The session follows the tradition of people gathering in a local pub to sing and play for their own pleasure. We emphasize simple traditional songs with choruses, often unaccompanied – work songs, sea shanties, old gospel tunes and so on – so that others can join in. The stronger singers lead and sing the verses and everyone joins in on the choruses.To lead a song, you should pretty much know it by heart and the first couple of rounds are reserved for those who have prepared a chorus song. In later rounds, if there is time, we will hear the occasional ballad or other solo piece. Most of the songs come from the British Isles and North America but we welcome songs from other traditions as well contemporary classics that follow the traditional idiom.
For those looking for a topic to sing about this month, we have now had a real taste of summer, the leaves are out (and of course the Leafs are out! – along with the Sens and the Canadiens), gardens are going in, the black flies and mosquitoes are almost here. Whether inspired by the awakening of nature, Queen Victoria’s birthday, the battle of the Atlantic, love or … you get the idea!
Come and sing!
