Newsletter No 216 - 26 February 2013

A great mix of regulars and new faces made a spicy recipe for KATH & STAN to serve up to a pleasantly full house starting with their SLEEPY DESERT and soon taking off on THE BLACKPOOL BELLE with JIM & LYNN. Bursting forth BRIAN told us I HAD TO SAY I LOVED YOU IN A SONG and even BANJO JOHN agreed with I WANT A GIRL JUST LIKE THE GIRL THAT MARRIED DEAR OLD DAD. On the other hand ED couldn't wait to be off ON THE VERDIGRIS and ARTHUR was even more "left field" with his hilarious Viking Saga ERIC THE PINK quickly followed by RICHARD'S twist in the tale of THE SHEPHERD'S DAUGHTER. Next GED insisted I GOT MINE before newcomer DAVID beseeched FREE MY SOUL with his own song in memory of his friend who had served in Afghanistan. In a lighter vein PAUL told us about the life of the SHOESHINE BOY whereas ROBIN remarked HEY IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK HOME AGAIN before CARL took us off to the BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR, his own song. ERIC then returned with his JOJO followed by ISOBEL with THE LARK IN THE CLEAR AIR and JO with THE MYSTICS DREAM. COLIN was then LOOKING FOR LOVE before GED played his own composition RUE DE PARIS. This left PETE to take off in his RAMBLING SHOES and DON & HEATHER to have us huddled round that LITTLE POT STOVE before BANJO JOHN asked WHO'S SORRY NOW and newcomer DAVID took us to the interval with THAT'S NO WAY TO SAY GOOD BYE (Cohen).

Much chat later a grand raffle saw Pete and Geoff each take a bottle of wine, Baz the Chocolates and Lynn the Room Perfumer before KATH & STAN set us rolling again for the next NINE HUNDRED MILES. We were then urged to GO TO SEA NO MORE by GED and stay behind with THE BOLD DRAGOON courtesy of RICHARD to listen to ARTHUR play a couple of tunes with his violin BIDDY FROM SLIGO & CONNAUGHTMAN'S RAMBLES. GED next urged her to KEEP ON TRUCKIN' MOMMA before ROBIN  took off on a his Hank's trilogy with PRETTY FRAULEIN, BLACKBOARD OF MY HEART & HONKY TONK ANGELS leaving ERIC to take us down METAPHOR STREET. Then ISOBEL led us a FAIRY DANCE as JIM & LYNN explained the twists and turns of THE ORANGE AND THE GREEN leaving PETE to take us off to BARBRIGGAN FAIR with his own great song. SINATRA AND I was the interesting title of CARL'S next song about a dog with blue eyes to which BRIAN replied YOU GOT IT and DON & HEATHER said just LET YOUR BANJO RING. Rolling towards a big finish ED started by saying IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE DAYS to which DAVID replied it must be COMING ON CHRISTMAS and RICHARD roared off to FAKENHAM FAIR to which GED reckoned it must be the MOON GOING DOWN. All too cheerful for ARTHUR who took us off to THE FUNERAL of the man who wasn't dead yet and, not to be outdone, ROBIN paid tribute to the actual dying soldier with ROCK MY CRADLE before DON & HEATHER took us over the top and into the street with GOODNIGHT IRENE. Another cracker!

Newsletter No 215 - 19 February 2013

This was another supremely enjoyable evening with ROBIN & HEATHER steering a fairly full house towards a very satisfying conclusion and starting us off in the THE GREENLAND FISHERIES. Next up PETE told us about TOM MOORE digging for gold while KAMRAN, after knowing it only 24 hours, gave us THE BED SONG which sent MARK off whistling O'Carolan's CARRICKFERGUS. Although without Kath & Stan, RUTH went solo with the lovely LADY MARY after which ED rebelled against Robin pinching his songs by singing FLOWER SCOTLAND whereas RICHARD, another welcome returner, jealously remarked that his sister had flown to Chile on holiday but there were different ways to get there with AROUND CAPE HORN. JAN the treated us to the beautiful RAVEN & THE HARE but ROB shot off on the GOOD SHIP CALABAR and COLIN was away on ENGLAND'S MOTORWAY. JIM & LYNN then gave us the classic PEGGY GORDON and JO celebrated with Mary Black's MY YOUNGEST SON CAME HOME TODAY before the welcome sight of old friend MICHAEL rising to his feet muttering, "Can anyone lend me a guitar?" to sing THE MAN WHO COULDN'T CRY. It was obviously catching as next GED rose with Ed's 12-string for JESUS ON THE MAINLINE before ANN C listed many Scottish inventions in WHO'S LIKE US. To complete the round DON & HEATHER echoed Pete's song with FAREWELL TO THE GOLD before PETE came back with OLD MAN who JIM & LYNN felt must have been AN ORDINARY MAN. Back again RICHARD was down in the far South West at THE BELL RINGING before CLAIRE stunned us with an amazing rendition of THE KING OF ROME leaving MARK & JAN to take us to the interval on THE BONNY SHIP THE DIAMOND.

