Jon Boden chose this for his A Folk Song a Day project as the song for 20 November.
-Joe-
Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry for this song:
My Johnny Was a Shoemaker
DESCRIPTION: "My Johnny was a shoemaker But now he's gone to sea." He will be a captain "Of a bold and galliant crew And then across the sea he'll roam All for to marry me ... And when I am a captain's wife I'll sing the whole day long"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1865 (broadside, LOCSinging as202550)
KEYWORDS: courting separation sailor nonballad
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (2 citations):
OLochlainn-More 44, "My Johnny Was a Shoemaker" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, JOHNSHOE
Roud #1388
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 18(366), "My Johnny Was a Shoemaker," H. De Marsan (New York), 1861-1864; also Harding B 18(670), "My Johnny Was a Shoemaker"
LOCSinging, as202550, "My Johnny Was a Shoemaker," H. De Marsan (New York), 1861-1864; also sb20295b, "My Johnny Was a Shoemaker"
Notes: Broadsides LOCSinging as202550 and Bodleian Harding B 18(366) are duplicates.
Broadsides LOCSinging sb20295b and Bodleian Harding B 18(670) are duplicates.
The description is from broadside LOCSinging as202550.
Broadside LOCSinging as202550 and Bodleian Harding B 18(366): H. De Marsan dating per Studying Nineteenth-Century Popular Song by Paul Charosh in American Music, Winter 1997, Vol 15.4, Table 1, available at FindArticles site. - BS
File: OLcM044Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Bibiography
Go to the DiscographyThe Ballad Index Copyright 2009 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.
Roud Index Entry