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Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?

17 May 02 - 01:29 PM (#712420)
Subject: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: framik

I once heard a ballad in English, which I think was of Irish origin, that spoofed illegitimacy and extra-marital sex. The successive verses told of a young woman repeatedly going to her father to tell him that she was in love and wanted to marry a handsome lad from the village. Each time, her father replied that he was sorry to say that she couldn't marry the lad, "because I'm the one that father'd him and so he's kin to you." After six or seven such verses, the poor maid goes to her mother to complain that her father seems to have sired every eligible male in town. Her mother urges her not to judge her father too harshly, and reminds her that her father has been a good provider and a kind father, and then the very last line was, "And he's not the one who fathered you, so marry whom you will." Does anyone know the name of this song or have the full lyrics? Thanks.


17 May 02 - 01:31 PM (#712423)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Sorcha

Johnny Be Fair?


17 May 02 - 02:31 PM (#712471)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Malcolm Douglas

See this earlier discussion for links to several songs on the same theme: seeking song about girl w/ promiscuous father

Quite a few people have written songs based on this old joke, but I don't know of any Irish ones.


17 May 02 - 09:23 PM (#712649)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: DD

Buffy Saint Marie recorded a song like this. It had a irish sounding tune to it also.


17 May 02 - 09:30 PM (#712652)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Malcolm Douglas

Yes, that's one of the songs linked to in the thread I mentioned earlier. A modern song, and American, not Irish.


18 May 02 - 06:17 AM (#712815)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Susan of DT

See also Shame and Scandal in the DT from Harry Belafonte, a Calypso version of Johnny be Fair, linked above, from Buffy Ste. Marie. Buffy's version sounds more Irish, as DD noted.


18 May 02 - 06:19 AM (#712816)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: GUEST,Philippa

a widespread tale. for another version see Shame and Scandal in the DT

From the thread title I was expecting a request for "Gil Morice"


18 May 02 - 09:41 AM (#712873)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Malcolm Douglas

Johnny Be Fair and John Adair are both in the DT without their tunes at present; can anyone supply them?


18 May 02 - 02:32 PM (#712986)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: DD

I think I have the sheet music to Johnny be Fair in an old Buffy Ste Marie book.......but no recording of it.


18 May 02 - 06:57 PM (#713106)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Deckman

Actually, this tale reminds me of what happened between my first wife and my neighbors neighbor! ... you do believe that, don't you? CHEERS, Bob (there are no more new stories ... it's all happened before).


18 May 02 - 07:04 PM (#713108)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Liz the Squeak

Ah, praise be for the invention of the bicycle.....

LTS


18 May 02 - 09:21 PM (#713186)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: Malcolm Douglas

I've just realised that I have the Buffy Ste. Marie record in question (house-moving confusion). Having said that, it can take ages to make a midi by ear; if you have sheet music, DD, is there any chance you could scan it for us?


19 May 02 - 12:46 PM (#713506)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: John MacKenzie

Could be "Sing you bastards" this is an old traditional folk request.


20 May 02 - 12:03 AM (#713753)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: masato sakurai

dick greenhaus says "She [Buffy Ste. Marie] used a variation on a very popular tune usually called The Bigler's Cruise (late 1800s)" (Johnny Be Fair-info). A version ("The Cruise of the Bigler") in Colcord's Songs of American Sailormen (Oak, pp. 196-197) has a similar tune.

~Masato


20 May 02 - 12:29 AM (#713757)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A ballad about illegitimacy?
From: John in Brisbane

And for a piece of Australian folklore, there's a littlt used metaphor - "Happy as a bastard on Father's Day".

Regardsm John