Tune Req: Hanging Johnny (chantey)

Subject: search for Hanging johnny
From: valy
Date: 16 Jun 99 - 04:59 AM

Looking for the melody of the shanty "hanging Johnny". If somebody can help me?

Valy

Subject: RE: search for Hanging johnny
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 16 Jun 99 - 07:57 AM

I can whistle it! If I can write it down, I'll get back (don't let that stop the rest of you getting in first!). Somebody told me years ago that HJ was a common disease of seamen in the 18th & 19th centuries. I decided not to find out if it was true ...

Steve

Subject: Tune Add: HANGING JOHNNY
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 16 Jun 99 - 08:19 AM

This is the tune I know:

MIDI file: hangjohn.mid

Timebase: 192

Name: HANGING JOHNNY
Text: By Traditional
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Key: G
Start
0000 1 74 110 0336 0 74 000 0048 1 72 110 0160 0 72 000 0032 1 71 110 0336 0 71 000 0048 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0048 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 74 110 0384 0 74 000 0000 1 74 110 0336 0 74 000 0048 1 79 110 0160 0 79 000 0032 1 76 110 0528 0 76 000 0048 1 76 110 0192 0 76 000 0000 1 74 110 0160 0 74 000 0032 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 74 110 0576 0 74 000 0000 1 74 110 0336 0 74 000 0048 1 74 110 0160 0 74 000 0032 1 76 110 0336 0 76 000 0048 1 76 110 0160 0 76 000 0032 1 74 110 0336 0 74 000 0048 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 67 110 0384 0 67 000 0000 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0048 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 71 110 0192 0 71 000 0000 1 74 110 0336 0 74 000 0048 1 69 110 0192 0 69 000 0000 1 74 110 0336 0 74 000 0048 1 67 110 0528 0 67 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Hanging Johnnie
M:3/4
Q:1/4=120
K:G
d4c2|B4B2|A4G2|B2d4|d4g2|e6|e2d2B2|d6|d4d2|
e4e2|d4B2|A2G4|G4A2|B2d4|A2d4|G11/2||

It was used in a BBC children's drama series in the seventies, set in 18th century England (London?). There was a blind beggar who would stroll around with a violin, which he pretended to play very unconvincingly (where are all the musical actors?!) and singing a verse or two, for no obvious reason.

Steve

Subject: RE: search for Hanging johnny
From:
Date: 16 Jun 99 - 03:13 PM

I believe but (I'm not positive)that Melville used Hanging Johnny in his book Billy Budd.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Hanging Johnny (chantey)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 08:50 PM

"Hanging Johnny" is the song for February ll for Jon Boden's A Folk Song a Day project.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Hanging Johnny (chantey)
From: GUEST,bobthefisherman
Date: 11 Feb 11 - 12:20 PM

Can I suggest looking on Youtube - there is a version by Stan Ridgeway, but probably the best performance of the song as a shanty is by Great Big Sea....

love & stuff,
bob