This is a song written by my friend, neighbour and a lovely guy Paul Openshaw. Probably plays jigs, reels - all that sort of trad stuff I don't really get better than anyone I know - and I know quite a few/ I'm not sure he's met Jim Carroll, but they're both gentlemen. The meeting place is music - even if its no longer the folk club.


Folkie

You think of yourself as a folkie but you do not have the urge
You do not have the urge for a lengthy lament or a dirge
A lengthy lament or a dirge is not the way you fill your spot
But, you think of yourself as a folkie because nobody says that you’re not

You think of yourself as a folkie but you do not have the zest
You do not have the zest because with two left feet you are blessed
With two left feet you are blessed and so you do not have a chance
You do not have a chance when somebody asks you to dance
When somebody asks you to dance, everything goes to pot
But, you think of yourself as a folkie because nobody says that you’re not

You think of yourself as a folkie but you do not have the skill
You do not have the skill to twitter or to trill
To twitter or to trill is not the way you bat
And you don’t stick a finger in your ear, or anywhere else come to that
But if there is nobody else, and you are all they have got
You think of yourself as a folkie because nobody tells you you’re not

Paul J Openshaw (December 2018)