A bumper raffle for a bumper crowd saw Joan's friend take the Chocolates, Helen grab the Wine, Chris run of with the Shortbreads before one of our newcomers take the Room Perfume Evaporation kit.

To start the second half COLIN had us dancing with MR BOJANGLES and MARTIN celebrated how OLDER GUYS were around to show the youngsters how to have a good time to which KAMRAN replied DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET? ED gave further support to the theory with THE TRAVELLER before GED took us off to THE MINSTREL SHOW. Before his throbbing thumb took him home early ROB had us PULL DOWN LADS and MICHAEL confessed MY NAME IS FRANCIS TOLLIVER and CONTRABAND whisked us away to a DARK ISLAND. JIM & LYNN next admitted they were always glad to see A MON LIKE THEE before CLAIRE was again all regal with MY FATHER IS KING OF THE GYPSIES leaving ISOBEL to delight us with a couple of tunes DUSTY MILLER and WILLAFJORD. MARTIN then gave us a dose of Glaswegian life with COD LIVER OIL AND THE ORANGE JUICE before RICHARD became a BRISK YOUNG COWBOY and MARK & JAN were off to the ROUT OF THE BLUES. Heading for a big finish KAMRAN took us through the week with MONDAY FIRST TIME ROUND before GED, in cheerful mood, told us when DEATH COMES CREEPING but PETE refused to be down and shot off to KANSAS CITY for some crazy little women. ED was also in awe of the fairer sex with I LOVE MY WIFE before DON & HEATHER had us lay down the borrowed guitar for ALL THE TUNES IN THE WORLD to close an excellent evening. 

Newsletter No 214 - 12 February 2013

Strangely quiet with the February Blues in town but more than three dozen happy souls turned out for a very enjoyable evening with ED & SUE at the helm. BANJO JOHN kicked off with the ST LOUIS BLUES but OMAR was off to SCARBOROUGH FAIR as EDDIE played us the HEN'S MARCH TO THE MIDDEN. ROBIN next swore I'M GONNA BE A COUNTRY BOY AGAIN (Buffy Marie Saint) as PAUL lamented the fate of FRANKIE & JOHNNIE to which KAMRAN replied AIN'T WE CRAZY. ANN C then marvelled at the changes we have had in the last century with WE'RE SURVIVORS before JIM & LYNN warmed up for Valentine's Day with BLACK IS THE COLOUR and PETER remembered the old Four Seasons' AIRPORT SONG. TONY delved into Tom Waits' CHOCOLATE JESUS before ARTHUR MARSHALL explained what YOU AND ME could get up to if only. COLIN then told us that between a man and a woman there is NO NEED TO EXPLAIN but GED's answer was to STEP IT UP AND GO while ED was off to the Palace with MONDAY HE DOES ALL HER WESHING. Also in a Valentine mood BRIAN then sang LATELY (Stevie Wonder) and DON & HEATHER also agreed with their I WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY while CARL celebrated an old friendship with his THE OLD ENGLAND IN YOU. Bursting towards the break BANJO JOHN was soon JUST OVER IN THE GLORY LAND while young OMAR took off WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN.

A bumper Valentine's Day raffle saw JACKIE take home a dozen RED ROSES, JIM & LYNN walked off with the BUBBLY, PAUL won the CHOCOLATES, LIN & BAZ left with the STORAGE BOX and ED was pleased to win the PANCAKES since he hadn't had any earlier.

