Lyr Req: J. Robertson's Johnny the Brine #114

Subject: Lyr Req: J. Robertson's Johnny the Brine #114
From: Roberto
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 07:17 AM

Please, a check to this transcription. I didn't know Jeannie Robertson had recorded this ballad, until I found this lp. R

Johnny the Brine
^^ Jeannie Robertson, The World's Greatest Folksinger, Prestige/International 13006

Johnny he raised one May morning
Called watter tae wash his hands
Roaring - Bring tae me my twa greyhounds
That are bound in iron bands, bands
That are bound in iron bands

His auld wife she rung her hands -
Tae the greenwoods dinnae gang
For the sake o the venison
Tae the greenwoods dinnae gang, gang
Tae the greenwoods dinnae gang

But Johnny went up through Monymusk
And doon and through some scrogs
And it was there he spied a dun deer leap
She was lying in a field o sprogs, sprogs
She was lying in a field o sprogs

The first arrow he fired at her
He wounded her on the side
And between the water and the wids
For his groundhounds laid her pride, pride
For his groundhounds laid her pride

Johnny and his twa greyhounds
Drank sae muckle o her blood
That Johnny an his twa greyhounds
Fell a-sleeping in the wids, wids
Fell a-sleeping in the wids

By came a silly auld man
And an ill death may he dee
He went up and telt the first forrester
And he telt what he did see, see
And he telt what he did see

If that be the young Johnny the Brine
Ye'd better let him a-be
If that is young Johnny the Brine
Ye'd better let him a -be, a-be
Ye'd better let him a -be

He went up and telt the seventh forester
He was Johnny' sister's son -
If that be young Johnny the Brine
Tae the green wids we will gang, gang
Tae the green wids we will gang

The first arrow they fired at him
They wounded him on the feet
And the second arrow they fired at him
For his hert's blude blint his ee, ee
For his hert's blude blint his ee

But Johnny rose up wi a angry growl
For a angry man was he -
I will kill a' you six foresters
And brak the seventh one's back in three, three
And brak the seventh one's back in three

He placed his fit upon a stone
And his back against a tree
An he kilt a' the six foresters
And broke the seventh one's back in three, three
And broke the seventh one's back in three

Johnny broke his back in three
And he broke his collar-bone
An he tied him on his grey mare's back
For to carry the tidings home, home
For to carry the tidings home

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: J. Robertson's Johnny the Brine #114
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 11:51 AM

I don't have that one by Jeannie, though I'd sure like to!

But I see nothing in those lyrics that looks wrong or out of place. It follows other versions and seems to be transcribed accurately.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: J. Robertson's Johnny the Brine #114
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 11 Dec 05 - 04:26 PM

Given that there's no standard spelling system for the dialect, it seems accurate enough. Porter & Gower have "brime", though, which I'd think is closer.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: J. Robertson's Johnny the Brine #114
From: Roberto
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 07:51 AM

Thank you. As for "brine" or "brime", I've taken the spelling ("brine") from the title on the lp. R

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: J. Robertson's Johnny the Brine #114
From: Susan of DT
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 06:42 PM

I'll go listen to the LP. I tried Norman Kennedy, which I have on my music library on the computer, who I know learned many songs from Jeannie. It is clearly the same version, but not identical.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: J. Robertson's Johnny the Brine #114
From: Susan of DT
Date: 24 Dec 05 - 01:43 PM

Roberto - Sorry to be so long getting back to you. As usual, you have done a fine job in transcribing the words.

In the third verse, I don't think that is field. It soulnds more like bed.

In the seventh verse, it seems to be leave him be, rather than let him be all over the verse.

In the last verse, Johnny HE broke his back in three

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: J. Robertson's Johnny the Brine #114
From: Susan of DT
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 09:30 AM

And here is Norman Kennedy's version of Jeannie Robertson's version:^^

JOHNNY THE BRINE

Johnny raised one May morning
Called watter tae wash his hands
Crying gae loose tae me my twa greyhounds
They lie bound in iron bands, bands
They lie bound in iron bands

His auld mither she rung her hands -
Tae the greenwoods dinnae gang
It is for the sake o' the venison
Tae the greenwoods dinnae gang, gang
Tae the greenwoods dinnae gang

But he's gane up through Monymusk
And doon and through some scrogs
And there he spied a dun deer leap
She was lying in a bush o sprogs, sprogs
She was lying in a bush o sprogs

Noo the first arrow he fired at her
It struck her on the side
And a'tween the water and the wids
His greyhounds laid her pride, pride
His greyhounds laid her pride

Noo Johnny and his twa greyhounds
Drank sae muckle o' the blood
That Johnny an his twa greyhounds
They fell sleeping in the wids, wids
They fell sleeping in the wids

Noo by came a silly auld man
And an ill death may he dee
For there he spied young Johnny the Brine
Lying sleeping aneath the tree, tree
Lying sleeping aneath the tree


He;s gane and telt the first forrester
And he telt what he did see, see
And he telt what he did see
If that is young Johnny the Brine
Ye'd best leave him a -be, a-be
Ye'd best leave him a -be

He went up and telt the seventh forester
He was Johnny's sister's son -
Gin yon be young Johnny the Brine
Tae the green wids we will gang, gang
Tae the green wids we will gang

Noo the first aye arrow they fired at him
It struck him on the feet
And the neist aye arrow they fired at him
For his hert's blude blint his ee, ee
For his hert's blude blint his ee

Well Johnny rose up wi' a angry roar
For an angry man was he -
I'll kill a' you six foresters
And brak the seventh ane's back in three, three
And brak the seventh ane's back in three

He set his fit upon a stane
And his back against a tree
An he's kilt a' the six foresters
And broke the seventh one's back in three, three
He broke the seventh one's back in three

He's broken his back in three
And he broke his collar-bone
An he tied his body on his grey mare's back
For to carry the tidings home, home
For to carry the tidings home

Noo Johnny gaed ben tae a brook
And his gude greyhounds are gane
And his body lies in Monymusk
And his hunting days are dane, dane
And his hunting days are dane.


Norman Kennedy's version of Jeannie Robertson's version
@hunting @poaching @outlaw
Child #114
filename[ BRAIDSL3
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