Well, Guest, we DON't sit around singing one shanty after another. Even at the monthly Press Room sea music singaround, work songs (shanties) are only a small part.

One of the nice things about the Sinsull Sing is the opportunity to sing songs that might not work in a loud pub performance situation -- songs without choruses, songs not yet fully learned, songs dredged up from some cobwebbed brain space and the mists of time.

So you really never know what's going to be sung -- Child ballads, '60s pop songs, trad, "dead date" songs, cowboy songs, railroad songs, union songs, Victorian horribilia, doggeral, fragments, songs using the same tune, drinking songs, bawdy songs, tear jerkers, etcet etcet.

I think we had a little of all of the above this time.

Nice to hear some Robin Hood songs -- including the Richard Green TV series theme music (and '50s/'60s cowboy show theme music tied in to the cowboy songs). We're an eclectic lot.

SO what did I sing? Kendall asked for "Aunt Clara", I helped Jeri on "The Nurse Pinched the Baby" but didn't sing "Gin Is Mother's Ru-in", "Logie o' Buchan", the theme song of "The Travels of Jaimie MacPheeters", "Nine Inch Will Please a Lady", "Too Much of a Good Thing"...can't remember what else I may have sung.

Tom set a new record, singing THREE (count 'em, three) songs I'd never heard him sing before (and we've been married for over 25 years).

I was going to ask Barry to sing "Bellman" but he was too busy with cowboy songs, railroad songs and a Robin Hood ballad I'd had no idea he knew. Way off the track of what I usually hear him singing.

Lovely variety! Really, really enjoyable evening. Great bunch of peasant food for dinner, followed by Charlie's cheesecake (of which I ate at least two pieces).

Linn