"O No, John, No" or, "No, Sir, No"
"No, John, No/ Spanish Merchant's Daughter (Stoneman) / Twenty, Eighteen" is Roud #146.
No Sir
No Sir No
Oh, sir oh,
Oh No, John, no,
Still her answer to me was no. (Peggy Seeger)
------------------------------
Roxburghe
Shall I? Shall I? No, No, No!
Tune or, The Doubting Virgin.
1. Petty Betty, now come to me, thou hast set my Heart on fire;
Thy denyal will undo me, grant me then what I desire:
Prithee try me, don't deny me, lest it prove my overthrow,
Never dally, shall I? shall I?[1] " Still she answered, "No, no, no!"
In the Fields they went a-walking, he this Maid did sweetly court;
But the subject of his talking tended still to Venus' sport:
He persuaded, she delay'd it, and would not be deluded so;
"Come let's dally, shall I? shall 1?" But she answered, "No, no, no!"
1. 'Shall I? shall 1?' equivalent here to 'shilly shally' indecision.
--------------------------
10 stanzas
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/9/2813)
No Sir
First Line: Yonder stands a pretty fair maiden
Performer: Garrison, Lucy
Date: 11 Aug 1917
Place: USA : Kentucky : Manchester
Collector: Sharp, Cecil J.
Roud No: 146
---------------
3 stanzas
Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/9/2761)
No Sir
First Line: My father was a Spanish seaman,
And before he went to sea,
He told me to answer "No sir,"
To all you say to me,
CHORUS: No sir, no sir. no sir, no sir, no,
No sir, no sir. no sir, no.
Performer: Morrison, Maud
Date: 25 May 1917
Place: USA : Kentucky : Berea
Collector: Sharp, Cecil J.
Roud No: 146
--------------------
O, No John [online no source]
On yonder hill there stands a maiden
Who she is I do not know;
I shall court her, for her beauty,
She must answer yes or no,
Chorus:
O, O, no John,
No John, No John, No.
2. Madam, on thy face is beauty
On thy lips wild roses grow,
Madam, I would be thy lover,
Madam, answer yes or no,
Chorus:
3. Madam. on thy face is beauty,
At thy bosom lilies grow,
In your bedroom there is pleasure,
Shall I view it? Yes or no.
Chorus:
4. Madam, I will give you jewels
I will make you rich and free;
I will give you silk and satins
Madam, if you lie with me.
Chorus:
5. My husband is a Spanish captain,
Went to sea a month ago.
First he kissed me, then he left me,
Bade me always answer "No!"
Chorus:
6. Madam, may I tie your garter
Just an inch above your knee?
If my hand should slip a little farther,
Would you think it ill of me?
Chorus:
7. My love and I went to bed together,
There we lay till the cocks did crow;
Open your arms my dearest darling,
Open your arms and let me go.
Chorus:
---------------
No John No
Sung by John, Bob and Ron Copper on the Song for Every Season LP. Words and music are in The Copper Family Song Book.
On yonder hill there lives a lady
But her name I do not know,
I'll go and court her for her beauty,
Whether she answers yes or no
No John no, no John no,
No John, no John, no John no.
She is a fair and handsome creature
And to woo her I will go.
I will ask her if she'll be my true love,
Will she answer Yes or No
No John no, etc.
If when walking in the garden
Plucking flowers all wet with dew,
Tell me will you be offended
If I walk and talk with you
No John no etc.
Tell me one thing tell me truly,
Tell me why you scorn me so,
Tell me why, when asked a question
That you always answer No
No John no etc.
My father was a Spanish merchant
And before he went to sea,
He told me to be sure to answer
No to all you said to me,
No John no etc.
And if when walking in the garden
I should ask you to be mine,
If I tell you that I love you
Would you then my love decline?
No John no, no John no,
No John, no John, no John no.
No John, No / No, Sir, No
[ Roud 146 ; Ballad Index R385 ; Wiltshire Roud 146 ; trad.]
