Newspaper No 333 30 June 2015

Newspaper No 332 23 June 2015

After a good start from ROBIN with DENVER the duplicitous BANJO JOHN gave us two interpretations of SHINE which gave JIM just enough time to CATCH THE WIND. It also made PHIL decide to THROW DOWN THE SWORD just before SUE declared her weakness for BLACK JACK DAVY as ROD headed for the Mississippi for a ride on the PROUD MARY. Next DAVE BOULTON verbalised PETE ROBERTS' -ist joke from France as follows! 

"Couple of friends fly fishing in a river beneath a bridge, an excellent hatch and the trout are avidly feeding. A hearse and accompanying cars pass over the bridge on the way to a funeral, Fred looks up, reels in, removes his hat and stands head bowed. Bloody hell Fred that's not like you to be so utterly respectful! Well tomorrow would have been our 50th wedding anniversary" 

before going on to sing THE FUNERAL SONG. After recovering from that JO declared he's NOBODY'S DARLING BUT MINE which DAVE CASHELL thought must make him her DREAM LOVER echoed by GEOFF with ONLY YOU. For KAMRAN it was a matter of JUDGEMENT BLUES as PAUL turned a blind eye and went off on THE SLOOP JOHN B and BANJO JOHN wistfully declared THERE BUT FOR FORTUNE which greeted by PHIL with the SOUND OF SILENCE. Then it was good to see JIM in the guise of a HIGHWAYMAN as JO confessed to taking life ONE DAY AT A TIME as CHARLIE returned again this week with his guitar to play his own instrumental CHARLIE'S SONG. This brought SUE to her feet for a sad sounding DEAD FLOWERS whereas DAVE CASHELL more upbeat about the GYPSY WOMAN and HARRY jumped up with MOCKINGBIRD. Then it was obviously party time as KAMRAN invited us to COME ON IN MY KITCHEN as we went into the break.

The Raffle saw Ellie win the Red Wine; Jim took the knick-knack holder (for his knick knacks of course); Jill won the Beauty Box and some lucky visitors got the necklace. 

Starting the second half, however, for DAVE BOULTON it was just a question of MIND OVER MATTER but any way up GEOFF said I only WANT TO SEE THE BRIGHT LIGHTS TONIGHT to which PHIL replied with some TIME PASSAGES. For ROD it was ALL OVER NOW and HARRY added so WHY WORRY (Dire Straits) which was certainly true on the IRISH ROVER with JIM. With the voice of doom DAVE CASHELL then prophesied THERE'S A BAD MOON RISING as KAMRAN went into Tom Rush's REMEMBER SONG and ROD urged us to THINK IT OVER and GEOFF & SUE together LABOURED WITH LOVE which stirred something in DAVE BOULTON who came back with IF I HAD MY TIME OVER AGAINa nd in HARRY who asked WHERE DID THE CHILDREN PLAY? All this brought an excellent evening to a close when PAUL led Jam-time with JESUS ON THE MAINLINE followed by FENCES, the brilliant song by Arthur Marshall.   

 

Newspaper No 331 16 June 2015

It was a slow start but a craicing night in the end as FAIR PLAY broke the ice with LET THE MYSTERY BE by Iris Dement to whom ROBIN said MEET ME ON THE CORNER. Quite what PAUL was thinking when he sang DAVY, DAVY NIC NAC but ROD was quite clear IT NEVER RAINS IN CALIFORNIA as FAIR PLAY were off to OWENSBORO with Natalie Merchant. All this lead DAVE to wish IF I HAD A HAMMER as he returned to the club after quite a while and ROBIN to speculate YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL but PAUL was too busy HARD TRAVELLING. Coming up on the blind side HEATHER then delighted us with THE TITANIC by Les Barker as ROD went for the Stones and JUMPING JACK FLASH and FAIR PLAY went after the WEAVER’S DAUGHTER. This made DAVE think of a PEARLY SHELL as PAUL set out on the OLD “97” but HEATHER still had humour in mind with Les Barker’s NOBODY HUGS A HEDGEHOG. Next CHARLIE, Paul’s neighbour, played his own CHARLIE’S TUNE which had ROBIN heading for the STREETS OF BALTIMORE and RICHARD telling us the STORY OF MY LIFE. Still upbeat ROD had us rocking with LAY DOWN SALLY before FAIR PLAY steadied the ship with an a cappella version of BRIGHT MORNING STAR. Still in jokey mood DAVE gave us his JELLIED EELS but MIKEY took us to the interval with the BIRD OF PARADISE.