To start the second half EDDIE's Violin accompanied by DON's guitar took off to MARIE'S WEDDING and danced to the DASHING WHITE SERGEANT but COLIN was close behind with MR TAMBOURINE MAN but TONY was left enquiring WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON (Florence Reece - Tom Morella version). PETER reminisced with his own KERRY but ED refused to be serious as he told us of JACUZZI JOE THE GIGOLO WITH THE FUNKY CONCERTINA. Still over on the Emerald Isle JIM & LYNN had us singing along with the FORTY SHADES OF GREEN before BRIAN sang his only folk song THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE (Phil Oakes) but this still left GED GOING DOWN THE ROAD FEELING BAD. PAUL, however, preferred the NEW RIVER TRAIN to walking but back to St Valentine ROBIN sang the lovely ANNA MARIE as KAMRAN set off on the MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. CARL was next requested to be THE LONE BADGER and ARTHUR was a bit tongue in cheek with JOY whereas JIM & LYNN were completely explicit with the SPANISH LADY. Coming round to a big finish EDDIE took us to the CURRAGH OF KILDARE while DON & HEATHER provided the FIRE AND RAIN leaving ROBIN, who rose to join them, to invite everyone to TAK' A DRAM AFORE YE GO. 

Newsletter No 213 - 5 February 2013

Another very enjoyable evening was hosted by DON & HEATHER who opened with the classic line "Friends I can count on" from KNEE DEEP IN A RIVER. The message was continued by RUTH, KATH & STAN who with banjo, guitar and mandolin sang the beautiful WILD WOOD FLOWER easily equalled by MERDY with BOGIE'S BONNIE BELLE. Back with a cut eye from ice-climbing in Italy, ROB then treated us to I WISH I WAS BACK IN LIVERPOOL (sung in our club as The Centipede Song) followed by ROD who regailed us with THE RHINESTONE STONE COWBOY (often sung in other places on Karaoke Nights as The Nine Stone Cowboy) before PETER returned with the mystical RABBIT HILLS. BRIAN then went into his French song book for YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG which had PAUL exhorting PEOPLE GET READY before DAVID waxed lyrical about the LIGHTHOUSES OF LARNE. For KAMRAN it was more simple with IF YOU WANT ME TO LOVE YOU and for JIM too with A SONG FOR IRELAND but GED was still enraptured with the girl on the TRAPEZE. Back to basics ED next had us all chorusing with the sinking of THE ROYAL CHARTER as JOHN shot off to his paradise on SANIBEL but even more grounded was CARL who said plainly I LOVE A GOOD BUM ON A WOMEN. MARTIN was even more risque with the extremely humorous ANDREW IN DRAG. Heading toward the interval MERDY was suddenly LEAVING LONDON (T Paxton) and ROB was off even further to SOUTH AUSTRALIA as we sang our way towards the waiting chips ordered for 9.30pm.

After HELEN took away the WINE the QUALITY STREET went home with BAZ & LIN and MARTING HAD THE perfume FOR HILARY before KAMRAN revved us back into action with STOLE RIDER BLUES and JOHN was off in his FLYING SHOES. Slowing the tempo KATH, STAN & RUTH played and sang the haunting classic EL CONDOR PASA aqnd BRIAN was equally lyrical with ON MY OWN as was MARTIN with GALWAY AND HAWKEYE but GED was still off down Box Hill on his VINCENT BLACK LIGHTENING. Then in a flash it all changed with the rafters rattling JIM's SWEET SIXTEEN, CARL & JOHN giving us a dose of NORWEGIAN WOOD, ROD pleading SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME and PETER telling us all the things you could be DOWN WHERE THE DRUNKARDS ROLL. Still in a time warp ED then gave us a retrospective view of Burns' Night with his JOCK McCREA the HAGGIS HUNTER to which there was no answer. Instead Scot MERDY replied by calming everything down by singing YOUR FAVOURITE SONG and JOHN celebrated HERE COMES THE SUN  but GED reckoned thatif you are stuck somewhere you don't want to be you might just as well have the FORT WORTH BLUES. All you need is a spot of THE RARE OLD MOUNTAIN DEW claimed JIM or alternatively ROLLING IN MY SWEET BABY'S ARMS solved it for KAMRAN while RUTH, KATH & STAN were still lamenting over the WEAVER'S DAUGHTER. This left CARL to capitalise on a great evening and lead us in singing HERE'S A HEALTH TO THE COMPANY, very appropriate.