Emily Sparkes sang No, Sir, No to John Howson in Rattlesden, Suffolk, in 1958/59. This recording was included in 1993 on the Veteran cassette and in 2009 on the Veteran CD Many a Good Horseman. John Howson commented:
Cecil Sharp collected a version of O No, John and it was published in Folk Songs from Somerset in 1908. It was republished in Novello's School Songs and in Vol. 2 of the Selected Edition of English Folk Songs in 1921. As a result, Sharp's version, albeit with altered words to make it suitable for schoolchildren, became one of the most well known songs in the country. The song has been widely collected and appears in other forms often called Ripest Apples or Twenty, Eighteen. Emily's version is slightly truncated, with no mention of tying the garter or the couple actually making it to bed, but for the full story listen to Sam Larner on Now Is the Time for Fishing.
Sam Larner sang No Sir, No Sir at home in Winterton, Norfolk, to Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger in 1959-60. This recording was published in 1961 on his Folkways album Now Is the Time for Fishing. The accompanying booklet commented:
My Man John, Twenty Eighteen and No, John are all related to this somewhat bawdy piece. More distant relatives are those singing games, The Keys of Heaven and Lady on the Mountain. The most closely related versions, however, are American, Uh-uh, No and Merchant's Daughter, which latter was recorded for Folkways by the Stoneman family and bears an uncanny similarity in text and tune to that in this album.
Bob and Ron Copper of Rottingdean, Sussex, sang No, John, No in a recording made by Peter Kennedy on the anthology Songs of Courtship (The Folk Songs of Britain Volume 1; Caedmon 1961; Topic 1968). And John, Bob and Ron Copper sang No, John, No in 1971 on the Copper Family's Leader album A Song for Every Season.
Roy Bailey sang No Sir No in 1971 on his eponymous Trailer album Roy Bailey.
Jean Redpath sang No, Sir on her 1976 Trailer album There Were Minstrels.
John Kirkpatrick and Maggie Goodall sang No John in 1984 on the album The Old Songs.
Crucible sang Fair Maid Walking (No Sir No) in 2005 on their WildGoose CD Crux. They commented in their liner notes:
Gav[in Davenport] remembers hearing his dad sing this song when he was young, and this version comes from the singing of Steve Gardham of Hull. The girl in the song is smart enough to use her “no means no” to get exactly what she wants.
Gavin Davenport sang No Sir No! also with the Albion Band in 2011 on their EP Fighting Room.
Lyrics
Emily Sparkes sings No, Sir, No
Tell me one thing, tell me truly
Tell me why you scorn me so,
Tell me why, when asked a question,
You will always answer ‘No’.
Chorus (repeated after each verse):
No sir, no sir, no sir, no-oh-oh-oh
No sir, no sir, no sir, no.
My father was a Spanish merchant,
And before he went away,
He told me to be sure and answer,
‘No’ to all that you should say.
If while walking in the garden,
Plucking flowers all wet with dew,
Tell me, wouldn't you be offended
If I pluck-ed one for you?
And if while walking in the garden,
I should ask you to be mine,
Tell me would you be offended.
Would you then my heart decline?
John, Bob and Ron Copper sing No, John
On yonder hill there lives a lady
But her name I do not know,
I'll go and court her for her beauty,
Whether she answers yes or no.
Chorus (repeated after each verse):
No John no, no John no,
No John, no John, no John no!
She is a fair and handsome creature
And to woo her I will go.
I will ask her if she'll be my true love,
Will she answer yes or no?
If when walking in the garden
Plucking flowers all wet with dew,
Tell me will you be offended
If I walk and talk with you?
Tell me one thing tell me truly,
Tell me why you scorn me so,
Tell me why, when asked a question
That you always answer No?
My father was a Spanish merchant
And before he went to sea,
He told me to be sure to answer
No to all you said to me,
And if when walking in the garden
I should ask you to be mine,
If I tell you that I love you
Would you then my love decline?
John Kirkpatrick and Maggie Goodall sing No, John
On yonder hill there stands a creature
Who she is I do not know;
I'll go and court her for her beauty,
She must answer yes or no.
