I confess, my taste runs to what I now recognize as Music Hall songs. Some of the first I fell in love with came from the singing of some Dublin natives - Antoinette McKenna, a very fine harpist, brought me "Between me and You" and Dermot Sommerville, now lost to the folks in Florida, sang "Mrs. Fogarty's Christmas Cake."

John Roberts & Tony Barrand could likely belt out a few. At the Boston Folk alliance 20 years back John flummoxed all the singer-songwriters by singing "Henry the Eighth" with ALL the verses in the main showcase. Both of 'em grand at the recitation pieces that, in my mind, seem to be part of that music hall tradition. Lou Killen could do that as well.

David Jones (and Tom Goslin) did a whole album of music hall "Songs of Exquisite Taste" that is all good stuff. I once had the definitely exquisite pleasure of being present for a workshop on music hall songs by John Roberts, David Jones and Heather Wood (who at one point had on a horned viking helmet on like a pinup for opera cliche). It was so memorable a session that one of the other attendees, Claudia Schmidt, was inspired to write something based on it.


My votes would go for the songs mentioned and Father Papered the Parlor. Granny's Old Armchair, and of COURSE Right said Fred (how could I resist having another cup of tea?)

Joanne in Cleveland