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Subject: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: GUEST,Derek Date: 05 Feb 07 - 02:50 PM Sweeney's Men sang a song called johnstone, but i can't get a copy of the lyrics, to match up with johnny moynihan singing. I can't really understand every line he sings and thus would like a copy of the lyrics to learn, if anyone can help. Cheers in advance |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Scrump Date: 05 Feb 07 - 03:06 PM Hi Derek - why not post what you think the lyrics are, with any gaps shown by ??? or whatever, amd someone here might be able to correct them/fill in the gaps? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Peace Date: 05 Feb 07 - 03:12 PM I can try. However, would you please post any lyrics you have? (One stanza should do it.) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Gulliver Date: 05 Feb 07 - 03:23 PM Isn't this on the DT--Young Johnstone? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: GUEST Date: 05 Feb 07 - 05:46 PM This is the first verse of the song. Any help is much appreciated on the rest of the lyrics. Johnstone he went riding along As fast as he could ride Til he thought he heard a woman, He heard a woman cry. The story of the song, if this helps, is that he sees a girl "with her hair pinned to the ground". It turns out that three blokes have tied her up so johnstone comes to her rescue. He's bringing her to safety when they come across the trio. Long story short, the girl is working with the three men, and as johnstone is fighting them off, she stabs him in the back. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Peace Date: 05 Feb 07 - 05:59 PM I sent an e-mail to someone who might be able to help. Could take a few days. I cannot find anything on the www. I'll let you know when and if. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: GUEST Date: 05 Feb 07 - 06:12 PM Cheers for the help and effort, peace. Derek |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Peace Date: 05 Feb 07 - 06:15 PM Let's keep this thread up top for a few days. Just might attract the attention of someone who DOES have the words. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Peace Date: 05 Feb 07 - 06:16 PM My apologies. You are welcome, Derek. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Gulliver Date: 05 Feb 07 - 06:30 PM Sorry, it's the song "Two Butchers" in the DT. Here's one version (the version that I sing is called "Lonzo and Howard"): It's of three jolly butcher boys, a journey took one day They swore they'd gain ten thousand pounds upon the Queen's highway. They rode along together, as fast as they could ride "Oh stop, oh stop," cried young Johnson, "for l hear a woman cry." "Oh, l won't stop," cried William. "Nor l won't stop," cried Brian. "Then l will stop," cried Johnson, "for l hear a woman cry." He boldly turned his horse around and searched the green fields all round Until he found a woman with her hair pinned to the ground. "What brought you here?" cried Johnson. "What brought you here this way?" "It was three accursed robbers that have brought me here today. "They robbed me and they handcuffed me, my hands and feet they bound And left me here half-naked, with my hair pinned to the ground. Now, Johnson being a brilliant man, he took her up behind And took his coat off from his back to shield her from the wind. They rode along together, as fast as they could ride, She put her fingers to her lips and gave three mournful cries. Then out stepped ten bold robbers, with weapons in their hands They boldly looked at Johnson as they ordered him to stand. "Oh, l will stand," cried Johnson, "As long as l can stand For l never was a coward or afraid of any man." Then out of ten, he nine knocked down. This woman he did not mind She pulled his knife out from his belt and pierced him through behind. "Now I must fall, cried Johnson and, falling to the ground, "It was that accursed woman that gave me my deadly wound." This woman, she was taken, chained down in irons strong, For murdering one of the finest men that ever the sun shined on. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: GUEST Date: 05 Feb 07 - 07:54 PM Cheers gulliver. That's pretty much the story. Some of the words are slightly different though. The last verse in the sweeney's men is something about it being on a bright, gay market day, when the people could have seen her "kill young johnson, could have seen it same as I". Thanks |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: MartinRyan Date: 06 Feb 07 - 04:50 AM Heard Johnny singing at a session in Kinvara, last night - "The Lucky Elopement", I think. Still going strong. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Wolfgang Date: 07 Feb 07 - 02:26 PM The last verse Derek is missing is for instance in Martin Carthy's version on his second album (songtitle: Two butchers): Oh the day it being the market day there were people passing by Who saw the awful murder who saw poor Johnson die (copied from Garry Gillard's MC&Watersons site) Not the same as Sweeney's Men are singing but the gist of the story is there. I'll try to hear what SM are singing in the last verse tonight. Wolfgang |
