Oldie Folk Singers are Tough Customers

(from 2015)

Well, the weekend folk festival went well, and unlike last year, this time I was able to SING. At least that is what I call it. There is a famous line from a British comedy duo of yesterday – “using all the right notes (pause) but not necessarily in the right order...” The usual suspects were there, including young Megan, who a few years ago woke us up on the camp site by sitting on the swings and trilling the complete score of Oliver at six in the morning. She’s now a chunky teenager bashing out songs from the shows. And if that doesn’t quite sound like folk music, we have an elastic definition – music of all sorts sung by folk of all sorts.

I was more traditionalist – amongst other songs, I did “I Can See a New Day” – a Les Rice song popularized by Pete Seeger – see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25ElQrJ5Z58 for Seeger’s version from the early 60s. But I did it UNACCOMPANIED. Now this is really purist and trendy, as well as covering the fact that I couldn’t quite manage the chords on the ukulele...  And yes, I did Wimoweh, perhaps for the final time. My family valiantly supported with the back-up and I guess the main reaction of the audience was one of surprise. People looked up with concern from the bar and spilled their beer.

Our next folk festival is the prestigious Cambridge Folk Festival at the beginning of August, but there it will be strictly listening. Apparently we have to use tiny tents, and walk for miles in the mud, and forget to wash, and do an impersonation of Woodstock. I have assured Mrs O that this will be FUN. Watch this space.