I swanny! Y'all wonder what that means? It's a term I've heard my grandparents (born 1898) and parents use many times. It has almost disappeared from their vocabulary lately though. Jim Dixon is correct - a euphemism for "I swear... " . Most of the time they would say, "I swanny ..." which was apparently very "accepted," whereas at other times, they would start to say "I swear..." but turn before the 1st vowel ... so "I sw-w-anny...," or "I sw-w-an!" Thanks for the lyrics ... was trying to make out the words on a Skillet Lickers recording. He really mumbled the cider mill line.