Lyr ADD: I'll Be No Submissive Wife

Subject: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Feb 05 - 06:32 PM

Several (ahem!) years ago I did a dissertation for my degree on folk and the victorian woman. In this I referred to a song - "I'll be no submissive wife", which I found in the library at Cecil Sharp House. Time and several house moves later finds me having lost the bloody dissertation .... I'm getting married in March and would love to sing this at my wedding. It would be brilliant if anyone knows of this song - mmust admit it took me a lot of unearthing back in 19..... to find it, but any help would be greatly appreciated!

Suey P

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Feb 05 - 06:57 PM

I believe it's in English Folk Songs by Sam Richards and Tish Stubbs, but i can't find any lyrics

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: nutty
Date: 03 Feb 05 - 07:18 PM

There's a broadside of the song in the Bodleian Library.
It can be viewed here ....

I'll be no submissive wife

My friends and I sing it sometimes. We use the tune for Sam/Jack Hall....It just has to be that one, doesn't it.

We also wrote a third verse and repeated the first to make it into a 4 verse song.

Subject: ADD: I'll Be No Submissive Wife
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Feb 05 - 07:18 PM

Hi, Suey - the second message gave me the hint I needed.

I'LL BE NO SUBMISSIVE WIFE
^^
I'll be no submissive wife,
No, not I; no, not I.
I'll not be a slave for life,
No, not I.
Think you on a wedding day,
That I'd say as others say,
Love, honour and obey?
No, not I; no, not I.
Love, honour and obey?
No, not I.

I to dullness don't incline,
No, not I; no, not I.
Go to bed at half-past nine,
No, not I.
Should a humdrum husband say,
That at home I ought to stay,
Do you think that I'll obey?
No, not I; no, not I.
Do you think that I'll obey?
No, not I.

Notes:

from a Pitts broadside. Baring-Gould collection, British Museum.
Unfortunately, we have only seen these two verses of this song. Independent ladies are not rare in folksong, but this is an unusually explicit and spirited declaration. No tune was given, but it is not difficult to spot the distinctive verse formula that has been used in the past for everything from political creeds to hymns and goodnight ballads.

Source: The English Folksinger, Sam Richards & Tish Stubbs, 1979

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Click to play

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Nutty, want to give us the lyrics to your additional verse?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: I'LL BE NO SUBMISSIVE WIFE
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 Feb 05 - 07:20 PM

It's at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads.

ill be no submissive wife [title]

Another edition is at American Memory:

I'LL BE NO SUBMISSIVE WIFE.

I'll be no sumissive[sic] wife, no, no, not I!
I'll not be a slave for life, no, not I--no, not I!
Think you on a wedding day, that I'd say as others say,
Love, honor, and obey? no, not I--no not I.

I to dullness don't incline, no, not I--no, not I!
Go to bed at half past nine--no, not I--no, not I!
Should a humdrum husband say, that at home I ought to stay,
Do you think that I'll obey? no, not I--no, not I.

Andrew', Printer, 38 Chatham St, N. Y., Dealer in Songs, Games, Toy Books, Motto Verses, &c., Wholesale and Retail.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: GUEST,Masato
Date: 03 Feb 05 - 07:30 PM

Three sheet music editions are at the Levy Collection.

Title: I'll Be No Submissive Wife. A Ballad.(click here)
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: By Alexander Lee.
Publication: New York: Firth & Hall, no. 1 Franklin Sq., 1835.
Form of Composition: strophic
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: I'll be no submissive wife, no not I, no not I
Engraver, Lithographer, Artist: Lith. of Endicott

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: masato sakurai
Date: 03 Feb 05 - 07:41 PM

Also in J.L. Hatton & Eaton Faning, eds., SONGS OF ENGLAND, vol. 3 (London, Boosey, [no date given], pp. 141-143). Words by Thomas H. Bayly and music by Alexander Lee.

Subject: ADD Version: I'll Be No Submissive Wife
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Feb 05 - 10:06 PM

OK, so Masato posted a link to the 1835 sheet music for the song, which is at the Levy Sheet Music Site here (click). I thought it would be a wonderful idea to transcribe the tune, but I soon decided that I had better things to do with my life than transcribe all seven pages, with harmony. If somebody would like to do that, I would be overjoyed and eternally grateful, and I'd be glad to post it. In the meantime, here's my transcription of the first verse:

I'll Be No Submissive Wife
Alexander Lee, 1835

I'll be no sub-mis-sive wife,
No, not I,
No, not I
I'll not be a slave for life,
No, not I
No, not I
I'll be no sub-mis-sive wife
No, not I,
No, not I
I'll not be a slave for life,
No, not I,
No, not I
Think you on a wed-ding day, that I said as o-thers say,
Love and ho-nor and o-bey
Love and ho-nor and o-bey
No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, Not I
Love and ho-nor and o-bey
Love and ho-nor and o-bey
No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, Not I
No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, Not I
No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, Not I

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Click to play

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Click to play (Masato's harmony version)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: GUEST,Suey
Date: 05 Feb 05 - 11:43 AM

Thanks to everybody for all your help, I'm overwhelmed!! Now I've just got to practise the bloody thing!!! Cheers allXXXXXXXXX

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 02:57 AM

I notice that Masato hasn't posted much the last couple of days. I think he's been spending all his time transcribing the 1835 arrangement of this song.

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Click to play (Masato's harmony version)

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Thanks, Masato.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: nutty
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 03:20 AM

Sorry for the delay Joe ..... I've been tyring to remember all the words but I think I've brought them to mind now.

EXTRA VERSE

It's a drudge I'll never be
No not I , no not I
Boost your ego, cook your tea
No not I
Dishpan hands I'll not endure
Wash your clothes or scrub your floor
Darn your socks forever more
No not I

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 12:20 PM

I like it, Nutty.
Thanks.
-Joe Offer, who darns his own darn socks-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Submissive wife
From: open mike
Date: 06 Feb 05 - 12:33 PM

clones, can you change thread title to NO SUBMISSIVE WIFE!?

the "no" makes all the difference

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/Add: I'll Be No Submissive Wife
From: Felipa
Date: 26 Jan 22 - 06:34 PM

An usual song for its time (published 1835), I should think. But even in this day and age, the mind boggles to think of someone singing this part "Think you on a wed-ding day, that I said as o-thers say,
Love and ho-nor ... no,no,not I." at her own wedding! The word "obey" is often dropped these days ...I even heard discussion re leaving it in or omitting at a relative's wedding circa 1970.