to Bristol and thought people may be tempted to sing that, but it seemed everyone was familiar only with the one he used.

Heather, presumably acknowledging the previous week's Eurovision Song Contest, sang the winning song from 1970: All kinds of everything (Derry Lindsay, Jackie Smith) sung for Ireland in the competition by Dana.

Rich unnecessarily excused himself for singing Country and Western songs (anything goes at the Dragon as long as it's acoustic) before giving us Mammas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys (Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce).

 Kay and Adele, performing together were asked to do two songs and they obliged: See see Rider (Ma Rainey, Lena Arant) and Bang bang (my baby shot me down) (* Sonny Bono), which brought the first rotation to an end.

I always mention all songs sung by newcomers to the Dragon, and so I will do, but I will add Kay despite her one previous visit both to welcome her back and to make things a little simpler:

• Rich - I hung my head (* Sting)
• Kay and Adele - Light my fire (* Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, John Densmore, Ray Manzarek)
• Kay and Adele - Make you feel my love (Bob Dylan) - yes, noting the well-known cover by another Adele
• Paul O - Back home in Derry (Bobby Sands)
• Rich - Keep the wolves away (* Kevin Galloway) 
• Kay -  Here for a good time (* George Strait, Bubba Strait, Dean Dillon)
• Paul O - House of the rising sun (roud 6393) 
• Rich and Sue - Jackson (Billy Edd Wheeler, Jerry Leiber) - and so Sue, who Rich said sings barely once a year, joined the ranks of the evening's singers!
• Kay - I started a joke (*  Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb)
• Paul O - A pair of brown eyes (*  Shane MacGowan)
• Rich - Don't take your guns to town (* Johnny Cash)
• Kay - Till there was you (* Meredith Wilson)
• Paul O - Love in the desert (*# Paul O'Sullivan) - his own song
• Rich - Smalltown boy (* Steve Bronski, Jimmy Somerville, Larry Steinbachek). Instead of Jimmy's falsetto we heard this in Rich's deep, dark tones reminiscent of Johnny Cash, and so I had to find an appropriately different recording.
• Kay -  Raining in my heart (* Felice Bryant, Boudleaux Bryant)
• Paul O and Rich - Fisherman's blues (Mike Scott, Steve Wickham)

 As if the already-mentioned new entries in the Dragon database (indicated above by "*") weren't enough, there were also these:

•  Paul M - Highland Paddy (* Sean McCarthy)
•  Paul M - Farewell Johnny miner (* Ed Pickford)

One other song that needs a mention is the particularly unseasonable A winter's tale (Mike Batt, Tim Rice). One of the pub's regulars happened to be walking through our room as Heather finished singing and said it was her mother's favourite song. Heather was duly asked to sing it again and she obliged by reprising a single verse and chorus.

Heather even finished off the session with another song new to the Dragon database: Stand by your man (* Billy Sherrill, Tammy Wynette).

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

(Number of people present - 11 of whom 8 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though not always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).