St George's Day 2026

St George's, Bristol
(Photo: Simon Meeds) 

It was great to have a full complement of singers at last week's Dragon Folk Club session including second-timers Mick, and Kerstin and third-timer Ray. Apart from anything else it leads to a fantastic variety of songs, and some even took on the optional theme of St George's Day and all that is England.

Before I get down to the report, let's note that this Friday is actually 1st May, so we really should have a theme of May, which is mentioned in so many folk songs. The theme is of course as always optional, so the most important thing is that you come and join us, and sing, play or perform in whatever way you wish as long as it's acoustic, and the theme is just a nice-to-have if you can follow it for some or all or your performances. Audience members are of course also welcome as always.

 Back to last week, Colin was MC and started us off with The new St George (Richard Thompson).

Our resident Scot, Heather, followed with what she said was her only English song: John Peel (roud 1239).

Mick gave us his own musical setting of Charles Kingsley's poem Three fishers (*) - note that the linked video is Stan Rogers' setting of the same work.

Simon sang Puff and bold Saint George (#), a parody written by friend of the club, Richard Gillion.

Rob ventured into May slightly early with Hal an tow (roud 1520) and Steve, wishing to remember our recently deceased former MC Mike Starkey, sang Dido Bendigo (roud 584). Mike didn't like fox hunting, but enjoyed some of the songs on the subject, this being one he often sang.

Paul cleaved to the English theme with Fathom the bowl (roud 880) and Denny invoked the recently deceased George Papavgeris with his Friends like these.

Ray and Kerstin, singing together with Ray on ukulele, completed the first rotation with Jolene (Dolly Parton) and And I love her (* John Lennon and Paul McCartney).

There was just one song not found on YouTube and therefore not included in the playlist linked from "a selection" below. Indeed it is a song Colin has sung before and about which I still can't find any details. I assume the title is Britannia waives the rules. There are several similarly titled songs around, but I'm pretty sure I haven't found this one.

Songs and tunes not already mentioned that are new to the Dragon database are as follows:

• Mick - Hesitation blues (* roud 11765)
• Rob - Ballina whalers (* Harry Robertson)
• Ray and Kerstin - I drove all night (*  Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly)
• Mick - Saturday night rub (* Big Bill Broonzy)
• Kerstin - Komm lieber Mai und mache (* Christian Adolph Overbeck, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
•  Heather - One day at a time (* Marijohn Wilkin, Kris Kristofferson)
• Mick - Towersey fair (* Bill Meek, John Conolly)
• Rob - Mrs Barbour's army (*  Alistair Hulett)
• Ray and Kerstin - Sailing (* Gavin Sutherland)
• Mick - St Louis blues (*  W C Handy)

Simon finished off 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 - 11 of whom 10 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 (#).

We're here to please

Dido Bendigo (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last week's Dragon Folk Club session was probably most notable for a rare visit by our Hampshire-based storyteller, Jane. She was supposed to be at a storytelling camp, but various situations colluded to keep her away so feeling disappointed and perhaps a little low, she came to see us with her friend Steve. Jane said our singing and the fact that we appreciate her stories lifted her spirits. Perhaps we can do the same for you? Jane was still hopeful of making it her camp, albeit a little later than planned.

Since Sue had been the first arrival of the evening, she kicked off the singing with Don't fence me in (Robert Fletcher, Cole Porter).

Colin challenged me with the first and only song of the evening not found on YouTube and therefore not in the playlist linked from "a selection" below. The song in question was Alan Foster's It's not easy, a parody of Eric Bogle's Now I'm easy.

Simon's first effort was Sugar in the hold below to with Stuart replied with another American tune: White Oak Mountain (roud 3608).

While it wasn't a new song to the club, Stuart's rendition of Golden brown (Hugh Cornwell, Jean-Jacques Burnel, Dave Greenfield, Jet Black) accompanying himself on ukulele banjo was unusual enough to be worth a mention.