With plenty more to come RICHARD contemplated EVERY GRAIN OF SAND and PAUL & ROBIN swore to do better on THE NEXT GO ROUND as HELEN set about laying A GHOST IN THIS HOUSE with Nancy Griffith. Now on a canine tack HEATHER explained training methods with Les Barker’s STAY, GO AND FETCH which was a brief respite before ROD had us singing away with JOLENE as did ROBIN & PAUL who were off with ME AND BOBBY McGEE. Back down to earth DAVE was TRAVELLING LIGHT as FAIR PLAY gave us THE BALLAD OF DAN MOODY and MIKEY climbed the STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN. The somewhat philosophically RICHARD declared EVERYBODY’S GOT TO LEARN SOMETIME as ROD disappeared in a TEQUILA SUNRISE leaving FAIR PLAY by the BANKS OF THE OHIO and PAUL & ROBIN boarding the CITY OF NEW ORLEANS down to the sea taking everyone with to end an excellent evening.

Newspaper No 330 9 June 2015

A well rounded group of performers and listeners who came along to what was to be a very pleasant evening with MARK & JAN were the night and starting off with Johnny Cash’s discourse on matrimonial harmony, JACKSON, followed by ROBIN who was asking PADDY RILEY to come back. PHIL was up next with his version of Genesis’ AFTERGLOW and JO then sang a favourite of many, THE GALWAY SHAW and IAN followed up with his beautifully melodic version of SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES. DAVE CINNAMOND recited his interesting take on a round of golf with his poem FROM A DISTANCE and PAUL RILEY was asking us to WALK RIGHT IN. Then ANN sang the lovely but haunting LORELEI and DAVE HOWARD, in similar sombre mood, related the demise of BILLY JOE McALLISTER on, or rather off, the Tallahatchie Bridge! JAN then sang the beautiful AR LAN Y MOR as latecomers, Marian, Kamran and Colin sneaked through the doors, not unnoticed. As MARIAN needed a beer before she sang it was great to see and hear COLIN give us his lovely version of MR BOJANGLES followed by KAMRAN with DIDDY WA DIDDY before MARK unseasonally sang Harry Robertson’s LITTLE POT STOVE about life in the now derelict Leith Harbour whaling station on South Georgia, their winter, our summer! PHIL was up next and interestingly enough he’d taken a cruise in the South Atlantic in March and had visited the old whaling station. He sang the LAST SUPPER and was followed by JO with RAMBLING before IAN’S second instrumental SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS. Completely different DAVE CINNAMOND was next with another recitation, THE WHITE PRINCESS and THE MAIDENS. Coming next ROBIN sang Alan Bell’s BREAD AND FISHES with KAMRAN then for once without clutching a musical girder, sang the entertaining lament of TEN FINGER JOHNNY and his inevitable demise through systematic limb loss after a series of self inflicted explosions! ANN then asked LET ME BE YOUR LADY FOR TODAY, MISTER followed by DAVE HOWARD riding on THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS and MARIAN, after having been suitably refreshed, with a traditional song, JUST AS THE TIDE WAS FLOWING which took us into the interval.

After the fun and excitement of the raffle PAUL kicked off the second part of the evening with BROWN’S FERRY BLUES and then JAN, accompanied by MARK, gave us Sandy Denny’s WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES with IAN up next with an interestingly named THE SPIDER AND THE WOP! The interestingly new combination of ROBIN, ably assisted by ANN, were next with a hastily rehearsed medley PRETTY FRAULEIN, BLACKBOARD OF MY HEART and THE WILD SIDE OF LIFE. Traditionally MARIAN then sang ONLY REMEMBER and DAVE HOWARD went the same way with the lovely MOUNTAINS OF MOURNE before PETE KING, who arrived very late and without further ado, played a fine instrumental, THE FOX’S TAIL. PAUL had the ‘Sale Gospel choir’ (us) bouncing along with JOHN THE REVELATOR but PHIL confessed he was ONLY SLEEPING setting up KAMRAN who tried to send us all of to the land of Nod with SO RELAX, some may remember this from the old Inter City adverts, before MARK & JAN wound up the evening with their blues jam along version of LITTLE RED ROOSTER. Needless to say a great time was had by all! Magic!!!

