MBAC attendance is somewhat unpredictable in the summer holidays. However, I successfully predicted a lower than usual turn-out this week.

We heard the following from the seven assembled musicians:

Dick (who’s trying some no-often-heard material for his gig at Chesham on 23rd August): Fair Rosamund, Monday Morning, The Ship in Distress, Man in the Moon (more of which below)

Steve: My Live is Changing (good to hear more of his own songs recently), Bitter Creek and Desperado (both The Eagles), Southbound Train (Julie Gold via Nanci Griffith), Family Hands (Mary Chapin Carpenter)

Delia: Hard Times Come Again No More, Lavender’s Blue, Blow Your Winds Oh, Brand New Key (Melanie)

Stuart: Dog & Gun, Elsey’s Waltz, Brighton Camp

Stuart & Delia: Sheebag Shemore

Martin B: Touching Base (original lyrics about corporate buzzwords, very familiar to those of us working in large organisations), The Fisherman of Whitby (Steve Tilson), Dimming of the Day (Richard Thompson)

Rosie and me: Silver Spear/ Sally Gardens, Tar Road to Sligo/Tripping Up the Stairs/Blarney Pilgrim, Off to California/Tomgraney Castle, You Go To My Head (with very approximate guitar accompaniment from yours truly)

Me: My Darling Asleep

Rosie, me and Steve: Keep on the Sunny Side, Killing the Blues

Rosie asked Dick about the history of Man in the Moon. The first recording known by Dick was from 1959. The sleeve notes of his ‘Live at Wycombe Folk’ CD say:

‘One of the nicest songs I know. It’s actually a late version of “The Hares on the Mountain” . Some verses were added by Phil Tanner, some by American servicemen 1944-46. ‘

For the record, the verses Dick sang tonight were:

- rabbits
- sheep
- vixens
- fish
- b29s
- bells
- bricks
- ladies

We’re at the Belle Vue in Wycombe next week (4th) and hoping for a better turnout so we don’t all have to work so hard.

On Tuesday 3rd, The Bottom Line will be playing their regular ‘first Tuesday’ set at The Dog & Badger. It would be nice to have some friendly faces in the audience.