I took my guitar to a Cumbrian pub

And nobody asked me to sing

So I sat and I sulked in a seat in the snug

‘Cos listening isn’t really my thing

I had practiced my songs for a fortnight you see

Six by Tom Paxton and seven – by me !

And they missed the chance to hear them for free

Because  nobody asked me to sing

I admit that the two hosts were doing quite well

A bloke called Wiz Jones

And someone McTell

Though I recon that I could have done just as well

But nobody asked me to sing

Then they started a scratch band that caused quite a shock

Silly Wizard, the Chieftains and the Boys of the Loch

But I supped my pint with one eye on the clock

Because nobody asked me to sing

Barbara Dickson dropped in and they let her sing two

She came in with Paul Brady ,even he sang a few

But nobody bothered to ask ‘you know who’

No, nobody asked me to sing

Then I heard of a club at the back of a pub

And I thought I would pay it a call

I wandered in, put two pounds in the tin

Found one single seat on the back wall

A fellow got up, said welcome

And went on to sing two or three

And to my surprise I soon realised

That he seem’d to be singing to me

I thought ‘oh mother’ as one after the other

Each one faced me as they sang their song

So I sat there in fright ’til the end of the night

When they thanked me for coming along

Well knock me down flat, they passed round a hat

I admit that I thought about running

Then they gave it to me

Said “come again if you’re free

‘Cos having an audience is stunning”

So I started my very own Folk Club

I invited my dad and my mum

And I sang for two hours on my lonesome

Because nobody bothered to come

 (I was a bit disappointed in mum)

But now the wheel’s turning full circle

I am content to sing just one – or two

And hope that somebody will listen

And hope that somebody is you

The folk ‘scene’ seems to have changed a lot with more singers than audience on an average evening.

Back in the day the audience went out to find the singers whilst nowadays it seems the singers go out to find an audience.