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Subject: Lyr Add: JOHNSTON (from Sweeney's Men) From: Declan Date: 07 Feb 07 - 04:06 PM Johnston (as performed by Sweeney's Men) ^^ Johnston he was riding along As fast as he could ride 'Til he thought he heard a woman He heard a woman cry And Johnston getting off his horse And searching the woods all round 'Til he came upon a woman With her hair pinned to the ground And Johnston being a man on his own And being a man and bold He has taken off his overcoat To cover her from the cold "Oh woman, dearest woman Who'd have brought you here for to (Span?)? Who'd have brought you here this gay morning With your hair pinned to the ground?" "Oh it was three bold and struggling men With swords keen in hand Who'd have brought me here this gay morning With my hair pinned to the ground" And Johnston getting on his horse And the woman getting on behind They rode down that highway Their fortune for to find And as they were riding on along As fast as they could ride She has flown the fingers to her lips And gave three shivering cries And out sprang three bold and struggling men With swords keen in their hand Who that commanded Johnston Commanded him to stand Oh I will stand said Johnston And I will stand then said he For I never was in all of my life Afraid of any three And Johnston he's killed two of them Not minding the woman behind While he was at the other one She stabbed him from behind And the day was free and a market day And the people all passing by Could have seen this awful murder Could have seen poor Johnston die |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Peace Date: 07 Feb 07 - 07:05 PM Refresh--to make sure Derek sees it. Great work, all of you. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: GUEST,Derek Date: 08 Feb 07 - 07:40 AM Thanks a lot to everyone for your work on this. That was a great help and widened the song's dimensions further, with the other lyrics available. Cheers Declan for the SM words. Did u translate from the album or from some other source? Thanks again Derek |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Wolfgang Date: 08 Feb 07 - 09:28 AM That song comes with many titles and in many songbooks. In the songbooks I have it is in The Folksinger's workbook Palmer's Book of English Country songs MacColl's book about songs collected from travellers Purslow's Marrow bones Kennedy's Folksongs from Britain and Ireland in a book about songs from Nova Scotia I know it sung from the Sweeney's men LP (title: Johnston(e)), Martin Carthy (Second album LP) (title: Two butchers) Damien Barber, Furrowed field CD (title: Three jolly butchers) Sweeney's men write in the liner notes "We know very little about this song" and I agree with that. They even give different titles on the LP itself and on the cover. One time they spell Johnston and the other time Johnstone. MacColl has the following note about this song in his book mentioned above (Palmer has a similar note with a slightly different date): The song did first appear on a 1678 broadside titled The three worthy butchers of the North Wolfgang (who's glad to have seen Declan's transcription before posting a seriously misheard last verse) |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Gulliver Date: 08 Feb 07 - 11:10 AM The version I do, Lonzo'n'Howard, starts off: "Lonzo and Howard went ridin' out one day They rode by yonder mountain to pass the time away" They had seven robbers to contend with, six of whom they killed, and then the woman stabbed Lonzo. I think the song was collected in Georgia, USA, in the 1950's. I'm glad to hear Johnny is still going strong. I recall some good sessions of his in Kenny's, Westland Row, years ago, where I first heard his version of: Mammas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Into Fleadh Cowboys |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Declan Date: 08 Feb 07 - 02:59 PM Derek, I got the words from listening to a CD track. Tracks of Sweeney which contains both of the Sweeney's Men Album's on one CD but without the original sleeve notes. Most of Johnny's diction is very clear to me - we're both from Dublin after all. There was one word at the end of verse 4 I had a problem with. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Big Tim Date: 09 Feb 07 - 06:46 AM According to my CD, Sweeney's Men recorded the song, as 'Johnston', in 1971. It is credited to (Terry) Woods, (Andy) Irvine and (Johnny) Moynihan. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: GUEST,Maurice Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:28 AM Anyone know anything current about Johnny Moynihan? Where does he live, does he play music full-time, etc? I still think he was one of the greats. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Declan Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:37 AM Last I heard he was living in Westport in County Mayo, but that was a few years back. I think he may do some local gigs, but I haven't heard of him touring for a while. He was featured on the recent Folk Hibernia documentary shown on BBC4 looking healthy and making number of wiity contributions on the history of Irish Folk music, in which he himself has played a major part. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: GUEST Date: 11 Feb 07 - 02:09 PM Kinvara, alive and gigging. Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Date: 11 Feb 07 - 02:09 PM Gotta fix that bloody cookie! Regards |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: Declan Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:26 PM Martin, Will we see you in BallyV next week-end? If Johnny was around that woild be brilliant. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sweeney's Men song From: GUEST,Martin Ryan Date: 12 Feb 07 - 04:41 AM Declan Unfortunately, we have to be in Dublin next weekend. May manage to drop down on Friday night. Regards |
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