Local Group Report – Lewes – Tuesday 20th August 2019

Thirteen singers gathered in The John Harvey Tavern despite so many regulars being on holiday, but we were joined by Guy and Zoe and her Spaniel “Genie”, who was absolute magic and had no objection to us barking out 17 songs.

As usual, Tina had prepared well and led us through a mixture of songs starting with one of our oldest, Rosebuds in June, then The Nightingale, Ale, Glorious Ale and Oh, Good Ale, three newish ones Searching for Lambs, The Turtle Dove and The Lark in the Morning. We introduced Zoe and Guy to Hilaire Belloc with one of his more sombre songs – Ha’nacker Mill. It is a long time since we aired Old Adam and Three Maidens and Tina didn’t want us to forget our WW1 repertoire so chose Home Lads Home and Ladies go Dancing. At the Bognor Southdowns Folk Festival we shall be joining other choirs for The Big Sing, so we had a go at the Ole leloila Yoik of the Reindeer herders and the Elizabethan round, Sing You After Me. That just left us to practice the two parts to Caburn Hill and The East Sussex Drinking Song, both penned by our members Dave T and Adrian F. We finished the evening with Thousands Or More and are looking forward to the Apple Day in Stanmer Park and singing the Bee Boy’s Song and The Hares on the Mountain especially for Cat’s nearly three year old son, Rhion!

Local Group Report – Chichester – Thursday 15th August 2019

On Thursday night ten of us met at the Chichester Inn to sing a song or two of our lovely Sussex folk songs.  It took us a while to get going as there was a lot of chatting, but we eventually made our way through the set list for our slot at Arundel Festival on Saturday.  Chris read out a funny story he had come across in an 1846 Worcestershire newspaper item, involving a fight over a dog.  We then invited requests for songs and sang Green Grows the Laurel and then Turtle Dove which we had learned at the Belloc, Broadwood and Beyond workshops.  Sharon and Julie sang a slightly different version of Turtle Dove which they had also learned recently. As with many a folk song, it had a different title (Ten Thousand Miles), a different tune and slightly different words!  After Stephen sang a funny ‘folk’ song from the ’50s we tried a couple of sea shanties, but got a bit muddled with Mingulay Boat Song.   We did better with John  Kanaka!

A Cotillion Public Show

Cotillion is performing its folk-show 'The Last Trip Home' in Graffham Church, The Street, Graffham, GU28 0NJ on Saturday 5th October. Doors open 6.30pm. Tunes, songs, poetry, anecdotes and a little local flavour re the change from using the ox and the horse to the engine.

Local Group Report – Worthing – Wednesday 7th August 2019

Eager to get singing we started with Pleasant and Delightful before considering the song list proposed for use at the Arundel Festival on the 17th. From this we sang The Bee Boys Song and The Magpie. Then from Emily’s list of new and not-so-new songs for us to work on we selected All Among The Barley, Hal An Tow (with no breathing allowed in the verses!) and Searching For Lambs. We also spent some time on the third verse of the Song Of The Sussex Downsman to build it to a more spritely pace. In contrast the beautiful Fields Lie Silent was enjoyed at a more gentle pace before our final song, Ole Leloila (to be sung with other singers at the “Big Sing” event in September), raised the roof a little with the energy it produced. A lively finish to another sociable evening of songs, chats and quaffing!

A Singer's Guide To Britain

Here's a link to a short series of BBC radio programmes that may interest singers.

SDFS at the Arundel Festival

Saturday 17th August 2019

Our first fully public performance was at the Arundel Festival seven years ago on the Jubilee Gardens Stage in Mill Road by the Arun bridge. Seems almost like yesterday until I look in the mirror!

Again many members will be singing as both SDFS and Secret Shore Singers, both led by Emily.

SSS will be singing between 12.45-1.15pm in Jubilee Gardens (the stage this year will be there only on the Bank Holiday Weekend), but all are welcome to join in the shanty choruses.

SDFS will be singing our song set set from 3.30pm opposite the Nineveh Chapel in Tarrant Street.

If you haven't already put your name down on the list at YOHAH or won't be there on the 7th please email me on southdownsfolksingers@gmail.com just so we have a good idea of numbers for the day (18 so far). There is no cut off date for coming if your plans change at the last knockings.

If the forecast alerts the organisers to a problem with the weather, there are plans to site us indoors.

I will be parking free in Torton Hill Road off Ford Road, but it's a 10 minute walk in and there is charged overflow parking off Station Road.

John C.

Set List:

1. Country Life [E - A]
2. Pleasant & Delightful [B]
3. The Bee Boy’s Song [G]
4. West Sussex Drinking Song [F]
5. The Magpie [B]
6. The Nightingale [B]
7. A Smuggler’s Song [C#]
8. On Sussex Hills [A]
9. Rosebuds In June [B]
10. Thousands Or More [A]
11. Jolly Good Song [B]