We received a warm welcome from Paul and Fiona at our new venue and had a busy night with around 25 people turning out to join us for our first evening at The Dog and Badger. It's a lovely pub and everyone felt very comfortable and happy to be there. We also had enough room accomodate everyone, and we are all looking forward to our Xmas meal there in December. The people who happened to be in the bar also enjoyed the evening. Somehow we managed to get round the room twice. Apologies to anyone or any song or tune I’ve missed out, but the evening went something like this:-

Dick started off the evening with Bring Us A Barrell which was followed by another chorus song courtesy of Delia – Aikendrum by James Hogg. Fred also had us singing along with his own chorus composition We’ve Gone To Be Bears, and
Ian had us marvelling at his ability to remember so many words with his rendition of Jack O’Robinson – highly appreciated by Dick. Terry gave us a humorous tone with the parody “A Folk Club Lad Won’t Do For You” and then Alan, Rosie, Steve, Roger and Karen launched into a collective sing for Keep on the Sunny Side, Down to the River to Pray, and The Weight, and Alan, Rosie, and Roger did their rather tasteful version of Crazy.

Dave Heath sang his own Hop Picking Song and Malcolm austen then led some lively tunes which included Dennis Crowley’s No 2. Kerraleigh accompanied herself on guitar to Pretty Bird by Jenny Lewis, and then Martin sang Glen Tipton by a band called Sun Kill Moon. Tring John sang a song about Tanderagee which is between Newry and Portadown.

Mike Ainscough, a very welcome visitopr sang the 1921 “I’ll See You in My dreams” which was followed by Alison’s haunting “Strange Affair” by Richard Thompson. Dave Fenner sang his own eco warrior lyrics “Wounded Hillsides”. In contrast we then had Chris’s blues number, 9lb Hammer by Merle Travis, followed by the Chumbawamba Facebook song “Add Me” – which everyone sang along with somewhat raucously! This was follwed by Glen’s very tasteful “When Yellow’s on the Bloom” which sounded so beautiful that someone, maybe the landlord, bought her a drink! Helen sang Anna From Fermanagh so we could all sing along, followed by Delia’s “Oh can you sew cushions”.

Fred then gacve us his Swedish whistle experience with some polkas. John, fresh from the Orpheus choir, had us all singing Hallelujah a la Cohen, Ian sang Two More Fields, & Terry did Intercity Blues.

Karen, Roger, Steve, and Dave Fenner then accompanied each other for Here in California and Follow The Heron Home. Dave Heath did hos very snigalongable Tolpuddle Man and Malcolm played a tune by Mick Pearce with the parody “The Sailor’s New Leg” all though we preferred the title the No Oh song – which is what he said at the end of every refrain when we all sang Oh and he said No Oh, except for the last verse where the O was allowed!

Kerraleigh and Martin gave us 2 more songs but I didn’t get the title. Tring John did The Carter/Hearty Good Fellow, Mike livened us up with Dennis Murphy and John Ryan’s Polkas. Alison then caused some merriment with rather leud allusion swhen she sang The very First Time, Chris sang a very pretty lullaby by Tom Russell, and Helen did another joiny–in song, Our Gold and Silver Days.

We will be at The Dog and Badger again on 16th December for our Xmas Meal, and then for our normal Wednesday meeting on the 3rd Wednesday in January and February.

Next week, we're at The Belle Vue, High Wycombe. See you there!