Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?

Subject: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: framik
Date: 17 May 02 - 01:29 PM

I once heard a ballad in English, which I think was of Irish origin, that spoofed illegitimacy and extra-marital sex. The successive verses told of a young woman repeatedly going to her father to tell him that she was in love and wanted to marry a handsome lad from the village. Each time, her father replied that he was sorry to say that she couldn't marry the lad, "because I'm the one that father'd him and so he's kin to you." After six or seven such verses, the poor maid goes to her mother to complain that her father seems to have sired every eligible male in town. Her mother urges her not to judge her father too harshly, and reminds her that her father has been a good provider and a kind father, and then the very last line was, "And he's not the one who fathered you, so marry whom you will." Does anyone know the name of this song or have the full lyrics? Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 May 02 - 01:31 PM

Johnny Be Fair?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 17 May 02 - 02:31 PM

See this earlier discussion for links to several songs on the same theme: seeking song about girl w/ promiscuous father

Quite a few people have written songs based on this old joke, but I don't know of any Irish ones.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: DD
Date: 17 May 02 - 09:23 PM

Buffy Saint Marie recorded a song like this. It had a irish sounding tune to it also.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 17 May 02 - 09:30 PM

Yes, that's one of the songs linked to in the thread I mentioned earlier. A modern song, and American, not Irish.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Susan of DT
Date: 18 May 02 - 06:17 AM

See also Shame and Scandal in the DT from Harry Belafonte, a Calypso version of Johnny be Fair, linked above, from Buffy Ste. Marie. Buffy's version sounds more Irish, as DD noted.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 18 May 02 - 06:19 AM

a widespread tale. for another version see Shame and Scandal in the DT

From the thread title I was expecting a request for "Gil Morice"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 18 May 02 - 09:41 AM

Johnny Be Fair and John Adair are both in the DT without their tunes at present; can anyone supply them?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: DD
Date: 18 May 02 - 02:32 PM

I think I have the sheet music to Johnny be Fair in an old Buffy Ste Marie book.......but no recording of it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Deckman
Date: 18 May 02 - 06:57 PM

Actually, this tale reminds me of what happened between my first wife and my neighbors neighbor! ... you do believe that, don't you? CHEERS, Bob (there are no more new stories ... it's all happened before).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 May 02 - 07:04 PM

Ah, praise be for the invention of the bicycle.....

LTS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 18 May 02 - 09:21 PM

I've just realised that I have the Buffy Ste. Marie record in question (house-moving confusion). Having said that, it can take ages to make a midi by ear; if you have sheet music, DD, is there any chance you could scan it for us?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 19 May 02 - 12:46 PM

Could be "Sing you bastards" this is an old traditional folk request.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: masato sakurai
Date: 20 May 02 - 12:03 AM

dick greenhaus says "She [Buffy Ste. Marie] used a variation on a very popular tune usually called The Bigler's Cruise (late 1800s)" (Johnny Be Fair-info). A version ("The Cruise of the Bigler") in Colcord's Songs of American Sailormen (Oak, pp. 196-197) has a similar tune.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 20 May 02 - 12:29 AM

And for a piece of Australian folklore, there's a littlt used metaphor - "Happy as a bastard on Father's Day".

Regardsm John