When Steve and Jane joined us Steve was about to head to the bar for their drinks when Colin called him to sing. Dutifully he took up the challenge with Dido Bendigo (roud 584).

Jane's stories and poems are understandably not usually covered by the Dragon database, so I will list them:

• St Michael's Mount (a self-penned poem)
• Truth and story (story)
• Old Nick's cow's café (story)
• The fairy (story)

At the end of the evening Jane was asked to send us to bed which she did with a rather troubling story: Consequences, before lightening the mood with a slightly risqué joke.

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

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

Sweeter than wine?

Last Friday was our last session before Christmas... no I don't really mean that, it was our last session before our Christmas themed session on 13 December, which will be the usual mix of celebration, bah humbug and a few seasonal culinary treats.

It was good to have Steve C join us for the evening, making a happy quorum of five singers.

Colin was first to sing with Jez Lowe's The Lazarus Dance. Jez describes it as in a dream, the sort where all the dear-departed heroes, friends and legends come together for a knees-up and a sing-song, Geordie-Irish style. It began its life under the Radio Ballads umbrella.

CDs, rakes, doffers and marbles

Outside the pub at Tinsley Green, Sussex, 1936.
The singer George 'Pop' Maynard
is seen on the right of the picture.
(Photo from Keith Summers Collection)

It was good to welcome Geoff back into the fold last Friday after his sabbatical, so he made us quorate once again, which is always a good thing.

Colin was MC and started us off with Jordan Is A Hard Road To Travel (Dan Emmett - Roud 12153). The first two lines of the song, at least as Colin sang it, are "Rain forty nights, gonna rain forty days,
Gonna rain on the Allegheny mountains" which inspired Derek to sing the First World War song, Raining, Raining, Raining.

Geoff's first song after his recent break from the club was Far Away In Australia (Roud 25792) although I'm pretty sure that's not where he's been.

May Day 2018

Padstow 'Obby 'Oss (Photo: Bryan Ledgard)

Last week's session had the theme of May, being our closest to the first of that month. So we roved out with Colin, our MC, who started the evening off with the Pleasant Month Of May (Roud 153).

Mike led us on our customary journey to Helston in Cornwall with Hal An Tow (Roud 1520) and Colin took us 40 miles North East to Padstow, singing the Padstow Morning Song (Roud 305). Towards the end of the evening Colin sang another song with Padstow connections, though also known in other areas of the country including Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire; this was the May Day Carol (Roud 305).

Dogs and absent friends

The early part of this week's session was marked by some wining from Mike's dog, Indy. Mike was intending to leave at the interval anyway but made an early exit when things got too bad. This also influenced the singing, with several dog-themed songs, including Mike's own opener, Noah's ark shanty (Roud 318).

The first of two Steve's (Steve 1) continued the canine theme with Dido Bendigo (Roud 584). Simon's doggy offering was The smuggler's song (Rudyard Kipling). This last song was one of two sung from the repertoire of our late friend Ray Croll, the other being Buddy can you spare a dime (words: E. Y. "Yip" Harburg; music: Jay Gorney), sung by Roger.

Colin provides the detail

Fred Jordan

Experimenting with a post from my phone. Many thanks to Derek for this great report from Friday's session.

The attendance at start of play was rather sparse; but before long we got up to a count of 28 legs. Admittedly these figures are slightly massaged by including putative club mascot Gert 'Ratty' V, who was introduced by Mike to the old Bristol craft of chewing beermats. Relaxed by this, she was able to resist Steve's attempt to coax her into doggy noises by starting off the night with Dido Bendigo.

The night's new visitor was Dave from the Bath songwriters' workshop. Unable to find a socket into which to plug his electrical gubbins, he reverted to a capella, singing his own songs and Blow the Wind Southerly, which those of your scribe's generation still associate mainly with Kathleen Ferrier. He also won the raffle.