The day after St George's Day. I hope you all celebrated. I hope you all celebrated as well as we did in the back bar of the Bear!
After many years of us saying 'wouldn't it be good to do something...', Mike and Ruth organised a worthy celebration with England flags, English tunes and songs, English Ale and Roast Beef Baps. It was a splendid do, better than the successful Burn's night. Probably because we are English and not Scottish.
There was every element of Englishness from the pride of knowing that you're English to the saucy seaside humour of the Carry On films. Given that Ruth, Barbara and Heather dressed in a very appropriate serving-wench-cum-national-costumes and then handed out Roast Beef Baps or carried Jugs of Ale it is not surprising that 'Would you like one of my delicious baps, kind sir?" was greeted with "Yes, and send me the girl with the large jugs if you will". More good natured banter ensued on that theme.
Nearly every cliche of Englishness was unashamedly exploited. Hoorah! Huzzar!
The tunes were supposed to be English only but a couple of Irish and a Scottish crept under the wire. The singing was truly eclectic and much helped by a guest - Robert Brown.
Ably helping the singing were regulars Heather, Richard, Barbara, Chris and Rod, and a return visit from Gavin who came into it unaware of what was planned. The assembled multitude joined in with gusto and varying degrees of success. A group of Geordies expressed their appreciation by singing Bladon Races. Properly. You could imagine walking down Northumberland Street on a Saturday afternoon and diving into Fenwick's as the football crowd came down the road singing. Why Aye Man.
A sample of the songs:-
- Three Drunken Maidens
- Yarmouth Town
- All around my hat*
- Lola
- Jerusalem
- Drink Old England Dry
- Dedicated Follower of Fashion
- The Doh-a-beer song**
- Nutting Girl
- The English, the English, the English are best. (I'm not sure that one was wise but no one exacted terrible revenge.)
- Geordie's lost his Penker***
* With a last chorus of:
All around my hat, I will wear the green willow
All around my hat for a twelvemonth and a day
And if anyone should ask me, the reason why I'm wearing it,
It's my f***ing hat, and I'll wear what I like!
Thank you Lizzy.
**
Doh, a beer, a Mexican Beer
Ray, a man who buys me beer
Me, a man I buy beer for
Fah, a long way to the bar
So, I'll have another beer
La,la,la,la,la,la,la
Te, No thanks I'll have a beer
That will bring us back to ...
Thank you Chris. Yours predates the Simpson creation.
***
Not what you might think. It's his marble. Opinion is divided whether he lost it 'doon the netty' (down the toilet) or 'doon the Koondy' (drain). At any rate, it was in his pocket all the bloody time.
