The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #135036   Message #3078503
Posted By: Mo the caller
20-Jan-11 - 06:17 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Altered folk songs
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Altered folk songs
Versions of the song 'No John' were collected by Cecil Sharp and he published a version suitable for use in schools.
In 'The Idiom of the People' you can find the words he actually collected.
The story remains of a lady who says no but changes her mind when further questions are asked (while following the instruction to always say no), but in the school version she has no husband, garter or bedroom (that we hear about), and it all ends in wedding bells not adultery.
No doubt there is a thread about it. Putting 'no john' into the search box at the top left hand side of the home page gives 3 songs in the DT and scores of threads some of which may be relevant.