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07 Oct 97 - 02:57 PM (#14159) Subject: Old Johnny Pucker From: Mac Some years back, through a haze of Guiness Stout and cigarette smoke, I heard a song about "Old Johnny Pucker." The chorus went, "I do believe, I do believe, Old Johnny Pucker was a gay old Pucker, and a gay old Pucker was he." Does anyone out there know the words? |
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07 Oct 97 - 06:50 PM (#14197) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker From: Tim Jaques tjaques@netcom.ca I didn't hear the lyrics that way! |
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09 Oct 97 - 05:41 PM (#14362) Subject: Lyr Add: OLD JOHNNY BOOKER / BUGGER / BUCKER From: bigj This is as I remember it from 30-ish years ago.
Now old Johnniy Booker he lived by himself
Chorus:
Old Ma Booker she had a bad leg,
Well Old Johnny Booker he thought it was a sin
Now Old Johnny Booker went a-swimming in the river
Now the Lord made man and man made money Also goes under the title of Johnny Bugger/ Bucker. |
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09 Oct 97 - 09:28 PM (#14374) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker From: Catfeet I learned it as "Old Johnny Buggar", with slightly different verses, but basically the same as above. Catfeet |
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10 Oct 97 - 01:37 PM (#14424) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker From: MacCionaoith Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It hasn't been 30 years, but I think at has been at least 20 . . . |
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24 Aug 98 - 06:08 PM (#35857) Subject: Lyr Add: OLD JOHNNY BUCCA^^ From: Baz This song may have come from the old days when the 'bucca' were the little folk 'piskies'as we now call them and gay meant merry. Of late in Cornwall the letters c and g have become interchangeable!
JOHNNY BUCCA
Chorus:
Old Johnny Bucca went walking one day.
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24 Aug 98 - 10:02 PM (#35887) Subject: RE: LYR ADD Old Johnny Bucca From: dick greenhaus Inneresting. I learned is as Johnny Booker (or Johnny Boker) and it was both a banjo tune (Southern Appalachian) and a se shantey. Never heard bucca reference, though. |
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17 Sep 01 - 07:57 PM (#552727) Subject: RE: LYR ADD Old Johnny Bucca From: breezy Johnny died and went to heaven... He got there at half past 'leven... Peter said "Johnny you're late.....You'll 'ave t' bugger off cos we've got to shut the gate" ... singing I do etc....as sung in cornwall since time of Mervyn Vincent and Charlie Bate. |
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06 Aug 07 - 02:51 PM (#2120326) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: GUEST,jamie Its an old cornish song as far as ive heard and its called old johnny bugger the last verse is "youl ave ta bugger off oz ya too bloody late" and bucca is bugger. |
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06 Aug 07 - 03:01 PM (#2120330) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: BB Talking about this song and Mervyn, when his younger daughter started school, the teacher asked whether the children knew any songs, and said daughter put up her hand. 'Yes, dear, can you sing us a song?' 'Old Johnny Bugger, he lived by himself...' I don't remember said daughter singing anything since! Barbara |
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06 Aug 07 - 05:21 PM (#2120439) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Scotus Used to be a big favourite of Bob Davenport's - I think I have him singing it on an album with The Rakes. Great song! Jack |
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06 Aug 07 - 05:43 PM (#2120456) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Azizi Here's a YouTube video of someone playing a banjo? and singing "Johnny Booker": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57qWOT4-q_M |
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06 Aug 07 - 05:55 PM (#2120464) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Azizi Also, Dorothy Scarborough's 1925 book "On The Trial Of Negro Songs" {Folklore Associates, Inc. edition, 1963; originally published by Harvard University Press, 2935; p. 100} briefly mentions a song called "Johnny Booker." I'll post the entire paragraph: "Dr. Wyeth performed magic tricks with a banjo, as he had been taught by old Uncle Billy in slavery times. He evoked melodies of wistful gaiety by drawing a handkerchief across the banjo strings and lively tunes by playing it with a whisk-broom.And when he danced some of the old breakdowns for me, just to show how they went, I felt transported to the old plantation if days before the war. Amother of the dance-songs he gave me was Johnny Booker. I went down to de back of de fiel'; A black snake cotch me by de heel. I cut de dus', I run my bes'. I run right into a horhey's nes'. Chorus: Oh, do Mr. Booker, do! Oh, do, Mr. Booker, do! Oh, do, Mr. Booker, Johnny Booker, Mr. Booker, Mr. Booker, Johnny Booker, do! |
