Marlow Bottom Acoustic Club

The Dog & Badger was doing good business on Wednesday, but had kindly put reserved signs on the tables at the end at which we usually gather. We had a very good turnout and, as we squeezed in to the limited space, we made sure that all three Martins, two of whom were playing Martin guitars, sat in a row.

Here’s what the Martins (in descending age) played and sang:

‘Bledlow’ Martin: Al Stewart’s Year of the Cat (which took some of us back to our times at university, when it was playing at every flat you went to) and Tim Hardin’s Reason to Believe. This song was the original A side of Rod Stewart’ massive hit ‘Maggie May’

Martin and Kerraleigh (The August List): Crow Jane (trad but learned from Holly Golightly’s version), Grand Dark Feeling of Emptiness (Bonny Prince Billy), Sweetheart Rodeo (Dawn Landes) and Happy (Jenny Lewis)

Martin Jackson (on a brief visit home from Derby): Steely Dan’s Peg (with Rosie), Jace Everett’s A Little Less Lonely, Alice in Chains’ No Decision

Martin J also accompanied Rosie (who had an accompanist upgrade for the evening) on Joan Armatrading’s I Really Must be Going. This excellent torch song was not originally released in the UK, only on an EP on the continent which also, incidentally, contained Rosie, Joan’s hit single (well #49 anyway) about a transvestite.

The other rock obscurity of the evening was David’s rendition of Steely Dan’s Here at the Western World. This is another super song that’s not on a mainstream album, just on compilations.

We also had some Easter songs: Seven Virgins (The Leaves of Life) and Easter Draws Near at Hand from Ian, Joseph’s Son from Debbie and Pace Egging Song from Simon.

Terry sang Forest Lawn (I Want To Go Simply When I Go). I was surprised to find out that this was written by John Denver, whom I associate more with songs like Follow Me, sung later by Glen (who only got one turn - sorry Glen).

For me, the two contrasting highlights of the evening came near the end:

• Terry’s version of Shep Wooley’s hilarious parody of You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me Lucille.
• Alison and David’s beautiful version of Steve Prothero’s The Swallow. This was a ‘pin drop’ moment. The attendees of Maidenhead Folk Club might be lucky enough to hear this on 29th April.

The other songs were:

• Albatross and Hop Picking (Dave)
• Billy Bragg’s New England (Rosie and me - guess who’s got a St George’s Day gig)
• Adieu to Old England and, in a key to attract the local bats, Raggle Taggle Gypsy (Delia)
• She Loved a Portuguese and Fatal Glass of Beer (Dick)
• Mixed Morris Dancing and Pat Pong Girl (Patrick)
• The Crow on the Cradle (Alison and David)
• The Sun it Goes Down (David, Alison and Simon)

The tunes for the evening were:

• Teahan’s Favourite/Maggie in the Woods (Rosie and me)
• Up the Sides and Down the Middle and Oscar Wood’s Jig (Simon and David)
• One I didn’t catch the name of and The Bear Dance (Stuart and Delia)

We’re at The Belle Vue in Wycombe, next Wednesday, 7th April. In the meantime, there’s The Bottom Line gig at the Dog & Badger on Tuesday 6th.

The Bottom Line's next 'first Tuesday' gig at the Dog & Badger, Medmenham is on 6th April. Our March gig was very well attended, so we hope for as good a turn-out this time. We'll kick off at around 8pm.

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We'll also be playing an English set for The Dog & Badger's St George's Day event on Friday 23rd April. More details coming soon.

The Bottom Line is Rosie, Karen, Steve, Roger and Alan
See http://bottom-line-band.co.uk/

Yes ! Here I am again ! Who will rid me of this onerous obligation ??

I See .......OK, then, here is the report of the proceedings at Ye Prince Albert hostelry, Wednesday 24 th March.

On arrival at the pub, we (Alan,Rosie,Karen & me) were faced with having to park in the road, as the usual parking was overflowing, which did not augur well !! However, there were fewer people in the bar than we thought, leading me to suspect that some of the locals park there, have a quick bracer, then hie them away to the woods for a spot of devil-worship or dogging or something, there being pitifully little else to do in Frieth, one suspects.

The usual suspects attended, and it was nice to see Norma & Dave again, after quite an abscence.

Dick (obviously gasping) sang about Tobacco (again !), and later (less breathlessly) Broomfield Hill, Rosie having tuned us all up initially with Soldier's Joy, as I am sure she would be if she moved to Aldershot. Richard whistled lowly(ish) again, offering Pagans O'Boyce, or something like that, and Minstrel's Fancy. Martin of the Ridge sang Paul Simon's "Sparrow", and Karen & I had a go at "This Love Will Carry Me" ( Dougie McClean). Terry amused with Mr Lehrer's "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" (splendid idea !), whilst Steve played it safe with "New Mown Hay" a la Watersons, rousing chorus etc.