Chorus (repeated after each verse):
Oh, no, John, no John,
No, John, no!
On her bosom are bunches of posies,
On her breast where flowers grow.
If I should chance to touch that posy
She must answer yes or no.
Madam, I am come for to court you
If your favour I can gain.
Come and sat yourself down alongside me
I fear I should never see you again.
My husband he was a Spanish captain,
Went to sea a month ago.
The very last time that we kissed and parted
Bid me always answer “No!”
Madam, in your face is beauty,
In your bosom flowers grow,
In your bedroom there is pleasure,
Shall I view it? Yes or no.
Madam, shall I tie your garter,
Tie it a little above your knee?
If my hand should slip a little farther,
Would you think it amiss of me?
My love and I went to bed together,
There we lay till the cocks did crow;
Unclose your arms, my dearest jewel,
Unclose your arms and let me go.
--------------
JAFL Texts and Tunes by Eddy Tolman
No, Sir!
Pound, 43; Wolford (see bibliography under Division IV), 73. See "O, No, John!" in "Folk Songs from Somerset," No. 94, and in "One Hundred English Folksongs," No. 68 (this air should be compared with the second one printed below). Compare the fragment in "Journal of the Folk-Song Society," iv, 298. Miss Eddy sends two variants. The first air was learned by her as a girl; the second she gets from the singing of Mrs. Daniel Ross, Shreve, O.
My fa - ther was a wealth - y mer-chant,
Where he is I do not know,
Be - fore he died he made me prom - ise
AI - ways to an - swer the young man No. No, No,
No, sir, No, Al - ways to an - swer the young man No.
Tell me one thing, tell me tru - ly, Tell me why you scorn me
["No, Sir!" (almost word for word like No. 1) occurs in "Gems of Minstrel Song" (cop. 1882 by W. F. Shaw), p. 23 ("Words and Music Arr. by A. M. Wakefield"); "Popular Songs and Ballads" (cop. 1882 by W. F. Shaw), p. [62] (with the same note as to words and music); "Delaney's Song Book No. 23" (New York [1900]), p. 26. It is manifestly an adaptation of the familiar "No, John!" A kind of "answer" to the song is "Yes, Sir!" in "Delaney's Song Book No. 23," p. 26.
In another and more sophisticated working-over of the same motif the dialogue is reported, not given directly: "No! No! Sung by Mrs. Wrighten, at Vauxhall" (eighteenth-century slip, Harvard College, 25242.3, fol. 132). It begins,—
That I might not be plagu'd with the nonsense of men,
I promis'd my mother again and again,
To says [sic] as she bids me wherever I go,
And to all that they ask, I should answer them no.
A duet on the same theme is "No! no!" "The American Minstrel" (Cincinnati, 1837, cop. 1836), pp. 303-304 ("The celebrated duet sung by Mr. Sinclair and Mrs. Rowbotham"); "The Singer's Own Book," new edition (Philadelphia, cop. 1832), p. 46 (with singers as above); the same (reprint by Leavitt and Allen, New York), p. 46; "Burton's Comic Songster" (Philadelphia, 1838), pp. 98-99, also in the reprint of 1856 ("Billy Burton's Comic Songster," New York, Richard Marsh), pp. 98-99 ("Sung by Mr. Brunton and Mrs. Rowbotham"); "The Bijou Minstrel" (Philadelphia, Turner & Fisher, 1840), p. 274; "Col. Crockett's Free and Easy Song Book," p. 241 ("Sung by Mr. Sinclair and Mrs. Rowbotham"); "The Arkansas Traveller's Songster" (New York, cop. 1864), p. 61 ("The celebrated Duett in the Burletta of 'No.' As sung by James Dunn and Mrs. W. G. Jones, at the New Bowery Theatre. Air — 'Isabel'").
A simple and pretty version of the "No" theme is "You shan't, Sir!" ("The Melodist, and Mirthful Olio," London, 1828, ii, 148-149.)
