It was good to have Gerry back from Australia. He brought with him a surprise (especially for Steve) when he played Steve's song Santa Claus. Not only had he learned the original guitar part, but also the lyrics - something the author will probably never manage! Gerry's other songs were Cat Steven's How Can I Tell You and Paul Simon's April Come She Will. Steve himself sang Coope, Boyes and Simpson's Unison in Harmony, Little Feat's Willin' and finished the evening with A Non's A Miner's Life

We welcomed two newcomers. Pete sang three unaccompanied songs: Female Drummer Boy, I Was a Navy Boy and Sit Down. Peter from Maidenhead was persuaded to borrow a guitar and sing Sweet Baby James. We hope to see and hear them both again soon.

It's hard to imagine most Joni Mitchell songs being played in any other way than the way she plays them. So Robin's mandolin-accompanied version of Morning Morgantown was a revelation. His other number was Tom Lehrer's Irish Ballad (AKA Rickity Tickity Tin).

We're seeing more of Terry these days. This week he sang Sunny Memories and Pete Aitken's Have You Got a Biro I Could Borrow. Bob was also with again this week and sang Cuckoo She's a Pretty Bird (as he's seen one recently) and Dido's My Lover's Gone.

Alison and David were without their melodeon player this week (he apparently preferred listening to the Australian Pink Floyd than to us). I missed their first couple of songs whilst at the bar, but I'm reliably informed that they were Andy's Gone and Go On Home Girl (recorded by Ry Cooder and The Stones). I was paying more attention second time around, when Alison sang the lovely See How My True Love Comes Smiling.

The new Star Trek movie is out this week and will no doubt continue to boldly split infinitives. To recognise the event, Dave sang a hilarious 'trekkie' song on the theme of justice, beauty, truth and right. Sorry I didn't catch the title or the name of the writer. Dick wondered whether he'd be required to sing Fathom The Bowl in Klingon.

Other songs and tunes were:

Dick: Bring Us a Barrel, Gently Annie, The Lusty Smith
Dave H: Oyster Girl/Isabella, Hobos (sounding particularly good on Steve's guitar) and Jack Robinson
Rosie and Alan: O'Carolan's Welcome, Walking On a Wire, Time Of The Preacher
Alan: Pernod Waltz
Karen and Roger: Follow The Heron Home
Roger: Upton Stick Dance (he and Karen are off to Upton on Severn next weekend) and Planxty Fanny Power
Karen and Steve: Machine Gun Kelly
John C: Nolans and Elton John

It's Dick's surprise 70th birthday celebration next Wednesday at The Pegasus. It will be a busy night so please arrive early so we can kick off promptly.