Charlie,

Thanks for the reference to Bok's recording. I went to my old vinyl collection and pulled out that 1972 album. In the pamphlet that accompanies the record, Bok credits Bob Stuart with writing it (copyright 1972), so I guess that resolves the issue. Bok refers to a "John Taylor", as being the character in the song ... and to tell the truth, that is what the name sounds like to me in Bob's singing, so it probably is how Bob wrote it. However, the children's tale/legend is of a "John Tabor", and Bob titles his song as "Hang on Jon". So a few differences in first and last names. Bok acknowledges that he may not have stayed true to the original lyrics, and that "you should still hear Bob sing it", which happily, I did. I'm planning on staying with Bob Stuart's lyrics, but changing the name from Taylor to Tabor.

Ernie