Amazing comments from general punters

Subject: Amazing comments from general punters
From: Johnny J
Date: 01 Nov 24 - 07:08 AM

I thought this might make an interesting thread.... I'd like to hear some examples of when you may have heard some quite unbelievable comments from "non folkies". This could be in the media, press, concert, or even at an informal session....

I'll start.

This morning, I was listening to the radio and the topic was about well known songs etc.   "Streets of London" was mentioned and neither the presenter nor the woman who phoned in could tell us who wrote and recorded same(They checked later).

What really amused(and irritated me in equal measure) was when the woman caller said something along the lines of "I can't remember who it was but it's probably because it was the only thing he's ever done"

Of course, it's Ralph's most famous song but he's got such an extensive back catalouge and repertoire as we know. Also, as we know, "hits" aren't everything in our kind of music.

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: GUEST,JeffB
Date: 01 Nov 24 - 05:14 PM

Some years ago our folk group was invited to sing local folk songs at a community street fair. Shortly after our set there was an announcement on the PA. "The children's Community Dance Group are going to perform in a few minutes time near the information tent. They have put in a lot of rehearsals for this so please come and watch them." A couple of us strolled down to the information tent where the kids were ready to go, but no-one else appeared. After five more minutes there was another announcement. "Look, some of the folk people have turned up to watch the kids dance, so why can't some of you normal people come along too."

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 02 Nov 24 - 02:42 AM

Roots by Show of Hands

And a minister said his vision of hell
Is three folk singers in a pub near Wells
Well, I've got a vision of urban sprawl
There's pubs where no one ever sings at all

"Roots" was written by Steve Knightley; according to Emma Hartley writing in the Daily Telegraph blog of January 11, 2009, its inspiration was "a daft remark made by Kim Howells MP in 2001, while he was a culture minister, that listening to three folk singers in a pub in Somerset was his idea of hell." Songfacts

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: Helen
Date: 02 Nov 24 - 03:15 AM

This thread makes me think of the Australian National Folk Festival which has been held since 1967. It has evolved over the decades especially by expanding the reach towards the diverse cultures in Australian society.

I heard that there was a bit of a detour in 2021 when a well-known, non-folkie singer whose genres include opera, jazz, pop, rock and dance but not folk was appointed as festival director and wanted to turn it into something completely different, based I think on the WOMADelaide festival concept, i.e. a full-on World Music festival which is important in its own right.

I also heard she was disrespecting folk music as we know it - and the part which I think is essential - the DIY (do-it-yourself) aspect of people of all abilities having a chance to play music and play with it in group learning workshops etc. I also heard she was very disrespectful of the Folk Festival's historical focus on Celtic music over the decades.

I only have this information from hearsay but I do know that there was a parting of the ways and the non-folkie singer is no longer the festival director.

[I'm happy to be corrected if my information is wrong or off-base.]

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: Nick Dow
Date: 02 Nov 24 - 03:51 AM

I think the best I ever heard was from John Reilly's Granddaughter Trish, who said her grandfather was not booked at a Dublin venue in the 1960s because they didn't like unaccompanied singing and only booked Folk singers.
Martin Carthy told me he was invited to see some singers at a club in the early 1960s by an acquaintance who told him there was a great folk singer and guitarist on but for some reason they had booked some old man with no teeth. His name was Sam Larner.
A certain well known singer entertainer told me in all sincerity that the first performers to sing in an English accent were 'The Beatles'.
Another contemporary singer upon hearing the cylinder recordings of Joseph Taylor announced 'Well some anorak will want them'.
I'm off to take two of my red pills and have a lie down in a darkened room.

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: GUEST,JoeG
Date: 02 Nov 24 - 06:10 AM

A couple of days ago on a York What's On forum on Facebook someone was asking whether there was any music on on Friday night in the city. Someone mentioned the folk session in the Three Legged Mare (aka the Wonky Donkey) and the enquirer responded 'I'm not that old!'

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 02 Nov 24 - 07:27 PM

I should start off by saying that my dad is not keen on folk music (loves jazz and show tunes), but would attend concerts because Mom and I enjoyed it so much.

Back in the 90's I did an opening set for Lou and Peter Berryman at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Mom and Dad both came along to support me. After listening to 4-5 songs from Lou and Peter, Dad turned to me and said, "I don't consider this to be real folk music. This is really good!"

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Nov 24 - 10:28 PM

I remember seeing a track of Martin Carthy on a juke box, when i put it on some pool players,in the same room said "whats that"and another one said "oh its that jazz singer"

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 03 Nov 24 - 04:22 AM

For the o/p - “…….. perhaps it was the only thing he’s ever done.” On asking whether he ever got tired of singing it, many years ago, Ralph told me that he often started concerts with it because it was the only thing many people in the audience knew he sang. Once he got it out of the way they would settle down and listen to the rest.

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: Johnny J
Date: 03 Nov 24 - 06:24 AM

Thanks Ray,

I recall he didn't sing it at all during the late seventies but revived it again circa 1980.

These days, it's usually somewhere in the middle of the set.... Just another song.

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 04 Nov 24 - 05:06 AM

I think sadly this is quite common: mainstream musicians, DJs and promoters are quick to categorise performers as one hit wonders (or even novelty acts), without realising those people often go on to have a long and distinguished career in music, with a loyal army of fans, but out of the popular music limelight. All of which has says a lot more about the fickle attitude of the popular music business than the integrity of the roots music scene, of course.

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: mayomick
Date: 04 Nov 24 - 08:14 AM

Ralph McTell hasn't had any "hits" since Streets of London so to describe the song as a one hit wonder would not be inaccurate. I doubt if McTell was aiming at slot on Top Of The Pops when he wrote the song - was it ever released as a single ?

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 04 Nov 24 - 08:25 AM

Twice by Ralph - 1974 and as a CD single in 2017…

Wikipedia Entry for ‘Streets of London’

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: meself
Date: 04 Nov 24 - 11:43 AM

"to describe the song as a one hit wonder would not be inaccurate" .... To my understanding, and in my experience, the term "one hit wonder" is applied to the creator of the "hit", rather than to the hit itself, and is dismissive in a disparaging, sarcastic way.

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: Johnny J
Date: 04 Nov 24 - 12:30 PM

Ralph's second best known song "From Clare to Here" was widely covered recorded by other artists. It also received a lot of air play ..even Ralph's version in the seventies.

I had always assumed it was a minor hit for him but I couldn't find confirmation of that today when I "googled". So, maybe not.

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 04 Nov 24 - 12:32 PM

….. but it did get him an invite to join Planxty!

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: Neil D
Date: 09 Nov 24 - 09:34 AM

When my wife and I go away for the weekend we usually go to Pittsburg, Pa about two hours away. There is a band we try to catch when we go. They are called Corn Beef and Curry because they play Irish music but their fiddle/ mandolin player, Bob Banajee, is of Indian ethnicity. He's actually quite good and was a past member of Gaelic Storm. He told me a story about playing at the Pittsburg Irish Festival. They play 99% Irish music but would sometimes throw out a non-Irish song. In this instance it was "I'm a Believer" by the Monkees. The festival organizers banned them for life for that indiscretion, presumably because one of the four Monkees was an Englishman.

Subject: RE: Amazing comments from general punters
From: Rain Dog
Date: 09 Nov 24 - 10:33 AM

The comments are not really that amazing are they?
What is amazing is assuming that everyone has as much interest in a subject as oneself. Some people have just heard and enjoyed a particular song. They do not feel the need to either listen to all of the output from a performer of to investigate the history of a song.