The increasingly dependable Martin & Kerraleigh performed "Little Miss Holiday" (Dawn Landez) and "The Old Devils", by the splendidly-named William Elliot Whitmore.(His real name was Sid Crankshaw, but he changed it ). This brought us to Alan and Rosie, who had a schott at a Schottishe, followed by "Where Has My Love Gone?" (reminds me of Dusty,somehow). Dave H, despite still suffering from fingeritis, sang some of his own compositions during the session, including "The Funfair Comes To Town", and "Judgement Day". Delia sang "Akin Drum", and Stewart sort of narrated "The Snail" in a Janner accent.

John From Afar gave us "Bonny At Morn" and "Logs To Burn", whilst John From A Bit Nearer offered Tom Lewis's "Shanty Man". Martin O'The Ridge sang Mr Thompson's "Read About Love", whilst Karen & I did the same songwriter's "Waltzing's For Dreamers". Solo efforts included Alan ( "Stuart's Hornpipe") and Karen ("The White Hare"), Richard changing to accordion for "In The Season Of The Year". Terry's second item was "John Barleycorn", Steve's being "Bless The Broken Road". Martin & Kerraleigh pressed on with "Map Of The World", by Monsters Of Folk (!) and "Old Times" (By "Whisper Town 2000" , or something !). You've got to laugh,haven't you ??!!

Dave F and Simon D ( remember him ? "" It's Siiiiiiiimmmoon DEEEEEEE " !! real name, Carl Henty-Dodd,if you didn't know !)

---anyway,they played well, despite having me along on either Cajon or guitar,and we did "Madeleine's Waltz" (Wim Poesen), "Fiddlers'Green ", "Bucks Free Press" and Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here".

The end looming ever closer, Delia sang "Who Will Buy My Besoms", to which some (!) sang different words, Stewart led a magnificently harmonious "Lowlands Low" (all about Naval Drill !), Rosie did a quick parody of "Danny Boy", and Dick finished us all off with "Throw Me Leg Over The Man In The Moon"---riotous !

Then we all went home in the rain to our beds (or some of us did,anyway).

Wednesday, ...March,2010, at the Dog and Badger, Medmenham

A jolly good turnout at this increasingly popular new venue, although, in the absence of our usual hosts, the temporary staff (forgive them,Lord; they know not what they do!) got into a bit of a pickle and consigned us to the smaller, more cramped, dog-friendly (but none turned up ) area......where it was VERY hot indeed !

Anyway, Dicky Doyen started us off, as usual, on this occasion choosing "Lovely Nancy" as an "icebreaker". A later offering, viz " I Drew My Ship Into The Harbour" was, some of us decided, somewhat risque and probably a euphemism! Martin of Bledlow then got his banjo out, and treated us to "The Zoological Gardens", and later, McColl's "Forty Foot Trailer".

Richard then did a solo (so low you couldn't hear it) or two on his (very) low whistle----"The Pleasures Of Hope", and "Back Of The Haggard", as those with VLF (Very Low Frequency) aural perception might have deduced. To his credit though, he DID come up about four octaves later, whilst playing with Andy. Having "duetted" with Rosie for "Sally Gardens", I then "trioed" with Karen and Rosie for "As I Roved Out"; staying with the "roving" theme, Alan then joined us and we "quartetted" the lovely "I'll Go No More a'roving" with "The Wise Maid"(tune) tacked on the end. Visitor Patrick gave us "Mixed Morris Dancing", and, later, "Global Cooking", both somehow vaguely topical....

The fair & rosy-cheeked Glen,fast becoming more regular than a syrup-of-figs tester, sang Tom & Jo Collins' "You're Not Easy To Forget" and "One Starry Night", inspired by a dream she had about a Dutch painter cutting off an American songwriter's ear. Next in line was our new friend Debbie with "Don't Know Why I Didn't Come" (tell me about it ) by Nora Jones, after which the inimitable Fred performed the catchy "Blarney", later offering a parody of "The Mountaines of Mourne"; then Alan did an unexpected mandolin solo with " My Darling Asleep".

Arriving thus at the "star turn" of "The Dieganfenners", we had Alison playing a beautiful duet-concertina accompanied song, the name of which is so lovely that I could not write it down, whilst Dave & Simon performed the "Galway Farmer", and I helped Dave out on harmonica with "The Wild Geese". Delia & Stewart stuck manfully & womanfully to the Irish theme by wisely offering "Danny Boy " and "Molly Malone".

I joined Karen for "John Mitchell" to the tune of (my arrangement) "Star Of The County Down", and the wistful "Maid Of Lishgnonwhatsit", and Andy & Richard were blisteringly good with "The Rare Ould Times" and "Spanish Lady" ----- Everyone who could play, ding, dong,crash or bang joined in with Steve Earle's "Galway Girl".....A great,if sweaty,evening !!

This wednesday's session at the Prince Albert was dedicated to "Absent Friends", of whom there were several. Whilst Dave,Norma,Rosie,Alan,Dave F,Alison, Steve et al, were sorely missed,the usual furniture-shifting rigmarole was not thought to be necessary !

