Memories of John

John Lennon at the Montreal bed-in, 1969

I'm afraid this won't be a very full report of last Friday's Dragon Folk Club session. I have an excuse, which is that I have been without internet access at home for part of this week. However I must take this opportunity to say that this week's session, on Friday 15 December will be our Christmas Party. Everyone is welcome as always to drop in and sing, play tunes, tell stories or just to listen. What sets this event apart is that the performances may optionally be Christmas themed and there will be a finger buffet. We will all be contributing a few nibbles, so it would be great if you could bring a small edible contribution as well but chiefly bring yourselves and as many friends and relations as you can muster.

Back to last week and Colin as MC called upon himself to sing the first song, which was The Arethusa (Roud 12675).

St Andrew's Day 2017

Point of Sleat, Isle of Skye, Scotland
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last Friday's session saw a satisfactory number of seven bums on seats for a St Andrew's Day theme. I had pointed out in publicity that St Andrew is patron saint of many places and things other than Scotland, including singers, but it was barely needed since I think there were only two songs clearly unrelated to Scotland, one very deliberately and the other was written by someone with what appears to be a Scottish name.

Colin was the MC and he called on Steve C to start us off; Steve sang Jock Stewart (Roud 975).

A handful of songs

We met as seven for last week's session which had no theme. The title of this report does not mean we sang only a few songs, for in fact we sang a good number if not exactly a record; I make the total forty. Nor does it imply that the song made famous by Guy Mitchell and Tommy Steele was sung. Nor is there any particular connection with the 1970s children's TV programme of that name (see the photo). It is rather that they seemed to come in a number of small, logical groupings, some of which I will attempt to bring out here.

But first a quick mention of this Friday's session, which will mark St Andrew's Day which takes place just the day before. So the main intent is for the singing of Scottish songs and the playing of Scottish tunes but if you need more scope, then look into the other places and activities of which St Andrew is patron, or otherwise just sing, play or recite anything you like because the theme is optional.

The dream of Napoleon

The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries
(by Jacques-Louis David, 1812)

Last week's session attracted five people to a themeless evening of music and song. This week, 24 November, will also have no theme.

Colin was MC as usual and he kicked us off with At The Boarding House. Derek was a bit late for the anniversary of the Blantyre Explosion (Roud 1014), which took place on 22 October 1877 but he suggested people might like to follow a theme of songs about Blantyre, the birthplace of David Livingstone - some chance anyone would follow that!

Steve C gave us The Mountains of Mourne (Percy French, Roud 18229) which Simon followed with Candlelight Fisherman (Roud 1852).

Derek sang The Dream Of Napoleon (Roud 1538) which prompted Mike to attempt Napoleon Bonaparte (Roud 1626). Despite a false start he managed to reprise it later on, instead initially singing Johnson Girls.

Remembrance 2017

(Photo Simon Meeds)

Last week's session marked Armistice Day with remembrance, or rather it was a war, anti-war and remembrance theme. The six of us present kept remarkably well to the theme though of course there were a few stray songs which is always permitted. This Friday's session (17 November) has no theme, so anything goes as long as it's acoustic.

I am sorry, I won't have time to write the usual lengthy report on last week's session but you can still use the link at the bottom of this article to hear many of the songs that were sung.

It was great to see Gary, self-confessed "social butterfly", as he happened to land on his home flower in a break in his schedule of flitting between more or less exotic blooms. Among the songs he sang was his own White Poppy.

Phil, Derek, Mike and Simon made up the complement together with Colin in his usual role as MC.

Here's a selection of songs sung during this session.

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

More campfires than Guy Fawkes

Guy Fawkes Night 1776 at Windsor Castle

Last week's session was our Guy Fawkes Night bash with songs and stories encouraged on any subject related to the man, to fire or things you might do round the campfire. This week's (Friday, 10 November) will be the Remembrance session, so any form of performance war-related, anti-war or for remembrance would be excellent. If you can't manage the theme, then anything goes as long as it's acoustic, and if you don't want to perform then you are most welcome to come along for the fun and make us an audience.

Back to last week, Colin was MC and he started off proceedings with Richard Digance's Boy Scout Song.

Halloween 2017

Gustave Doré, Depiction of Satan,
a central figure in John Milton's Paradise Lost
c. 1866

Last week's Halloween themed session brought out only four singers. Let's ee if we can make this week's Bonfire themed evening more populous.

Colin was MC and he started us off on-topic with Fish, Tin And Copper, a song which has Old Nick visiting Cornwall and being frightened away by a pasty.

Steve C made his first appearance at the Dragon Folk Club for a while and was understandably the only one not prepared with songs in theme. His songs for the evening were The Jeannie C (Stan Rogers), Lunenburg Skies (Terry Young), The Blarney Roses (Roud 6329), White Squall (Stan Rogers), The Rare Ould Times (Pete St John), Ranter's Wharf (John Conolly, Bill Meek), Candles (Jon Heslop), Guard Your Man Weel (Johnny Handle) and Mantle Of Green (Roud 714, Laws N38).