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Lyr Add: No, John, No

05 Apr 97 - 10:28 PM (#3889)
Subject: Lyr Add: NO, JOHN, NO
From: belter

I theres already a version of this in the dt, but this one is less baudy. That's not nessesarily a good thing, but I like the clever wit and romantic theam of this one as apposed to the rakish humor of the dt one wich is listed as oh no john.

No, John, No

On yonder hill there lives a lady
But her name I do not know
I will court her for her beauty
Will she answer yes or no?

cho: No John no, no John no
No John no John No John no

She's a fair and handsome creature
And to woo her I will go
Ask her if she'll be my true love
Will she answer yes or no?

cho.

And if walking in the garden
's all right with you
Tell me would you be offended
If I walked and talked with you

cho.

Tell me why oh tell me truly
Tell me why you scorn me so
Tell me why when asked a question
That you alway answer no

cho.

(female)
My father was a spanish merchant
And there for he went to sea
He told me to be true and answer no
to all you said to me

cho.

And if walking in the garden And I asked you to be mine If I told you that I loved you Would you then My heart decline

(sung slower)
cho.

I got this on an alubum called The Haymarket Minstrels By Curtis Teague & Loretta Simonet who I always make a point a seeing at the Minnasota ren. fest every year.

06 Apr 97 - 01:14 AM (#3894)
Subject: Lyr Add: NO, SIR, NO
From: Moira Cameron, moirakc@internorth.com

Here's another version, I learned from Ian Robb. The tune is in a minor key which doesn't seem to fit the humourous nature of the song.


Fair maid walkin' in her garden,
But her name I do not know--
I'll go and court her for my pleasure
Will she answer 'yes' or 'no'?

CHORUS: Oh, sir, oh no, sir no--
Still her answer to me was no.

Madam, in your face is beauty,
On your breast, there flowers grow.
In your bedroom, there is pleasure--
Will I view it, yes or no?

CHORUS:

My husband is a Spanish Captain;
Went to sea a month ago.
First he kissed me, then he left me--
Bid me always answer no.

CHORUS:

Madam, shall I tie your garter,
Tie it just above your knee?--
Should my hand, it slip a little higher,
Would you think it amiss of me?

CHORUS:

Madam and I, we slept together,
Slept until the cocks did crow--
"Open your arms, my dearest jewel--
Open your arms and let me go!"

CHORUS:

06 Apr 97 - 12:42 PM (#3912)
Subject: RE: no john no
From: dick greenhaus

Hi- The cleaned-up version is the product of Cecil Sharp's refined sensibilities: he wanted school children to learn them. A Victorian form of PC.

I never liked that version because, to me, it missed the whole point of dealing with someone who always said "NO".

Lovely tune, in either case.

06 Apr 97 - 01:16 PM (#3914)
Subject: RE: no john no
From: Joe Offer

There's an Omega Classics CD, OCD 3007, called "The Odyssey of Paul Robeson." It has a recording of Robeson singing the sanitized Cecil Sharp arrangement of "Oh No John." Robeson captures the gentle humor of Sharp's arrangement in a wonderful way.

It's the only recording I have of Robeson singing a humorous song -it shows another side of this remarkable performer. By the way, it's the sanitized version of the song that made it into "Rise Up Singing."

-Joe-
Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:

No, John, No

DESCRIPTION: The man asks the girl if she will marry. She informs him that her father has told her to answer all men's questions "No." After several exchanges, he asks something like "Do you refuse to marry me? Do you want me to leave?" She, of course, answers "No."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1904 (Sharp)
KEYWORDS: courting questions rejection
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MW,So) Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (11 citations):
Randolph 385, "No Sir! No Sir!" (1 text, 1 tune)
Eddy 48, "No, Sir" (1 text, 1 tune)
Kennedy 138, "No Sir" (1 text, 1 tune)
BrownIII 14, "No, Sir" (2 texts plus mention of 2 more)
Wyman-Brockway II, p. 98, "'No, Sir, No!'" (1 text, 1 tune)
Fuson, p. 81, "No, Sir; No" (1 text)
Sharp-100E 68, "O No, John!" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-FSNA 161, "Uh-Uh, No" (1 text, 1 tune, probably with more than a little of "Wheel of Fortune" mixed in)
Silber-FSWB, p. 345, "No John" (1 text)
BBI, ZN2244, "Pretty Betty, now come to me" (?)
DT, ONOJOHN*
Roud #146
RECORDINGS:
Ron & Bob Copper, "No, John, No" (on FSB1)
Sam Larner, "No Sir, No Sir" (on SLarner02)
Pete Seeger, "No Sir No" (on PeteSeeger14)
Stoneman Family, "The Spanish Merchant's Daughter" (Victor V-40206, 1928; on AAFM3)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Keys of Canterbury"
cf. "Wheel of Fortune (Dublin City, Spanish Lady)"
cf. "The Nonsense of Men" (theme)
File: R385