After a tune "warm up" led by Richard (Seven Stars), Dick got us off to a start with "Let Union Be", later essaying "When you smoke Tobacco", which is something well in the past for both of us. Ian sang a version of "The Nightingale" (but not the one in Berkeley Square), and, later, "Missed the Bus". Martin & Kerraleigh were on seriously impressive form, with "Mistress", by Melissa Nadgers,(or something like that !), "Carpetbaggers" (Jenny Lewis) which sparked a discussion about the eponymous novel by Harold Robbins; the self-penned "End of a Rope", and Nina Nastasia's "I Come After You", which not surprisingly prompted some ribald comments.

Stuart & Delia,having arrived bereft of instruments (sticky keys,apparently), gave us, courtesy of Mr Acker Peller, "Billy is the Boy that I Adore" and "The Wind May Blow your Plaidie Awa' " (both Delia) and the Baring Gould "The Bellringing" and the "The Grey Funnel Line" (Attrib. C Tawney but not Conf.), both Stuart. It was great to see Glen yet again,and she tried to please (but not with Edam cheese) with her own compositions "Take Your Time" and "My Sister The Sea". Lovely.

Karen dispensed with my services for "The White Hare" (a spring song), although I was re-instated for "Maid of Culmore" and Briege Murphy's atmospheric "Cloghinne Winds". A solo (but not for long) Richard sang Paul Caplan's very funny parody of "John Henry", about adding up without calculators; later offerings, with Andy, included "Little Ball of Yarn", "Star of the County Down", and J.Taylor's humourous "Red Velvet Steering-Wheel Covered Driver".

A Fennerless but game Simon proved to be up for it with some rousing (no, not like that) tunes, viz. "All The Ways To Galway" and " List For A Sailor", and sang "Sally Free and Easy" (Definitely C Tawney). Representing Bledlow Ridge, our other Martin sang the very bluesy (by Johnson) "Love in Vain", and "Helplessly Hoping" (S Stills, of C,S,N & Y).

An altogether very pleasant evening was spookily rounded off by The Orpheus Choir's very own John singing "The Black Freighter", and ----- we didn't have to replace any tables,chairs,etc ; Hooray !!

Next week,we shall be at the Dog & Badger in Medmenham ( plenty of room there !).

Yours Truly "Eleven Years With The Grey Funnel Line" Roger & Out.

A ps from Karen - the chocolates donated by Rosie and Alan were very much enjoyed by us all, particularly Delia and Stuart! Quite a lot of merriment & banter over the evening, including the source of The White Hare - collected in a toilet by Bronwen and on on of her Seelie Court album, which caused mention of our old and dear friend Martin Herbert who is currently living in Finland! It wasn't strictly true that we moved no furniture!! Various chair lifting and moving incurred by Richard and Karen to enable armless chairs in the middle for musicians.

PPS It's St Patrick's Day next Wednesday so be there with your Irish contributions!

Our numbers were somewhat depleted because several of the usual number were recovering from The Bottom Line gig at The Dog & Badger on Tuesday. We managed without them and had an eclectic mix of material.

We hadn’t seen Jeremy for a while and, true to form, he was initially reluctant to play. He changed his mind and sang Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine (1971). Later on, again true to form, he added Neil Young’s Helpless (1969).

There’s an Acoustic Open Mic session at The Belle Vue on the second Sunday of each month, run by Clive who came along this evening to encourage some of us to go along to his sessions. These are amplified and start around 3:30. Clive was persuaded to sing Dirty Old Town for us.

We’re getting to see Glen quite often now. She started with the lovely Looking West to the Close of Each Day, and contrasted that later with Derek Jolly’s My Grandfather’s Ferret. Her final song was Brian Boru, which we usually hear sung by Dick, who was sitting next to her. Dick himself sang Limehouse Lass, The Innocent Hare and The Lusty Smith.

Debbie is new to this folk thing, but has sung in choirs before. This being her second week, she now has a repertoire of two songs, both from Kate Rusby and both sung tonight: The Good Man and Underneath the Stars.

David and Simon started with The Lakes of Shilin, an Irish song with only one death, known by David from Nic Jones’ playing. They followed that with the tunes Sir Patrick Spens (also recorded by Nic Jones) and Woodland Revels. Their other contribution were more contemporary: I Live This Life (Big and Rich - 2004), Fisherman’s Blues (Waterboys – 1998), My Old School (Steely Dan – 1973) and Let it Be (Beatles – recorded 1969).

Martin also sang a Beatles song (It’s Only Love – 1965), as well as James Taylor’s Something in the Way She Moves (1968, and released on the Beatles’ Apple label) and Tom Paxton’s When You Shook Your Long Hair Down (60’s?).

With a St Patrick’s themed gig coming up on 14th at The Four Horseshoes, Stokenchurch, Rosie and I managed some tunes: The Kerry Polkas, Off To California/Tomgraney Castle (hornpipes) and Silver Spear/Sally Gardens (reels). Our songs were So Far Away (Carol King – 1971), You Go To My Head (1938), Your Cheating Heart (Hank Williams – 1952) and The Weakness in Me (Joan Armatrading – 1982).

It’s The Prince Albert at Frieth next week where there will be the usual pressure for space, despite the absence of Rosie and me.