Lyr Req: Johnny Be Gay If You Can Be

Subject: Johnny be gay
From:
Date: 09 Feb 00 - 08:13 AM

Hi!

Does anybody know the lyrics or/and some history of the wonderful ballad with the chorus "Johnny be gay if you can be"?

Thanks, Jaorree

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: Jacob B
Date: 09 Feb 00 - 10:17 AM

I know a version of The Devil And The Farmer's Wife with the chorus "Daddy be gay if you can be". The devil takes the wife down to hell, and finds that he can't keep her there, because she's too bad for hell. Does this sound like the one you're looking for?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: Jacob B
Date: 09 Feb 00 - 04:17 PM

Here is a link to a previous thread that mentions the version of The Devil And The Farmer's Wife I was talking about. Judy Collins recorded it decades ago (she turned the line "This proves the women are worse than the men/ They can go down to hell and come back again" into "There is an advantage we have over men/ We can go down to hell and come back again.")

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 10 Feb 00 - 10:55 AM

There is a Johnny Be Fair by Buffy Ste Marie in the data base.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: GeorgeH
Date: 10 Feb 00 - 10:59 AM

Is it related to:

"Girls if you must love

"Love one another" ?

G.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: Peg
Date: 11 Feb 00 - 09:51 AM

Steeleye Span also uses a snippet of that song, on the tail end of Old Maid in the Garret: "They say that the women are worse than the men; they go down to hell and they throw them out again."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: Marymac90
Date: 11 Feb 00 - 11:03 AM

Isn't there also one about something like

Johnny be gay & Johnny be good and he wants me for to wed
And I would marry Johnny but me father to me said
Daughter, (I gotta say I sowed my oats when I was young)
And Johnny is a son of mine and so he's kin to you!

The part in ( ) is a pure approximation that's probably way off.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: Jacob B
Date: 11 Feb 00 - 11:48 AM

Hi Mary. I know it as

Johnny be fair and Johnny be fine and wants for me to wed
And I would marry Johnny but my father up and said
I'm sorry to be tellin' you what you're mother never knew
But Johnny is a son of mine, and so is kin to you

Until jaorree comes back, I guess we can take this thread wherever we want.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 11 Feb 00 - 03:26 PM

The song the last two contributors mention is Johnny Be Fair which was also mentioned earlier in this thread. The DT even contains a calypso version Shame and Scandal. But I'm not at all sure this is the song Jaorree is seeking.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: GUEST,jaorree
Date: 13 Feb 00 - 04:13 AM

Thanks for everybody for taking part! :) "Johny be fair" is for sure _not_ the song, and I'll check about the "Devil and the farmers wife", or some version of it, also it doesn't sound the same.

If anybody is familiar with the "Tre" group, it was on their disc.

Thanks again, Jaorree

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: Joybell
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 05:21 PM

What about John Gay who wrote "The Beggars' Opera" is there a connection with him? Maybe I'm right off but it's a thought. Joy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 09:26 PM

Hally Wood recorded this lively version of, "Farmer's Curst Wife," on her old album (1960s? Elektra?), "O Lovely Appearance of Death." But her refrain ran, "O daddy be gay," and then at the end of the verse, "Daddy be gay and eat candy!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: Leadfingers
Date: 13 Dec 03 - 10:06 PM

'Gay' is another word that had a totally different meaning when I was but a lad !!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johny be gay
From: Joybell
Date: 14 Dec 03 - 06:00 PM

Oh yes I was a lassie then. I had lots of friends called "Gay" too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johnny be gay
From: GUEST,Esra
Date: 03 Feb 10 - 04:08 PM

It is I guess Terry Callier's 'Johnny Be Gay If You Can Be'...The album is 'The New Folk Sound'. Really great song. I'm also looking for the lyrics and some more information but nothing so far...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johnny be gay
From: GUEST,999
Date: 03 Feb 10 - 04:23 PM

Well, Johnny be fair and Johnny be fine and wants me for to wed
And I would marry Johnny, but my father up and said
I'm sad to tell you daughter what your mother never knew
But Johnny is a son of mine and so he's kin to you

Well, Jimmy be fair and Jimmy be fine and wants me for to wed
And I would marry Jimmy, but my father up and said
I'm sad to tell you daughter what your mother never knew
But Jimmy, too, is a son of mine and so he's kin to you

Well, Billy be fair and Billy be fine and wants me for to wed
And I would marry Billy, but my father up and said
I'm sad to tell you daughter what your mother never knew
But Billy, too, is a son of mine and so he's kin to you

You never seen a girl so sad and sorry as I was
The boys in town are all my kin and my father is the pa
If this continue I shall die a single miss
So I'll go to mother and complain to her of this

Oh daughter, haven't I taught you to forgive and to forget
Even if this all is true, still you needn't fret
Your father may be father to all the boys in town, still
He's not the one who sired you, so marry who you will


Version as done by Buffy Sainte Marie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johnny be gay
From: GUEST,999---"JBGIYCB"
Date: 03 Feb 10 - 04:35 PM

http://ligamusic.com/Album/2513682/Terry_Callier/The_New_Folk_Sound_Of/download-mp3/


Available here for $.15.

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHNNY BE GAY IF YOU CAN BE
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Jan 12 - 11:11 AM

This is a version of THE FARMER'S CURST WIFE (Child 278). Terry Callier sings it at a slower tempo than any other version I have heard.


JOHNNY BE GAY IF YOU CAN BE
As sung by Terry Callier on "The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier" (1968)

1. There was an old man lived over the hill.
        Oh, Johnny, be gay.
There was an old man lived over the hill.
If he ain't moved away, he's a-livin' there still.
        Johnny, be gay if you can be.

2. The devil come up to the old man one day.
        Oh, Johnny, be gay.
The devil come up to the old man one day,
And he says, "Your old lady I'm takin' away."
        Johnny, be gay if you can be.

3. "Well, take her, please take her with all o' my heart.
Oh, yeah, you can have her with all o' my heart.
I hope to my soul you two never part."

4. The devil he packed her up on his back.
The devil he packed her up on his back.
Straight down the hill he went clickety-clack.

5. Well, ten little devils said, "Welcome to hell."
Yeah, ten little devils said, "Welcome to hell.
Pa, turn up the fire; we'll sizzle her well."

6. She caught four little devils out playin' tricks.
She caught four little devils out playin' tricks.
She bound 'em up tightly an' beat 'em with sticks.

7. Well six scared little devils they run down the hall.
Six little devils they run down the hall,
Cryin', "Take her back, daddy; she's killin' us all."

8. Oh, the devil he flung her up on his back.
The devil he flung her up on his back.
Straight out o' hell he come clickety-clack.

9. She found her ol' man layin' late in his bed.
She found her ol' man layin' late in his bed,
An' she picked up a butterknife, went to his head.

10. The old woman went whistlin' over the hill.
        Oh, Johnny, be gay.
The old woman went whistlin' over the hill.
"Devil won't have me; I wonder who will?"
        Johnny, be gay if you can be.
        Johnny, be gay if you can be.
        Johnny, be gay if you can be.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Johnny Be Gay If You Can Be
From: GUEST,celticfable
Date: 14 Oct 12 - 03:21 PM

got the album by Tre "OAP" - this is track number 5.... and the lyrics from Jim Dixon are the ones Tre used...