MONTHLY FOLK CLUB SESSIONS

1st Monthly sing-Around

18th april 2018

What a great first night of our monthly Sing-around. 

The format was very simple - 'sit in a circle and take it in turns to share a song/poem'. There was no pressure to perform, with the option to stay seated or stand, whichever was most comfortable.

Attendees:

Corrie Shelley, Bill Rhodes, Geoff, Tony Winstanley (Fleetwood Folk Club), Owd Jim (Bass), Vinny Byrne, Al Ogg, Sean Furlong, Keith Snape, John Hull, Dave Gaskell & Claire Johnson.

Owd Jim brought along his bass, and subtly accompanied people with his smooth playing

Corrie started the proceedings by singing her self-penned song 'Troubadour Tales' which invites people to take a seat, raise a glass and enjoy the tales of the past, present and future.  Later she sang two new songs 'My Shoes' and 'Recognition' finishing with 'Mother's Kiss'.

Tony entertained us with 'Get t'kitchen Bonny Lad' a song about biscuits to the tune of Whiskey in the Jar, which had us all giggling, and continued on the fun theme with 'I'm Off', 'Eric' (poem) and 'I'm an ornithologist' which had us crying laughing.

Vinny swiftly followed, covering songs by the Beatles 'Hide Your Love Away', Eric Clapton 'San Francisco Bay Blues', John Lennon's 'Working Class Hero' and Eric Bogle's 'Green Fields of France'

Bill treated us to a selection of self-penned Lancashire Dialect poems starting with a history lesson on Bolton as it grew on the banks of the river Croal 'A Cry from Croal', Sid Calderbank was the subject of the next one 'Oath from Exton Sid', 2 shorts 'Mi Mam Smells' and 'Book Ends' finishing with 'Turned Out Fine Again'

Geoff brought some Lincolnshire songs to Lancashire starting with 'When I was Young', followed by 'Transportation' and 'Creeping Jane'

Al took the room by storm with his rendition of the Donovan classic 'Gold Watch Blues', a Scottish song 'Erin Go Bragh' and 'Pound a Week Rise' - Ed Pickford, finishing with his own song 'wild Eyed' which he wrote for his wife, we were all nodding along in agreement with certain lines.

Keith the left handed guitarist sang 'Over the Lancashire Hills, 'Mon Like Thee' and 'Ellan Vannin' with everyone joining in for the choruses.

John treated us to Eric Clapton's 'Cocaine', Dylan's 'With God on our Side' and Sinatra's 'Makin Whoppee'

Dave had us hanging on his every word with his self-penned songs 'French Horn' and 'The Diddling Song' we were all laughing at the innuendos.

Claire sang Bette Midler's 'The Rose' and the Irish traditional song 'Shannon Golden' beautfully and unaccompanied.

Sean played subtle and entrancing guitar to 'School' Quiet Desperation kind of Town' - his own song, 'When the Master calls the Roll' and closed the evening with 'Dimming of the Day'

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