Being Friday the 16th of March, 2012 ...

An unusual evening, given an early start and finish …

Doors opened, as promised, at 7.30pm.

John and Sylvia, (having read the appropriate email,) turned up on-the-dot and asked, “Is nobody else here?”

Not disheartened, they assisted in setting up the room.

Thank you J & S!

By 8.00pm we had a quorum: enough people to pay the rent.

Dogsbody rang the bell shortly after that.

Then he became confused by the presence of two Sylvias, both of whom sang three different songs about ‘my old/young man’.

Anyway, here’s what he thinks might have happened …

Maggie: Max & Paul
My Young Man: Sylvia S.
Too Soon to Know: Paul
A Soft Place to Fall: Lucy
The Trees they do Grow High: Colin
For the Good Times: Lynda
Beulah Land: Angela, Roland, Paul & Colin
My Old Man, (about someone getting lost): Sylvia T.
Go to Sea Once More: John
The Passing of a Queen: Ken
The Daffodils of Farndale: Mave
Bard of Armagh: Nigel
Slieve [Gallen]* Braes: Max
Devoted to You: Paul & Lucy
When You Say Nothing At All: Lucy
Greenland Whale Fisheries: Colin
Raglan Road: Lynda
The Turkish Lady: Roland
The Ballad of Erica Levine: Angela
Banks o' Doon: Elaine
Bloody January Again: Sylvia T.
I Wish it Would Rain: Lucy, Paul & Max
Hartlepool Monkey: John
My Old Man, (about a drunkard): Sylvia S.
The Gaol of Cluain Meala: Nigel
Please Help me I'm Falling: Max, Sylvia, Paul & Lucy

To summarise ...

Quite a few failed or failing amorous relationships.
Five dead whalermen.
One seriously abused mariner.
Three close relatives who have gone to the promised land, whereby they enjoy everlasting life.
A Turkish prostitute (citation required.)
Somebody who 'dilly-dallied'!
A passing female monarch.
A ageing Irish harper.
A host of golden daffodils. (Well, a lonely one was spotted at Haslemere station this week!)
The beauties, flora and fauna of a Scottish glen.
*Here's Slieve Gallen, AKA 'Gallion', in County Londonderry:

... and so much more.
Will this exposure to life's rich kaleidoscope of experience ever end?
No, because, if we are spared, we'll all be back next week.

Some Advance News for April ...

The ‘senior’ club in Chichester, The Chichester Folk Song Club, will be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary throughout April.

That is a remarkable achievement through sometimes turbulent times, and Marilyn deserves our congratulations for thirty years of unstinting dedication.

That's a great club; we have a significant overlap of participants, and we’re all friends-in-folk, so let’s give our support to these events ...

That image is not entirely clear, so if you need more information click this, and follow the 'events' link.

Meanwhile, The City Folk Club has only 32 years to catch up wih this record
 ... but it's not a competition!

Being Friday the 9th of March, 2012 ...

Dogsbody arrived feeling a little out-of-sorts.

His day had been emotionally and intellectually challenging.

Three ladies turned up and gave him big cuddles.

Dogsbody began to feel better.

The cheery faces of Bill and Berry further lightened his mood.

More ladies arrived – more cuddles and an occasional mwah-mwah!

By then Dogsbody felt able to welcome Nick and Pat, two new faces, into our gathering, and introduce them. Hands were shaken.

At 8.05pm someone asked, “Who’s MC?”

As if on-cue, Mike arrived, smiled warmly, played the bell-tree, and we all settled down for a most enjoyable evening under his sensitive direction.

I am a Rock: Mike

Barmaid Song: Lucy

Piper to the End: Laura & Colin

Some Day: Berry

Alexandra Leaving: Lynda

John Barbary: Jane

Lay me down a Pallet on your Floor: Roger

All the Little Chickens: Mave

Ploughboy and the Cockney: Colin

Three Shetland Tunes: Bill

Census 1851: Nigel

I'll Follow the Sun: Paul

The Shepherd's Daughter: Angela

I'm Getting Older too: Mike

Take a Message to Mary: Lucy & Paul

Valparaiso: Laura & Colin

Whatever Happened to Saturday Night: Lynda

Joan of Arc: Jane

Romeo and Juliet: Roger

Bright Fine Gold: Mave

I Believe in You and Me: Mark

I'm Going Down to the Shade by the River: Berry

Life of a Man: Nigel

Brewer Laddie: Bill

The Folks Who Live on the Hill: Paul & Roger

Groovy Kind of Love: Mark

Rolling On: Laura

Little Darling: Angela & Paul

So, there we have it: Knopfler beat Cohen into second place by 3 to 2.

Caddick - 1.

Disappointments?

There was no yodelling, no songs about trains ... and Nick didn't bring his hurdy-gurdy!

Bill mentioned 'Saint Patrick's Breastplate'.

Those who can handle a bit of holiness might enjoy this charming cover of Rita Connolly's 'The Deer's Cry'.

Now, don't forget - early start next week.

Prompt Start on Friday 16th March ...

On Friday 16th March we will be required to vacate the Guide Hall by 10.30pm.
That's because the Guides will be returning from the exciting night-life of Chichester for a sleep-over.

So, in order to give all our performers a fair opportunity, we will need a prompt start.
The club's timetable for the evening will be as follows:

• 7.30pm: Doors open.
• 8.00pm: Music begins.
• Some arbitrary time: Short interval for free association.
• 10.15pm: Extinguish candles.
• 10.20pm: Music ceases. Clear up rapidly.
• 10.30pm: Say, "Good night, Guides, sleep well."
• Then take your own rubbish home in complete silence.