Recordings & Info 169. Johnie Armstrong
CONTENTS:
1) Alternative Titles
2) Traditional Ballad Index
3) Child Collection Index
ATTACHED PAGES: (see left hand column)
1) Roud No. 76: Johnie Armstrong (41 Listings)
Alternative Titles
Johnie Armstrang
Johnnie Armstrong's Last Farewell
Johnnie Armstrong's Last Goodbye
Johnny He's A-Ridin'
Traditional Ballad Index: Johnie Armstrong [Child 169]
NAME: Johnie Armstrong [Child 169]
DESCRIPTION: Johnie Armstrong "had nither lands nor rents," but "kept eight score men in his hall" by raiding. The king summons Armstrong to court. Armstrong comes; the king orders his execution. Armstrong instead dies fighting. His young son vows revenge
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST_DATE: 1658
KEYWORDS: outlaw royalty punishment execution battle death
HISTORICAL_REFERENCES: 1530 - James V of Scotland puts down the Armstrongs
FOUND_IN: Britain(England,Scotland(Aber,Hebr))
REFERENCES: (12 citations)
Child 169, "Johnie Armstrong" (3 texts, 2 tunes) {Bronson's #6, #7}
Bronson 169, "Johnie Armstrong" (10 versions)
Leach, pp. 475-477, "Johnie Armstrong" (1 text)
Friedman, p. 240, "Johnie Armstrong" (2 texts)
OBB 89, "Johnie Armstrong" (1 text)
Gummere, pp. 127-129+329, "Johnie Armstrong" (1 text)
Hodgart, p. 106, "Johnie Armstrong" (1 text)
Flanders-Ancient3, pp. 153-158, "Johnie Armstrong" (1 text, from "The Charms of Melody" rather than tradition)
TBB 22, "Johnie Armstrong" (1 text)
HarvClass-EP1, pp. 101-103, "Johnie Armstrong" (1 text)
BBI, ZN1503, "Is there never a man in all Scotland"
DT 169, JARMSTR1 JARMSTR2
Roud #76
BROADSIDES:
NLScotland, S.302.b.2(064), "John Armstrong's Last Farewell," unknown, after 1700
SAME_TUNE:
Fare Thou Well Bonny Gilt Knock Hall (per broadside NLScotland, S.302.b.2(064))
NOTES: Several English texts claim that Armstrong lived in Westmoreland, and raided the Scots. This is, of course, not true; he was a Scot. But neither side had much use for such an outlaw.
Izaak Walton's _Compeat Angler_ refers to this tune (Chapter II), although in a strange list mixing folk songs ("Johnny Armstrong," "Chevy Chase") and art songs ("As at Noon Dulcina Rested," "Phyllida Flouts Me"). According to E. K. Chambers, _English Literature at the Close of the Middle Ages_, Oxford, 1945, 1947, p. 181, the 1549 _Complaynt of Scotland_ mentions a "Ihonne ermstrangis dance," which might well refer to the same Johnie Armstrong but probably is not the same song. - RBW
Child Collection Index- Child Ballad 169: Johnie Armstrong
Child --Artist --Title --Album --Year --Length --Have
169 Andy Hunter Johnnie Armstrang King Fareweel 1984 No
169 Bob Coltman Johnny Armstrong's Last Goodnight Son of Child 1976 4:24 Yes
169 David Kilpatrick Johnny He's A-Ridin' David Kilpatrick 2005 4:28 Yes
169 David Wilkie & Cowboy Celtic The Betrayal of Johnnie Armstrong The Drover Road 2001 3:51 Yes
169 Jack Armstrong Lads of Alnwick + Johnnie Armstrong Northumbrian Minstrelsy 1964 1:45 >Yes
169 Jamie MacDougall & Haydn Trio Eisenstadt Scottish Songs for William Napier V – Johnie Armstrong Haydn Edition 2008 4:00 Yes
169 John Faulkner Johnny Armstrong Voices - The Second Book/Record Two 1968 No
169 Katherine Campbell Johnnie Armstrong The Songs of Amelia and Jane Harris - Scots Songs and Ballads from Perthshire Tradition 2004 5:14 Yes
169 Pauline Cato Johnny Armstrong Minstrel's Fancy 1997 1:23 Yes
169 Salmontails Johnny Armstrong + Whittingham Green Lane Salmontails 1980 3:08 Yes
169 The High Level Ranters Johnny Armstrong + Derwentwater's Farewell + Ned of the Hill The Lads of Northumbria 1969 3:15 Yes
169 The High Level Ranters Johnny Armstrong + Derwentwater's Farewell + Ned of the Hill Our Folk Music Heritage 1975 No
169 Willie Beattie Johnny Armstrong Borderers - Ballads, Songs & Tunes from the Scottish Borders 2005 No
169 Willie Beattie Johnny Armstrong Up in the North and Down in the South - Songs and Music from the Mike Yates Collection 1964-2000 2001 No