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Instructions

The Ballad Index Copyright 2004 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

24 Jul 01 - 09:57 AM (#513342)
Subject: Lyr Add: NO SIR
From: MMario

Another version - from FolkSongs of Britain and Ireland - Kennedy

NO SIR

Tell me, will you tell me truly
Tell me, why you scorn me so
Tell me, why whene'er I ask you
Why you always answer no?

no sir, no sir, no sir
No-o-o-o-o sir
No sir, no sir,
No sir, no

My father was a Spanish merchant
And before he went to sea
Told me to be sure ans answer
No to all you said to me

If when walking in the garden
Plucking flowers all wet with dew
Tell me, would you fe offended
If I walked and talked to you?

If when walking in the garden
I should ask you to be mine
And should tell you that I loved you
Would you them my heart decline?

In the garden we were sitting
And her blushes she did show
Tell me would you be offended
If one kiss I did bestow?

Madam, may I tie your garter
Would you let me make so free
If I should be a little bolder
Would you think it wrong of me?

If to bed we went together
I would stay till cocks do crow
Whe I'd say: It's time to leave you
Would you ever let me go?

MIDI file: no_sir.mid

Timebase: 192

Name: NO SIR
Text:traditional
TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Start
0384 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 72 110 0256 0 72 000 0032 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 72 110 0256 0 72 000 0032 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 62 110 0336 0 62 000 0048 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 72 110 0256 0 72 000 0032 1 72 110 0094 0 72 000 0002 1 71 110 0160 0 71 000 0032 1 69 110 0160 0 69 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0160 0 60 000 0032 1 62 110 0160 0 62 000 0032 1 64 110 0094 0 64 000 0002 1 67 110 0256 0 67 000 0032 1 62 110 0094 0 62 000 0002 1 64 110 0256 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0528 0 60 000 0240 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0240 1 65 110 0160 0 65 000 0032 1 69 110 0336 0 69 000 0240 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 71 110 0336 0 71 000 0240 1 72 110 0160 0 72 000 0032 1 76 110 0160 0 76 000 0032 1 72 110 0160 0 72 000 0032 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 60 110 0336 0 60 000 0240 1 64 110 0160 0 64 000 0032 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0240 1 67 110 0160 0 67 000 0032 1 71 110 0336 0 71 000 0240 1 67 110 0336 0 67 000 0048 1 71 110 0192 0 71 000 0000 1 74 110 0160 0 74 000 0032 1 72 110 0336 0 72 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the latest version of MIDItext and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:NO SIR
M:4/4
Q:1/4=120
K:C
G6G2|c3cB2A2|G2E2G2G2|c3ED2C2|D4G2G2|c3cB2A2|
G2E2C2D2|EG3DE3|C8|E2G6|F2A6|G2B6|c2e2c2G2|
E2C6|E2G6|G2B6|G4B2d2|c7/2||

24 Jul 01 - 07:54 PM (#513870)
Subject: RE: no john no
From: 8_Pints

Roy Bailey recorded it on an early vinyl LP produced in 1971 that the slieve note gives as ....

"No sir no" from Marrow Bones. Leon Rosselson , guitar.

Trailer LER 3021

Bob vG

27 Jun 06 - 08:40 AM (#1770082)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: No, John, No
From: Mr Happy

Another variant chorus I've heard sung:

Oh, sir oh,
No, John, no,
Still her answer to me was no.

05 Mar 08 - 08:31 AM (#2280068)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: No, John, No
From: Mr Happy

And another variant chorus I've heard sung:

Oh dear oh,
No sir, no,
Still her answer to me was no