Other related pieces of older date are: (1) "The Dumb Lady; Or, No, no, not I; I'le Answer" (begins, "Underneath a little Mountain"): Roxburghe collection, ii, III; Pepys, iii, 128; Douce, 650.; Huth, i, 83; Crawford, No. 1224 (Roxburghe Ballads, ed. Ebsworth, iv, 352354; Crawford Catalogue, p. 443); and (2) "O nay, nay, not yet" (begins, "A young man walking all alone"): "Merry Drollery," Part I, 1661, pp. 32-33, in Ebsworth's reprint of "Choyce Drollery," 1876, pp. 204-206; "Percy MS., Loose and Humorous Songs," pp. 92-93. One may note two other songs of similar tenor, — "No, my Love, not I" (Harvard broadsides, 25242.17, iv, 103, John Gilbert, Newcastle, No. 17; and vi, 82, Walker, Durham, No. 40); and "No, Tom, No" (25242.17, ii, 23, George Walker, Jun., Durham, No. 18). Compare also "Roxburghe Ballads," ed. Ebsworth, vi, 157-158; vii, 201.]
---------------------
Bruce Olsen
E: Lyr/Chords Req: On a mountain / Dancing Bears, post Bruce Olson; Jul 00 - 04:18 PM
Also see "Consent at Last" in Scarce Songs 1 on my website. I take it to be the original of "No, John, No/ Spanish Merchant's Daughter".
As a folksong this is also known as "The Spanish Merchant's Daughter". It is a revamping of a 17th century song in Bodleian MS Ashmole 38, c 1630-40. The page is badly waterstained, and I couldn't get much beyond the 1st verse, which goes:
Lady why does love torment you May not I your grief remove? Have I nothing will content you With the sweet delights of love. Oh no no alas no.
A somewhat expurgated verrsion is "Consent at last" in Pills to Purge Melancholy, III, p. 82, 1719, (with music) and there are two related broadside ballads of the 17th century. The latter are ZN254 and ZN2693 in the broadside index at www.pbm.com/~lindahl/ballads/17thc_index.html
'The Spanish Merchant's Daughter' with its double negative question and answer to make a positive, is moderately well known as a traditional song, but less well known are its roots. A broadside ballad of c 1672-84, 'The Dumb Lady, Or, No no not I, I'le answer,' uses the same theme, but there is an older version yet. Unfortunately, a manuscript version of about 1635-40, in Bodleian MS Ashmole 38 (a collection of single sheets from various sources bound together), is so badly waterstained that most of it is unreadable. The first of seven verses goes:
Lady why doth love torment you
May not I your grief remove?
Have I nothing will content you
With the sweet delights of Love.
Oh, no, no, alas, no
A slightly altered text appears in Pills to Purge Melancholy, commencing in 1700; (III, p. 82, 1719), with a tune, and it goes as follows:
Consent at Last.
Ladys, why doth Love torment you?
Cannot I your Grief remove?
Is there none that can content you
With the sweet delights of Love
O No, no, no, no, no: O, No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Beauty in a perfect Measure,
Hath the Love and wish of all:
Dear, then shall I wait the Pleasure,
That commands my Heart and all:
O No, &c.
If I grieve, and you can ease me,
With you be so fiercely bent,
Having wherewithal to please me,
Must I still be Discontent?
O No, &c.
If I am your faithful Servant,
And my Love does still remain;
Will you think it ill deserved,
To be favour'd for my pain?
O No, &c.
If I should then crave a Favour,
Which your Lips invite me to,
Will you think it ill Behaviour,
Thus to steal a Kiss or two?
O No, &c.
All Amazing Beauty's Wonder,
May I presume your Breast to touch?
Or to feel a little under,
Will you think I do too much?
O No, &c.
Once more fairest, let me try ye [.. only let me love you
Now my wish is fully sped, [For my lippes...]
If all Night, I would lye by ye,
Shall I be refus'd your Bed?
O No, &c.