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06 Aug 07 - 06:01 PM (#2120469) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Azizi I want to properly credit the video I posted: Added {to YouTube}: June 05, 2007 From: ackeim ** Also, I see by his response to a viewer's comment and other videos that he wrote that the "banjo" he played is actually a "Beansprout Banjo Ukulele". |
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06 Aug 07 - 06:58 PM (#2120498) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Greg B Geez, that guy makes a nice banjo/uke and plays it real good, too. The clawhammer banjo style (with no 5th string, but it sounds like there's one) is astonishing. My very first stringed instrument was an old banjo uke (that I still have) around age 6--- my dad fixed it up for me. But that thing--- and the player--- wow. Anyway; at Mystic Seaport, they've used 'Johnny Booker' for a bunting shanty, but the melody they use is closer to 'Little Sally Rackett' (or the childish "Nya nya nya nya nya nya" taunt) than what was presented at YouTube. "Do me Johnny Booker, roll me in the clover Do me Johnny Booker DO!" "Do me Johnny Booker, roll me down from Liverpool Do me Johnny Booker DO!" (On a bunting shanty, the work happens on the last note, well not really, the 'gathering' happens throughout, but the bunt is "tossed" or rolled up onto the top of the yard on the last note.) I never made the connection between 'Booker' and 'Bugger' but let's face it, the voyages were long--- also, bunting shanties are the least 'polite' of all because the officers (or the cook) were least likely to hear what was being sung or by whom. In the case of the officers, it was a matter of a "hazing." In the case of a cook, well, he might "whip it out" and then the hash might be a bit more salty than usual--- |
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06 Aug 07 - 07:30 PM (#2120512) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Azizi I can see how the name "Johnny Booker" came from the name "Johnny Bugger". Is the general concensus that the name "Johnny Bugger" was a sexual referent? Or-and?-is the name "Johnny Bugger" a more politically correct name than the name that is described in this post from another Mudcat "Johnny Booker" thread: thread.cfm?threadid=39032#553174 What I'm asking is did that other name-mentioned in that post-come first and then was changed to Johnny Bugger, and then in the USA was changed to Johnny Booker? |
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06 Aug 07 - 07:34 PM (#2120514) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Azizi Sorry for the speaking around the point. I re-read that post and I see the name was "Johnny Poker" and not what I thought it was. Well, I'm glad that got straigthened out. [no pun intended] |
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06 Aug 07 - 08:03 PM (#2120522) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Q (Frank Staplin) Better versions in thread 67154, plus background notes by Joe Offer, Claire Bear and others, so I have posted further versions of this old chanty there. Earliest chanty versions in print were either Johnny Bowker or Johnny Boker. Old Johnny |
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09 Feb 09 - 09:18 AM (#2561653) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: GEST Ryan's Fancy did a rousing variant of this humourous song and recorded it in 1971 as Old Johnny Bucher on their album An Irish Night At The Black Night Lounge, from Marathon records. This lyrics page from GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador includes a new YouTube video by oldirishladdie as well. |
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09 Feb 09 - 05:59 PM (#2562197) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Steve Gardham Don't know about the other thread but this one seems to have confused two completely separate songs with the same title. The Minstrel>>shanty song, apart from the name, has nothing in common with the bar-room song. As to Bugger/Booker unless someone can come up with an origin or an earliest version it's all just conjecture. My own opinion is 'Johnny Booker' takes precedent, because of the line in the chorus 'Old Johnny Booker was a gay old bugger' although you could equally argue, if his name was 'Bugger' then you could get away with not swearing, Naah! FWIW as far as I can see the song does not go back beyond WWII. As someone has said Bob Davenport spread it far and wide on the Brit folk scene. It was very popular in pubs away from the folk scene during the 60s which is where I first came across it. Of course the 'God made man' verse is a commonplace and was well known by the middle of the nineteenth century on both sides of the Atlantic. |
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09 Feb 09 - 06:39 PM (#2562229) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Betsy tHere's only one Johnny Booker - from Barnsley - the auld bugger |
