The evening was directed towards an SDFS performance at the end of the month at the Amberley Chalk Pit Museum – “A Taste of Sussex”. The set list therefore intended to include songs about Sussex produce and trades or stretched to “fit” wherever possible!
The evening’s singing opened with a good crisp rendition of "The Turnip Hoer" and followed equally confidently by "The West Sussex Drinking Song". The last provoking a few deliberations and suggestions as to why it was the West Sussex Drinking Song when Haselmere is mentioned? It was decided to sing all verses including East Sussex in honour of Sussex traditions. An attempt to sing "Twanky Dillo" was abandoned – too well known (!) in favour of "All Among The Barley" by popular request. Sadly, two attempts later it was decided this may well need further practice at later sessions. Alan then introduced a new possibility "The Rambling Comber" with the idea of teaching harmonies only and then adding the tune. It was agreed it was a good song but probably best to introduce a line by line learning approach at Worthing first and folk should also look on the SDFS website to get a better grasp of the tune and harmonies. "Bee Boys" brought everyone firmly back to the theme of food production ready for the Amberley booking and after this the group took a break from the first half.
Part two of the evening opened with "Tommy" a new addition to the repertoire but easily learned to the tune of Fathom the Bowl. This was followed by "Gooches’ Beer" sung at an appropriately high key to allow for dropping! For fun, "Harvest Moan" came next – it was agreed that this could be good as a “Call and Response” at a suitable indoor event with audience participation. "Farmer’s Toast" was tried next which fitted the theme of produce but was a fairly complicated song at times. By extremely popular request, Alan’s version of "Riding on a Donkey" came next which had been specifically composed for the event at the East Clayton Farm but had proved a popular song and could even have a Christmas verse added if required! Chris requested "Lammas Carol" next and then it was felt that everyone had just about sung themselves out, so rounded off the evening with the old favourite "Rolling Home".
Anne S
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