FOLK SESSION – Howard Arms, Brampton

If we were lacking some of our regular attenders (stolen from us by folk festivals!) when we met on 19^th August, on the other hand we were very pleased to welcome Jenny, joining us for the first time. 

Our theme was ‘Money and Reward’, which gave us plenty of scope for different approaches. Well done to John Garner on harmonica, who found several money-related tunes – Penny Candle; The Bank of Ireland and Sixpenny Money.

 

Some pointed out the advantages of wealth: Alan lamented that Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out; Charles yearned to be ‘in the rich man’s world’ (Money, Money, Money) and Geoff’s young lad starting work looked forward to being a Three-Day Millionaire. Jack Tar on Shore (Phil); The Wild Rover (Kath) and The Saucy Sailor (Geoff and Kath) all described how differently they were treated when they had money in their pockets. Jane frankly commended the sailor as sweetheart because ‘sailors, they get all the money’ (Rolling Sea), while Les assured us ‘I love money and money loves me’, in his cheeky song Money Madness (written for street busking!) 

The ‘hardships of poverty’ are the flip side of ‘the advantages of wealth’. Thus, we heard about the widowed mother trying to feed five hungry mouths out of That Old Cook Pot (Gerda); the Poor Little Beggar Girl (John Luffrum) dancing and playing accordion as she begs, and the King of the Road (Charles) describing the uncertain life of a hobo. Alan told us how his Oklahoma Home blew away in the dustbowl, taking everything with it but debt, and Phil’s little washer lad hopes that the mine owner will raise his pay from Fourpence a Day.

Money is a pretty big motivator for crime – although, in fairness, Sovay (Jenny) only robbed her lover to test his loyalty. Pretty Boy Floy (John Garner) was an American version of Robin Hood; so (perhaps) was the Surrey clergyman/highwayman in the story Les told. Not so the gang of thieves who surrounded Colonel Taylor’s house in Chris’s story The Long Pack, or the highwayman who tried to rob The Maid of Reigate (Katy). Still worse, the treacherous captain of The Golden Vanity (Chris) regrets the bargain he made and leaves the cabin boy to drown. Other dangers of cupidity include the risks of gambling (Blackjack, sung by Alan and The Gambler, sung by Charles). Lighter in tone, but still a warning, was the fate of Roger the Miller (Jenny) who lost the girl he loved because he was greedy about her dowry.

 

Not that money can buy everything! Gerda stoutly maintained that Hard Times Ain’t Gonna Rule My Mind, and Kath and Geoff, with their ‘bottle and friend’, were as happy as those with Thousands or More. The suitors in Come Write Me Down (John Luffrum) and What Do You Want If You Don’t Want Money? (Jane) are both taken aback to find that the respective lady-loves turn down offers of wealth and precious stones, while Gerda’s Queen of Hearts is too deeply in love to care about a mountain of gold and silver. In melancholy vein, Lady Franklin would gladly give ‘ten thousand pounds’ to have her husband alive (Lord Franklin – Chris).

And finally, there were mentions of currency. Dollars in Shallow Brown (Jane) and House of Orange (Phil); shillings in The King’s Shilling (Jenny) and Over the Hills and Far Away (Les); pounds in Down Where the Drunkards Roll (John Luffrum) and half-a-crown in High Part of the Town (Charles).

We next meet at 8pm on Tuesday, 16^th September in The Howard Arms, Brampton. The theme will be ‘Celestial Bodies’ (sun, moon, stars, planets… anyone know a song about meteorites?) ALL WELCOME!