Valentine's Day 2026

Dragon regulars Paul and Denny
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was a little lighter on the ground than the previous one, but with a Valentine's theme of love and lust it was nevertheless entertaining and convivial.

There's no official theme this Friday, but I see it (20th February) is the World Day of Social Justice, 21st February is the UNESCO International Mother Language Day, and 22nd February is important for scouts and guides. For the guides it is World Thinking Day, and for all in the scouting movement it is Founder's Day being Lord Baden-Powell's birthday as well as that of his wife, Lady Olave Baden-Powell. It's also this dragon's mother's birthday.

Back now to last Friday, with Colin back in the MC's chair it was he who started proceedings appropriately with Last Valentine's Day (roud 6475).

Simon billed his first song, Sovay (roud 7, laws N21) as an antidote to his more usual Claudy Banks (roud 266, laws N40). In the latter a sailor home from sea tells his girl that he is dead to test her faithfulness, whereas in the former a girl dresses as a highwayman and robs her man to test his. Although Martin Carthy famously sings Sovay, Simon first heard the song sung by Isla St Clair on her children's TV programme The Song and The Story, and so it is her version that is linked.

Denny's first song of the evening was The beggar's bridge (Vin Garbutt). In 1619, a packhorse bridge called Beggar's Bridge was constructed over the River Esk by Thomas Ferris, the son of a local moorland sheep farmer. The bridge's history is intertwined with a romantic legend about Thomas and his sweetheart, Agnes Richardson. Allegedly, Thomas used to wade through the river to meet Agnes secretly since her father disapproved of their relationship due to Thomas's lack of wealth. Years later, having returned to Glaisdale, a wealthy man and married Agnes, Thomas constructed the Beggar's Bridge.

Paul gave finished off the first rotation with Green grows the laurel (roud 279).

Unusually there was only one song new to the Dragon database, and that was Bob Dylan's Sara (*), sung by Colin. This song led to a mini theme with contributions from Simon and Denny: Sarah and Pretty Saro (roud 417) respectively.

After a fun evening it was Colin who brought the session to a close with The games people play (Joe South).

Before anyone comments, unfortunately Paul and Denny who are featured in this week's blog report photo will not be present this week due to folky duties elsewhere. In their absence please come and help us raise the roof this Friday.

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

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

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no 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 (#).