A late May miscellany

Frank Kidson

Some people managed to keep up the May theme this week, and even Richard found one May song, having previously given up after spending most of the preceding four months singing them. Apart from that we had somewhat of a miscellany this week.

Mike kicked off proceedings with the Card playing song (Roud 884). According to the sleeve notes of the album Bold Sportsmen All: Gamblers and Sporting Blades on which Ewan McColl sings the song, "Folksong collector Frank Kidson obtained this song from a soldier who learned it in India in the 1850s. Originally, each verse was sung by a different member of the company, who drained his glass midway through the stanza, to give himself inspiration. Other less decorous versions have come to light. This example is offered to would-be singers as a model on which they may make their own improvisations."