There's an Omega Classics CD, OCD 3007, called "The Odyssey of Paul Robeson." It has a recording of Robeson singing the sanitized Cecil Sharp arrangement of "Oh No John." Robeson captures the gentle humor of Sharp's arrangement in a wonderful way.

It's the only recording I have of Robeson singing a humorous song -it shows another side of this remarkable performer. By the way, it's the sanitized version of the song that made it into "Rise Up Singing."

-Joe-

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Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:

No, John, No

DESCRIPTION: The man asks the girl if she will marry. She informs him that her father has told her to answer all men's questions "No." After several exchanges, he asks something like "Do you refuse to marry me? Do you want me to leave?" She, of course, answers "No."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1904 (Sharp)
KEYWORDS: courting questions rejection
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MW,So) Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (11 citations):
Randolph 385, "No Sir! No Sir!" (1 text, 1 tune)
Eddy 48, "No, Sir" (1 text, 1 tune)
Kennedy 138, "No Sir" (1 text, 1 tune)
BrownIII 14, "No, Sir" (2 texts plus mention of 2 more)
Wyman-Brockway II, p. 98, "'No, Sir, No!'" (1 text, 1 tune)
Fuson, p. 81, "No, Sir; No" (1 text)
Sharp-100E 68, "O No, John!" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-FSNA 161, "Uh-Uh, No" (1 text, 1 tune, probably with more than a little of "Wheel of Fortune" mixed in)
Silber-FSWB, p. 345, "No John" (1 text)
BBI, ZN2244, "Pretty Betty, now come to me" (?)
DT, ONOJOHN*
Roud #146
RECORDINGS:
Ron & Bob Copper, "No, John, No" (on FSB1)
Sam Larner, "No Sir, No Sir" (on SLarner02)
Pete Seeger, "No Sir No" (on PeteSeeger14)
Stoneman Family, "The Spanish Merchant's Daughter" (Victor V-40206, 1928; on AAFM3)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Keys of Canterbury"
cf. "Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City, Spanish Lady)"
cf. "The Nonsense of Men" (theme)
File: R385

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2004 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.