Why I don't know, but several folklorists confuse this with a version of "Paper of Pins" about courting a Quaker's daughter, and label the latter song as "The Spanish Merchant's Daughter". An excellent English traditional version with tune is in Purslow's Marrow Bones, "No, Sir, No", p. 63. An excellent 9 verse version without tune is "Spanish Lady" in Mary Eddy's 'Songs and Ballads from Ohio'.
---------------------------
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)
-----------------------
No, Sir, No
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"No, Sir, No" (Roud 146) is an English folk song describing a courtship. It has been collected from traditional singers in England and the USA, and in a bowdlerised version was taught to English schoolchildren in music lessons in the 1950s. Alternative titles include "No, Sir", "No, John, No", "O No John", "Yes Or No", "Cruel Father", "Ripest Apples", "Twenty Eighteen", "The Spanish Merchant's Daughter", "The Spanish Captain", "Spanish Lady", "Yonder Sits a Spanish Lady", "Yonder Sits a Pretty Creature", and "In Yonder Grove".[1]
Contents
1 Synopsis
2 Early publications
3 Collected versions
4 Recordings
4.1 Field recordings
4.2 Old-time music recordings
4.3 Recordings by revival singers and groups
5 References
Synopsis
A young woman (or a Spanish lady) is walking a garden. A young man tries to court her:
Madam, I am come a'courting,
Hoping your favour I shall gain.
If you'll kindly entertain me,
Perhaps one day I'll call again.[2]
but she always answers "No". She explains that her father (or her husband) has recently gone to sea and before leaving told her always to say "No".:
The young man rephrases his questions, politely in Iowa:
Then while walking in the garden,
Plucking flowers all wet with dew,
Tell me, would you be offended
If I walk and talk with you?[3]
or improperly, in Somerset:
Madam shall I tie your garter
Shall I tie it above your knee?
If I should be little bolder
Would you think it rude of me?[4]
and all ends well, with the couple either in bed, on the way to being married or at least with the young woman offering some encouragement. There is often a chorus, such as
Oh dear oh! No! Sir No!
Still her answer to me was no![2]
In one English variant the chorus is a counting game:
With me twenty, eighteen, sixteen, fourteen, twelve, ten, eight, six, four, two, none,
Nineteen, seventeen, fifteen, thirteen, 'leven, nine, sev'n, five, three and one.[5]
This variant is sometimes called "Twenty, Eighteen".
The "Twenty, Eighteen" and "Ripest Apples" variants omit the father's command. Joe Jone's version of "The Ripest Apples" is a simple and brief conversation in which he offers her everything and she says:
For it's apples is ripe, but they soon gets rotten.
A young man's love that soon grows cold.
For it's what cares I for the world of pleasure?
But all I wants is an honest young man.[6]
Early publications
A song called "Consent At Last" printed in "Wit and Mirth: Or, Pills to Purge Melancholy" Volume 4, by Henry Playford, published in 1719, has been suggested as a forerunner of "No, Sir, No". It has a chorus which consists mostly of the word "No":
Once more fairest, let me try ye,
Now my wish is fully sped,
If all night, I would lie by ye
Shall I be refused your bed.
O, no, no, no, no, no, O no, no, no, no, no, no, no.[7]
The Roud Folk Song Index lists just two broadside versions, both from the Poet's Box shop in Glasgow.[8][9]
Collected versions
The Roud Folk Song Index lists 29 versions collected in England, 1 from Scotland 7 from Canada and 36 from the USA.[1]
Recordings
Field recordings
There is a version by Sussex singer Emily Sparks, recorded by Desmond Herring in 1958, in the British Library Sound Archive.[10]
The Norfolk fisherman Sam Larner was recorded singing "No sir, no sir" by Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger in 1958 or 9. His version is on "Now is the Time for Fishing", Topic TSCD511.[1]
Sussex singers The Copper Family Bob and Ron Copper sang No, John, No in a recording made by Peter Kennedy. This has been released on "Songs of Courtship" Topic Records 12T157
Sussex singer George Townshend was recorded singing "Twenty, Eighteen" by Brian Matthews in 1960. His version is on "Come, Hand to Me the Glass" Musical Traditions Records MTCD304/5.[1]
Kent singer Joe Jones was recorded singing "Ripest Apples" by Mike Yates between 1972-5. This recording has been released on "Here's Luck to a Man - Gypsy Songs and Music from South-East England; Musical Traditions Records MTCD320.[1]
Old-time music recordings
A version by the Stoneman Family from Virginia titled "The Spanish Merchant's Daughter", recorded in 1928, was included on Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music in 1952.