Newspaper No 329 2 June 2015

A brilliant almost full house greeted ED & SUE with forty + through the door and some members returning after a very long break for example Ian with the toaster amplifier and his friend Dave Howard and even Michael arrived after over a year’s absence! BANJO JOHN started the first round with the old number MAKIN' WHOOPEE with everyone making an effort to join in so that we were all in the mood for a good old singaround. DAVE HOWARD then played a wonderful instrumental of ANGIE and it was nice to see him back after so long away as it was CARL returning after a short break to sing a new Jez Lowe song AUSTERITY ALPHABET before PHIL played quite a different version of WOODSTOCK. Then IAN came up with his familiar little toaster amp and played an excellent instrumental version of DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME, wonderfully setting up KAMRAN & KATHIE for Ida Cox’s ONE HOUR MAMA (1939) which was brilliant before KATHIE stayed on stage with her plumbing, the flute, Mum & Dad joining her with MARK playing guitar and JAN singing YOUNG BILLY BROWN. Going back to the 60's PAUL then treated us to WHEELS ON FIRE as SUE armed herself with her guitar to sing the U3A ANTHEM leaving ED to bring a smile to faces as many related to his OLDEST SWINGER IN TOWN. Also back in town ROB, amidst his customary giggling, sang his GOOD SHIP CALABAR which left GEOFF to bring us all back with a lovely soft and romantic version of SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME and MICHAEL to bring us back to earth with HOW CAN A POOR MAN STAND SUCH TIMES AND LIVE? Also on top form FAIR PLAY took us TEN THOUSAND MILES away before MARIAN sang the unaccompanied and sad song SILKI OF SULE SKERRY, a sad song of a seal as explained by DAVE BOULTON before when he sang THE POTTER'S ALPHABET which cheered everyone up again. Next RICHARD GRAY, who had recently returned from abroad and because of poor plane connections had found it necessary to stay overnight in Paris, told us he had met a girl from Morocco and they had walked together down the Seine and continued on to the Eiffel Tower which inspired him to write his next song EIFFEL TOWER.  It also encouraged lots of speculation from the women in the audience who started to grill him and ask questions about the outcome of his romantic night in Paris!! Of course, Richard remained cautious in his response and little was revealed and nobody had brought their thumb screws! Returning to the front BANJO JOHN told us he was still WAITING FOR THE ROBERY E LEE and another early leaver KATHIE just had time with KAMRAN to sing I'VE JUST SEEN A FACE before CARL sang ALL AT SEA, not literally of course. Now in full flow PAUL sensed we were ready to join in with WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH THE MILL as ED pleaded TREAT MI DAUGHTER DECENT and SUE & GEOFF openly declared THIS IS THE LIFE so quite why PHIL confessed I TALK TO THE WIND (McDonald & Simpson). Returning as a double act MARK & JAN then took us over the border for YE JACOBITES BY NAME and DAVE HOWARD gave us JORDY to which RICHARD replied IT AIN'T RIGHT. Maintaining the top quality of the night IAN played a perfect AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' and MARIAN sang unaccompanied again for THE GENTLEMAN SOLDIER but FAIR PLAY went continental for EL CONDOR PASA. Employing shock tactics ROB, together with actions, performed COCK ROBIN which had the newcomers in the audience in hysterics! Fortunately MICHAEL calmed things down with two waltzes from the 1920’s, SWEETHEARTS and another by George Formby’s father, and DAVE BOULTON finished the second round by playing the melodeon and singing IT'S NOUGHT TO DO WITH ME.

Going for a big finish KAMRAN chose to play and sang the STOLE RIDER BLUES (Blind Willie McTell) and CARL sang his new and beautiful ANNIE IN BLUE and MARK & JAN had us all RUNNING LIKE A TURKEY to end a very successful night on a high note.