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01 Mar 13 - 06:12 AM (#3485020) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: GUEST,Ca Old Johnny pucker was a gay old f..ker and a gay old f..ker was he, ya Uh, ya uh. Now old old Johnny pucker had a wife called fife and she woke up in the middle of the night singing I do believe that old Johnny pucker was a gay old f..ker and a gay old fucker was he. I too last heard this about 30 years ago in a pub in Ireland. Hope this helps :). |
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01 Mar 13 - 02:39 PM (#3485169) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: GUEST,jim bainbridge Scotus quite rightly says Bob Davenport sang this song (however spelt) and I'd be pretty sure he got it from Jack Elliott of Birtley- it's on the 1961 Folkways LP 'Elliotts of Birtley' but was also in the repertoire of the late lamented Francis Shergold of the Bampton Morris. I used to sing it regularly at the 'Sibin' pub outside of Baltimore, West Cork about 15-20 years ago & once had the great pleasure of bringing Jack's son Pete & his wife Pat to the pub to sing what for me was the 'original' version...- they were very popular in West Cork on their visits. |
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13 Jan 16 - 12:01 PM (#3765210) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: GUEST,Susie I know that it was in the repertoire of the Union Folk up in Cheshire in the early 60s... quite where they got it from I don't know. |
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12 Jun 20 - 12:47 PM (#4058966) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Jack Horntip Old Johnny Bugger Source: Performance by Jack Elliott, recorded in the clubroom of the Barley Mow, Birtley, CountyDurham in the early or mid 1960s. Reg Hall (Editor), The Voice of the People, Vol 14, Troubles They Are But Few, Dance Tunes and Ditties. Topic Records, London |
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12 Jun 20 - 03:28 PM (#4058995) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Long Firm Freddie The Oldham Tinkers included Johnny Bugger on their 1975 album For Old Time's Sake; the lyrics are very close to Jack Elliott's version as just posted by and e. Bugger LFF |
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12 Jun 20 - 03:41 PM (#4058998) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Steve Shaw A damn fine song, well known in Bude, as sung by Friggin' Riggin' and the various offshoots from that illustrious band. I have a video of us somewhere (don't ask - but I never delete things) of us singing it in the Plume Of Feathers in Princetown on Dartmoor, after a minibus load of us had just paid an "educational visit" to the amazing Dartmoor brewery. I last heard Friggin' Riggin' doing it at Bude Memory Cafe in Bude... |
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13 Jun 20 - 11:59 AM (#4059114) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: GUEST We call it Johnny Okai down our way (Cotswolds. Tradsinger |
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13 Jun 20 - 02:19 PM (#4059128) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: r.padgett Sing Vol 5 no3 Eric Winter publication ~ has Johnny Bigger 1960 Taken from the singing of Cecil Pickett, Oxfordshire by John Hasted John Hasted says ~ better known as a folk original and not music hall ~ calls it a nonsense song ~ maybe with links to Johnny Boker or Johnny Booker " Old Johnny Bigger went out one day, his horse fell down and cart ran away Old Johnny Bigger he shouted STOP and he fell from the bottom of the hill to the top And I do believe ~ that Old Johnny Bigger was gay old digger and a gay old digger was he" 4 more full verses noted ~ digger? maybe he was grave digger? Ray |
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15 Jun 20 - 01:57 PM (#4059350) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Steve Gardham Ray, More likely someone changed it from something less acceptable. Gwilym, 'Okai'? So what was your local chorus then? East Yorkshire version quite naturally is close to the Durham one. I do believe. I will believe Old Johnny Booker was a gay old bugger and a gay old bugger was he. As for origins, I'd guess something like the Ramblers Association. They were very active just before WWII, 20s 30s, and produced their own songbooks. The 'God made man' verse of course is much older. |
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15 Jun 20 - 02:38 PM (#4059361) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: r.padgett Yes Steve ~ probably right Ray |
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13 Jan 23 - 05:29 PM (#4162367) Subject: RE: Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca From: Jack Horntip From page 16 of The Canfield Collection (ca 1926). ATHEISTIC DITTY See here https://archive.org/details/1926canfieldcollection/page/n15/mode/2up |