Songs by
Rab, songs by Barbara. Songs together.
Rab and
Barbara gave us a real treat with a showcase gig of their favourite songs. They
both looked well and clearly enjoyed sharing the stage together.
Rab looked
smart in a dark checked suit while Barbara was glamorous. They spoke of how
they met in the 60s at Sandy Bells bar Edinburgh.
First they performed
duet songs - Rab's Don’t Say Money
Doesn’t Matter; James Taylor’s ‘Something’s
Wrong; an
Archie Fisher song Years of Rage and as they are both Everly Brothers fans they performed their song Sleepless Nights.
We were then given alternate solos by Barbara and Rab.
We heard some
of Rab’s excellent and well crafted songs, such as his song for Gerry Rafferty No More Time. Rab said he first met
Gerald at Billy Connolly’s house, when they were in the band Stealers Wheel
together. Rab also performed I’m Walking
Here from his new album and the murder ballad, The Two Sisters. Noakes sang a Dylan cover and as he is a big Dylan
fan he is rather excellent at doing Dylan.
To my
delight Rab performed his well remembered ‘Branch’
which received good radio airplay and that he performed a few years back now
on the Old Grey Whistle Test. I’ve seen Rab live a few times and this was
the first time have heard the song live!
Barbara sang
a haunting song by Charlie Dewar, The
Same Sky and a very charming rendition of one of those beautiful story folk
ballads, the classic Scottish love song Rigs O Rye (which are like little treasures). She spoke of
her first working with the folk legend Archie Fisher and of her shirt boxes of
songs.
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Rab always
includes an older song and they finished the set with the poignant Doris Day
song Que Sera Sera with us all
singing along.
For their
Encore Barbara sang her hit song Caravan
( I still have it in my head too!) and a Doug and Phil song, Long Time Gone.
Barbara has
a poignant, beautiful timbre in her voice. The combination of Rab and Barbara's
different styles and voices worked well and it was obvious they have a mutual
respect for each other. The two performers know their roots and are comfortable
in their own skins. They gave us textures and shadows, subtle tender and
truthful messages and tones, that both helped to sooth and uplift.
They were
very well supported by Edwina Hayes
form Yorkshire, who gave us funny stories and
had a clear lovely vocal. She sang a Richard Thompson song and a song she had
co-written with Boo Heredine, as well as her own songs.
Big thanks
to Jason, who because he cares passionately about music and particularly about
folk music, runs a successful folk club. And congratulations for this his tenth
year!
Set LIst
Do Right
Woman
Dont' Say
Money Doesn't Matter
Two Sisters
Minorie
No More
Time
As Wise as
a Serpent
Branch
The Same
Sky
I'm Walkin
Here
Rigs O Rye
Tears of
Rage
Sleepless
nights
Que sera sera
Barbara Dickson is a Scottish
singer whose hits include “Caravan”, "I Know Him So Well" (a duet with Elaine
Page) and "January February". Dickson has had 15 albums in the UK
Albums Chart from 1977 to date, and had a number of hit singles. She has
been described her as Scotland's
best-selling female singer in terms of the numbers of hit chart singles and
albums. She has also performed in many West end musicals on and tv and is a
two-time Olivier Award-winning actress, Dickson's
singing career started in folk clubs around her native Fife
in 1964. Her first commercial recording was in 1968. Her early
work included albums with Archie Fisher, the first of which, The Fate O'
Charlie, a collection of songs from the Jacobite
rebellions, was released in 1969. Her first solo album was Do
Right Woman in 1970
This beautiful Scottish love
song has long been popular with thirty-five versions in the Greig-Duncan
collection. The earliest record of the song may be a chapbook with the title Ridges
of Rye printed in Glasgow
by J. & M. Robertson in 1799.
