Tune Req: Johnny Be Fair (Buffy Sainte-Marie)

Subject: Music request: Johnny, Be Fair
From:
Date: 11 Nov 98 - 12:13 AM

A friend of mine wondered if I could find the music for this song. I found the lyrics in the DT. Does anyone have the music? As always, my friends, I appreciate the help.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Music request: Johnny, Be Fair
From: Susan of DT
Date: 11 Nov 98 - 08:57 AM

There are two versions in the DT: Johnny Be Fair, from the singing of Buffy Ste. Marie and Shame and Scandal fromm the singing of Harry Belafonte. We have the tune entered on the second, but not the first.

Subject: RE: Music request: Johnny, Be Fair
From: Big Mick
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 06:43 PM

Top, cause I really need the music.

Mick

Subject: Chords Add: JOHNNY BE FAIR (Buffy Sainte-Marie)
From: Steve in Wisconsin
Date: 14 Nov 98 - 08:54 PM

Learned it from a Buffy Saint-Marie record. Three chords:

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

Enjoy!

Steve

Subject: RE: Music request: Johnny, Be Fair
From:
Date: 15 Nov 98 - 01:40 AM

Buffy St.Marie version continues:

Jimmy be fair...

Billy be fair..

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

Oh, daughter haven't I taught you to forgive and to forget
And if your father's sown his oats, well, still you shouldn't fret
For your father may be father to all the boys in town, and still
He's not the one who sired you, so marry who you will

I've been performing this song since I first heard it. It's quite short and always makes the audience smile. Make the last chord a full A, rather than an Am - better resolution. Hammer on all of it if you can - it fits really well.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Johnny Be Fair (Buffy Sainte-Marie)
From: Jess A
Date: 06 Jan 09 - 07:12 AM

Hi,

can anyone give me the tune for this, or point me at the dots on the net anywhere? (ABC notation or midi would be great, but I need more than the chords given in this thread because I've never heard anyone sing this one...)

Did you ever manage to track it down, Mick?

(This other thread suggests that the tune that Buffy Ste. Marie used was called The Bigler's Cruise, which is in the DT here I think, but without knowing the song myself I've no idea if this is the same tune or not.)

Thanks,
Jess

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Johnny Be Fair (Buffy Sainte-Marie)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 06 Jan 09 - 12:04 PM

Here' the tune that Buffy sings on Many A Mile. (The original was in Bb dor, but I've transposed to A dor here).

Mick

---

X: 1
T:Johnny Be Fair
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=120
S:Buffy St. Marie, LP: Many A Mile
K:A dor
E|A,A,A, C2 D|EEE E2 E|D2 C A,2 G,|A,3-A,2
w:Well John-ny be fair and John-ny be fine and wants me for to wed_
A,|E2 E (GE)G|A2 A- AGA|B2 E E D2|E3-E2
w:And I would mar_ry John-ny_ but my fath-er up and said_
E|E2 E (GE)G|A A2- AGA|B2 E E2 F|G3-G2
w:I'm sad to tell_ you daugh-ter_ what your moth-er nev-er knew_
G|A2 A- AEF|GGD- D2 E|DDC A,2 G,|A,3-A,3||
w:But John-ny_ is a son of mine_ and so he is kin to you._

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Johnny Be Fair (Buffy Sainte-Marie)
From: Jess A
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 10:30 AM

Thanks Mick, that's really helpful! And quick!

cheers
Jess

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Johnny Be Fair (Buffy Sainte-Marie)
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 12:11 PM

Jess

We aim to please, but I think 5 hours doesn't count as quick in these parts!

Mick

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Johnny Be Fair (Buffy Sainte-Marie)
From: Michael Harrison
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 11:29 PM

Well, folks, I heard this song, loved it, and promptly forgot about it - until one day when it came back to mind and I searched out the lyrics. The lyrics were grand, but alas, I had no melody! Well, to hell with the melody - I've been doing it as a reading ever since and the audiences love it. My two cents. Cheers.