A bit of Newfy

Whitby lifeboatman Henry Freeman
photographed by Frank Meadow Sutcliffe,
seen wearing his "waistcoat" or life-jacket.
Photo copyright The Sutcliffe Gallery

Mike was back on form last week although unusually using printed words for a couple of songs. The evening started off with Canine regular, Gertie, taking leave of her pet human, Maggie (2), and nesting in Mike's book where he records the proceedings of the club. That was amusing enough but when Mike started to sing, the book descended between his knees, closing to engulf the poor hound, leaving everyone rolling around laughing.

In this fashion, Mike started us off with Adam McNaughtan's The yellow on the broom.


Derek pointed out that Austin (AJ) Marshall died on 3rd November but that news of it had only recently hit the web. Derek sang Dancing at Whitsun, which was written by Marshall.

Kevin hadn't been to The Bridge since April. On that occasion he sang The needle of death. Mike had joked that he would go on to sing several other doom-laden, drug related songs (and why not?), so this week he had prepared Keith Hancock's Chase the dragon.

Derek's next song was I'll sing of Martha or She was, she was, she was. He learnt it from someone in Bicester; he thought his name may have been George Newbury. Derek challenged me to find it on the web, which I did before he had finished the song (see the above links), unfortunately no recording on YouTube, but you can't have everything. That caused Mike and Maggie to ask whether I could find another song, which they called Beautiful shore. That proved a little trickier until Kevin sang the first verse and chorus and someone (possibly Derek) said it had been sung by Alex Campbell. That's all I needed, so here's The heavenly shore, and here it is on YouTube.

Simon started a minor Newfy theme with We'll rant and we'll roar, which Mike followed by another Newfy song, also recorded by Great Big Sea: Wave over wave. Simon came back later in the session with Sarah from Buddy Wasisname and the other fellers.

I mustn't miss out from this report Colin who as always pulled out some interesting songs: Freeman's waistcoat by Paul Davenport about lifeboatman Henry Freeman, Kris Kristofferson's Me and Bobby McGee, The ballad of George Fox by Sydney Carter, about the founder of the Quakers, Deportee (Plane wreck at Los Gatos), a song written by Woody Guthrie (more information), and Steeleye Span's Galtee farmer.

Mike finished off the session with Jerry Walter's All the good times.

Here's a selection of these songs plus some others sung during the session.