Chris & Paul Woodhouse

I was asked to give a talk to ACE on the Gunpowder Plot – Guy Fawkes and Co. Looking for an authentic, good folk song about it, I failed! So, remembering Birmingham Sunday by Richard Farina from the 19602, I used the traditional  tune “I once loved a lass” and wrote one myself and call it “The Prince of Sinister”. I’ve now sung it in Brixham for ACE, at our own Folk Plus night in November and twice at the Acoustic Warehouse and people seem to like it. Unfortunately it’s very topical with similarities to modern terrorism. Here are the words:

              E                                                                  A

Come ’round by my side and I’ll sing you a song

       E                                   D                   E             B7

I’ll sing it so softly, it’ll do no-one wrong.

       E             B7                               E

I’ll tell of a story we all ought to hear,

                     D                           Dsus2/A             E                           

When our kingdom was threatened    by powder. 

2. A plot had been hatched by a dangerous gang

                When a new king had recently come to this land.

                King James was the man and his death was their aim,

                When they threatened the kingdom with powder. 

3. Many barrels of powder were hidden below

Where the king and his parliament were certain to show

The fuse was all ready and a villain in place

To threaten the kingdom with powder.

4. The fuse would be lit and the fire take a hold

                   No people would live when the barrels explode.

             The sinister prince would escape in the dark

             While the kingdom was blazing from powder.  

5. But the secret got out and a search party found

         Guy Fawkes, in the cellar, with his barrels around.

       He was caught in the act, but no danger was done

       To the kingdom he’d threatened with powder. 

6. The plotters were killed and the church bells were rung

                                   The bonfires blazed and the songs they were sung:

                                   “Remember, remember that November day!”

                                   When the kingdom was threatened by powder.

7. Why should we remember and what should we learn?                               

                   When people can threaten such terrible harm?

                                                E                 B7                        E

                                How fear and mistrust   cause the blood mist to rise…

                                                E                 B7                        E

                                How obsessive beliefs   mean that good people die…

                                                 E                 B7               E

                                How the truth can be hidden   by so many lies…

                                           E                     B7                        E

                                So we all should remember   that terrible day…

                                                   D                   D sus2/A                 E                  Esus4           E

                                When the kingdom was threatened with powder.  

Paul Woodhouse November 2015

Hello!

We have lots of news and things to tell you. Our big news is that we now host a Folk Plus Acoustic Music Club, at Ye Olde Smokey House, Marldon, Nr Paignton. We meet on the 3rd Friday of each month –  7.30 – 10.45pm.

The aim is to encourage and support new and inexperienced singers and players into the joys of performing, but also to give experienced and talented performers the opportunity to showcase their songs  – in music which is either from or loosely influenced by the folk traditions of GB and the USA.

We charge £2 for performers and audience. This income goes towards our expenses in providing a simple, but hopefully effective, p.a. system. It will also provide us with funds which we hope to use in the future to entice visiting artists to perform for us.

Find us on Facebook – we have a page “Folk Plus Acoustic Music Club”. We would love you to LIKE our page and, even better, come along!

The home of the Folk Plus Acoustic Music Club

Ye Olde Smokey House, Marldon, Nr Paignton TQ3 1NN

Folk Inspired News Update.

Folk Inspired now run Folk Plus Acoustic Music Club at Ye Olde Smokey House, Marldon, Nr Paignton TQ3 1NN.  It’s a friendly, supportive place for new and established performers to share their music and we are now in our third year. Where has the time gone?.

We run every 3rd Friday in the top bar, from 7.30 – 10.45pm.  A nominal entry charge of £2 is made for audience and performers. We have a decent sound system, which  people can plug into if they wish.

Chris and I often frequent the Acoustic Warehouse (Nigel Dee and friends)  on Monday evenings at the Ten Tors Inn, Exeter Road, Kingsteignton. 7.00 – 10.30pm.

We have 3 gigs lined up:

Mon. 14th May. 1.30Upton Vale Baptist Luncheon Club

Wed 27th June Friends of Brixham Library evening at the Guardhouse, Berry Head, Brixham. (We are honoured to be invited back for a third year).

Sat 7th July at Kingskerswell Village Hall and evening of folk music  – more info’ soon.

Paul & Chris also sing with One Accord, a small but perfectly formed 4 part harmony performance group.

Highlights recently were packed concerts at The Great Hall Dartington and Lupton House – both in June 2012.

Our next One Accord Concert is at the Little Theatre, Torquay on Sat 6th October 2012 at 7.30. Tickets £7.50 from the box office