Bradley Kincaid; Mountain Ballads & Oldtime Songs; Bluebonnet BL127; 1963; "No Sir No".
Jean Ritchie; Precious Memories; Folkways FA 2427; 1962; "No Sir"
Recordings by revival singers and groups
Roy Bailey; Roy Bailey; Trailer LER 3021; 1971; "No, Sir, No"
Jean Redpath; There Were Minstrels; Trailer Records LER 2106; 1976; No Sir
John Kirkpatrick and Maggie Goodall; The Old Songs; Greenwich Village Records GVR 225; 1984; "No John"
Crucible; Crux; WildGoose Studios WGS327CD; 2005; "Fair Maid Walking"
Gavin Davenport with the Albion Band; Fighting Room; 2011, "No Sir No!"
References
"The Spanish Merchant's Daughter / No Sir / Ripest Apples". Vwml.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
Purslow, F; Marrow Bones: English Folk Songs from the Hammond and Gardiner Manuscripts; London, 1965
Stout, E J; Folklore from Iowa; New York; 1936
"No Sir! / O No John : Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/9/81)". Vwml.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
Sleeve notes to George Townshend; Come, Hand to Me the Glass; Musical Traditions Records MTCD304/5
"No John, No / No, Sir, No / Ripest Apples / Twenty, Eighteen (Roud 146)". Mainlynorfolk.info. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
Playford, H; Wit and Mirth: Or, Pills to Purge Melancholy Volume IV; London; 1719 pp82-83
"The Spanish Merchant's Daughter / No Sir / Ripest Apples". Vwml.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
"Poets Box". libcat.csglasgow.org. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
"No sir no - Desmond and Shelagh Herring English Folk Music Collection - World and traditional music | British Library". Sounds.bl.uk. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
--------------------
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
When I'd say: It's time to leave you
Would you ever let me go?
-----------------------
Sharp 1904
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.
------------------------
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:
---------------
No Sir, No Sir
From: Charley Noble - PM
Date: 25 Apr 08 - 10:46 PM
Here's another take on the traditional song, "No, John, No" that my mother at the age of 90 has been reworking. I suppose if she's that old, whatever she does would be considered traditional too:
Adapted by Dahlov Ipcar, 2008
No Sir, No Sir
In London City there dwelt a lady,
Who she is I may not say;
I courted her all for her beauty –
She would always answer, "Nay!":
Chorus:
No Sir, no Sir!
No Sir, no Sir!
She would always answer,
No Sir, no!
Her husband was a Spanish captain,
Seven long years he'd been away;
First he kissed her, then he left her
Bid her always answer "Nay!" (CHO)
Madam. Let us walk your garden,
Walk and talk, as you see best;
And would you think me overbold,
If I pinned a rose upon your breast? (CHO)
Madam, may I tie your garter,
Just an inch above your knee?
And if my hand should slip higher,
Would you think it rude of me? (CHO)
Now tis time to doff our clothing,
And go to bed as others do;
Madam, would you feel unkindly
If I disrobed and came with you? (CHO)
Now we are in bed together,
Gazing on each other's charms;
Would your own husband please you better,
If he lay here in your arms? (CHO)
Now the dawn peeps through the window,
And I hear the cockerel crow;
Madam, it is time to leave you –
Open your arms and let me go! (CHO)
Dahlov is an amazing woman. She loves the old songs, but she also loves to re-interpret them as well. You will not be surprised that she and father collected some verses to "Johnny Comes Down to Hilo" from some of the neighboring fishermen at their song parties, not to mention "Barnacle Bill the Sailor."
