Jackie Munroe: Info?

Subject: Lyr Add: JACKIE MUNROE (from Roberts & Barrand)
From: Moira Cameron
Date: 01 Sep 98 - 10:34 PM

I just learned this one off of a John and Tony album (Present from a Gentleman). I really like it, but I'd like to know more about it. I've altered the lyrics slightly in the learning of it.

JACKIE MUNROE (Traditional)

Come listen to my story, 'tis of a wealthy squire,
He had an only daughter; she was charming, young and fair,

To me turra da way da way doe,
Turra da way doe way.

She had sweethearts a-plenty, to marriage were inclined,
But none but John the soldier could win this lady's mind.

But when her father came to know, in anger there he swore,
"I'll give the gang ten guineas to press young John to the war.

So she robbed her wicked old father; got money at her command
And she listed in the army, dressed up like a man.

"Your waist it is too slender, and your fingers fine and small,
Your cheeks they are too rosy to face the cannon ball."

"It's true my waist is slender, and my fingers they are small,
But it wouldn't make me tremble to see ten thousand fall.!"

"Well before you join my regiment, your name I'd like to know."
She smiled all over her face and said, "They call me Jackie Munroe!"

She sailed all over the ocean and over the deep blue sea,
'Til she was safely landed in the wars of Germany.

And all across the battlefield, the fought it up and down,
'Til among the dead and wounded, her darling Johnny she found.

"Oh Johnny, dearest Johnny, they have promoted me—
All to a Colonel's wages, so married we can be."

Then up and spoke a general, "Such things can never be!
It's against the laws of our country, two men should married be."

Then up and spoke the chaplain, "Such things I'll never allow!"
She drew her broadsword and she cried—"I'll make this do for you!"

So this couple they got married, as you may plainly know,
And John the wounded soldier's got his Colonel, Jackie Munroe!

Subject: RE: Jackie Munroe: Info?
From: Jerry Bryant
Date: 02 Sep 98 - 12:09 PM

Moira,

Just the other day I came across a written version of this in a pile of loose songs I had in a folder. I have the tape you learned it from and found the melody and words identical to that on the paper in my folder, which leads me to believe that Tony learned it from that particular book.

I'll go home tonight and check the sheet to see if it identifies the book it was copied from. I'll also check some of my other books for info on the song. What would you like to know about it?

Jerry

Subject: RE: Jackie Munroe: Info?
From: Earl
Date: 02 Sep 98 - 12:58 PM

It must be related to "Jackaro" which is in the DT database.

Subject: RE: Jackie Munroe: Info?
From: Bruce O.
Date: 02 Sep 98 - 02:52 PM

It's N7 in G. M. Laws, Jr., 'American Balladry from British Broadsides'. Laws cites several traditional versions and a few broadside and songbook copies.

Subject: RE: Jackie Munroe: Info?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 02 Sep 98 - 02:55 PM

If you search for [Laws N7] you'll find several versions.

Subject: RE: Jackie Munroe: Info?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Sep 98 - 05:55 AM

Moira, click here to get to the Ballad Index, which has some comments on this song.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Jackie Munroe: Info?
From: Jerry Bryant
Date: 03 Sep 98 - 04:24 PM

Moira,

There's no way to tell which book my photo-copied page came out of, but there is this note: "There's a twenty-nine-stanza Scots version in Greig's Folk Songs of the Northeast." This is a collection of Scottish folk songs which can be found in libraries.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Jackie Munroe: Info?
From: Moira Cameron
Date: 03 Sep 98 - 06:48 PM

Thanks all, for your help. I've found all your messages very informative. I've not (knowingly) come across G. M. Laws, Jr., 'American Balladry from British Broadsides', before. My indoctrination into the world of traditional ballads has mostly involved Child. How or where would I be able to get my hands on Laws' collections?

Subject: RE: Jackie Munroe: Info?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 03 Sep 98 - 11:41 PM

Laws books are out of print. His ballad numbering system was, I find, frustrating and cryptic; it suffered from all the problems of a hierarchical system. F'rinstance, Laws had a classification of Murder ballads and a different one for Negro Songs. A Negro murder ballad bogged the whole system down. The DT includes Laws numbers, basically, because they're there.

Subject: RE: Jackie Munroe: Info?
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 22 Mar 03 - 02:10 PM

Roberts & Barrand cite A.L. Lloyd for their version.

~ Becky in Tucson