You and Justine should consider a field trip this June (the cabin would be available). Maybe you'll be able to tease out a few more verses.
---------------------------
Sharp santized text
On yonder hill there stands a creature,
Who she is I do not know
I will court her for her beauty,
She must answer yes or no
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
My father was a Spanish Captain,
Went to sea a month ago
First he kissed me, then he left me,
Bid me always answer no
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
Oh madam in your face is beauty,
On your lips red roses grow
Will you take me for your lover,
Madam answer yes or no
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
Oh madam I will give you jewels,
I will make you rich and free
I will give you silken dresses,
Madam will you marry me?
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
Oh madam since you are so cruel,
And that you do scorn me so
If I may not be your lover,
Madam will you let me go?
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
Then I will stay with you forever,
If you will not be unkind
Madam I have vowed to love you,
Would you have me change my mind?
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
Oh hark, I hear the churchbells ringing,
Will you come and be my wife?
Or dear madam, have you settled,
To live single all your life?
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
-----
Bawdy text
On yonder hill there stands a creature,
Who she is I do not know
I will court her for her beauty,
She must answer yes or no
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
On her bosom are bunches of posies,
On her breast where flowers grow
If I should chance to touch that posy,
She must answer yes or no
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
Madam I am come for to court you,
If your favor I can gain
If you will but entertain me,
Perhaps then I might come again
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
My husband was a Spanish captain,
Went to sea a month ago
The very last time we kissed and parted,
Bid me always answer no.
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
Madam in your face is beauty,
In your bosom flowers grow
In your bedroom there is pleasure,
Shall I view it, yes or no
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
Madam shall I tie your garter,
Tie it a little above your knee
If my hand should slip a little farther,
Would you think it amiss of me
Oh no John, No John, No John, No!
My love and I went to bed together,
There we lay till cocks did crow;
Unclose your arms my dearest jewel,
Unclose your arms and let me go
Oh no John, No John, No John, No
-------------
British Library - Roxburghe 2.111
between 1672-84
The Dumb Lady; Or,
NO, no, not I; Ile Answer.
To the Tune of, the Doubtful Virgin, or the new Borey; or Will you be a Man of Fashion.
UNderneath a little Mountain
where I usd my self to walk,
By a pretty pleasant Fountain
there I heard two Lovers talk
Hah! said he my only Jewel,
would you have your Lover dye,
Can you be so fare and cruel
no indeed quoth she not I,
Why my dear my pretty Nancy,
will you then torment my mind?
If poor Willy you can fancy
shew your self to him more kind.
Or if you design my Ruine,
I am willing for to dye
But be short in my undoing
Still she answered no not I.
Why then pray will you torment me
and take pleasure in my smart,
When a kind look will content me
will you frown to break my Heart,
If it be my Nannys Pleasure
on my Sword Ile freely die,
Give the word my only Treasure
Still she answered no not I.
Bid me live and ile endeavour,
every way to gain your Love
If this be to great a Favor,
bid me from your eyes remove
Deal with me as with a Creature
as you please shall live or die
Are you Mistress of ill Nature,
Still she answered no not I.
This indeed was more contenting,
than what ere before she gave
Tho it was not full consenting
it encouragd her Flame.
Should I tempt to kiss my fair one
would you say dispair and die,
Say my Love my only dear one
Still she answered no not I.
Then he laid his Arms, about her
she the Posture did Approve,
He resolvd no more to doubt her
and by progress of his Love
Gaind such conquest streight upon her
that at last they swain cry
Will you yield the Fort of Honour
Still she answered no not I.
But their was so little distance
and so yielding a defence
That he found all her resistance
was but only complesence,
Now said he you must surrender
if I force you will cry?All she said so: to defend her
Was indeed my dear not I.
Hard it was at the first Sally
for to say which side would beat,
Tho poor Willey oft did Rally
he as often did retreat:
But what most deservd my wonder
Willey he for all his Art,
Tho he kept poor Nanny under
was the first desird to part.
Printed for P. Brooksy at the Golden-Ball in Pye-Corner.