Bluegrass Messengers

US & Canada Versions 8A. "Oh No John" and "No Sir"

US & Canada Versions 8A. Oh No John; No Sir; Spanish Merchant; Spanish Lady

[The "she answered No" songs are a series of songs or ballads^[1] where the maid, confronted by a wooer, answers "No" to his advances. The "trick" to the "No" songs is that the wooer eventually asks questions expecting a "No" answer so that he wins over the maid. An early tradition of the "she answers No" courting songs, which evolved out of sometimes bawdy English broadsides and print versions from the 1600s and 1700s, is not found in North America. Perhaps the earliest print version was "No! No! The celebrated duet" which was "sung by Mr. Sinclair and Mrs. Rowbotham." It was published in a variety of music collections in the 1830s including "The American Minstrel: A Choice Collection of the Most Popular Songs, Glees, Choruses, Extravaganzas, &c." dated 1837. Here's the text:

No! No! The celebrated duet sung by Mr. Sinclair and Mrs. Rowbotham.

He.—Will you not bless, with one sentence, a lover,
       Whose bosom beats only for you;
       The cause of your anger, I prythee discover,
       Pray tell me the reason for?
She. No!
He. Say dearest, you still love me?
She. No!
He. Oh, how can you doom me to sorrow,
      Yet once again bless me with
She. No!
He.—And promise to meet me to-morrow,
       Promise—
She. No!
He. Prythee--
She. No!
He. Don't say no!
He.—Must we, then, dearest Maria, sever,
And can you then part with me !
She. No!
He.—Then swear by yon sun, to be mine only ever,
        You cannot refuse me, love:
She. No!
He-- You hate not your fond lover?
She. No!
He. Your hand to my faithful heart pressing,
       Say, does it offend you, love?
She. No!
He.—Then, to marry will not be distressing,
        Answer?
She. No!
He.—Once more
She. No! no! no! no!

Some early English "No" songs, one dating back to c.1635, are found in the Main Headnotes. In North America the "No" chorus was sometimes combined with stanzas of "Madam I Am Come to Court You" as well as "The Spanish Lady" which was similar to or based on a bawdy English song dated c1770s. The mysterious Spanish Lady is also courted^[2] by a suitor in a variety of different, possibly related, versions originating in the UK. Here are five specific variants and uses of the Spanish Lady, some are used in the "she answered No" courting songs:

Spanish Lady I: The opening first and second stanzas are similar to, or derived from, a 1776 bawdy song, "The Ride in London," which has been reworked with "The Spanish Lady" replacing the "pretty maid." These two stanzas are followed by stanzas of "Madam" sometimes with the "Twenty-Eighteen" chorus and/or other choruses. See Greig-Duncan for Scottish examples collected c.1908.
Spanish Lady II: The Spanish Lady as referred to "No Sir," "Oh No, John" and the "she answered No" songs. She is the daughter of a Spanish merchant, Spanish sailor or captain who told the Spanish lady to say "No" to all advances. She is not usually called, "The Spanish Lady" but is simply the daughter of a Spanish sailor. At least three versions (one from New Hampshire) of the "She answered No" songs have the archaic opening stanzas of Spanish Lady I.
Spanish Lady III: The Spanish Lady found as the poem of the same title by Irish poet Joseph Campbell based off the first two stanzas he collected of Spanish Lady I about 1911. Campbell's poem is sung and has entered tradition and is sometime sung with the "Twenty-Eighteen" chorus and/or other choruses. It has also been combined with the 1930 version by Herbert Hughes.
Spanish Lady IV: The name "Spanish Lady" is found replacing "lovely creature" in a number of versions including children's game songs. Examples include "Here sits a Spanish lady" [JAF, Ontario, 1909 children's song] and Wehman's "Spanish Lady" printed in Universal Songster No. 39. See also "Spanish Lady" in Cox, Folk Songs of the South, 1925.
Spanish Lady V: An arrangement with new text of Spanish Lady for piano and voice by Irish composer Herbert Hughes. It was based on the first two stanzas (1911) supplied by Joseph Campbell from tradition. Hughes text also has entered tradition and is sometimes combined with Campbell's text.

There are only two extant versions in the US with the archaic opening stanzas of Spanish Lady I^[3] and only one (the Hawes version in 1943) has the "No" chorus which makes it a version of Spanish Lady II. Versions of Spanish Lady II (without the Spanish Lady I opening stanzas) and IV are commonly found in North America. The identifying stanza of Spanish Lady II found in "Oh No, John," "No Sir," "Spanish Merchant's Daughter" and the "she answered No" courting songs follows:

My father was a Spanish merchant
And before he went to sea,
He told me to be sure and answer No!
To all you said to me.

This stanza, found in most versions of Spanish Lady II, indicates that they evolved from a common ancestor. In America "Oh No John" has been known only through Cecil Sharp's popular 1911 composite and "No Sir" has mainly been known by the arrangement made by English musician Mary Wakefield from "an American governess" which was first published with music in Philadelphia in 1881. Evidence of an earlier tradition of "No Sir" is found in a MS version by Lucy Garrison of Kentucky in 1917 that was later recorded by Lomax^[4]. Another example is "No Sir No" sung by Mrs. W. V. Henderson or Arkansas in 1950. The "she answered No" songs were also combined with "Madam, I Have Come to Court You," "The Spanish Lady" and other floating stanzas. Here are four basic types identified by the chorus:

1) The "No Sir" type: No sir! No sir! No sir! No-- sir!
No sir! No sir! No sir! No.
2) The "Oh No John" type: Oh, no, John, no, John, no, John, no.
3) The "Spanish Lady" type: Rattle O ding, ding dom, ding dom,
Rattle O ding, dom da.
4) The "her answers were no" type: Uh-uh, no, no sir no,
All of her answers to me were no.

Type 1, "No Sir," is a traditional song that was arranged by Mary Wakefield of England from a text she collected from "an American Governess." Her arrangement was published in "The Peterson magazine," Volumes 79-80, Philadelphia, 1881 and in Shaw's "Gems of Minstrel Song" dated 1882 as well as other publications. Since "No Sir" was widely printed in the US, it entered tradition and several obvious cover versions were collected^[5]. Any version with her stanzas should be considered to be probably based on her print arrangement. It should be considered, however, that her arrangement was a version taken from tradition and versions of that tradition may also have been collected--some of which would have the same stanzas. The conundrum being that unless other stanzas, not found in her arrangement, are present it's impossible to determine whether the version is earlier than or independent of Wakefield's 1881 arrangement. I've listed versions with her chorus and stanzas under No Sir, a1.

Here's Wakefield's text of "No Sir" from "Songs and Ballads: 96 Songs" words and music published by W.F. Shaw, dated 1882. Wakefield's arrangement was first published in "The Peterson magazine," Volumes 79-80, Philadelphia, 1881-- other publications include Shaw's "Gems of Minstrel Song" dated 1882 and years later it appeared in Delaney's Song book (New York). Her version with music was touted to be "Sung by the leading Minstrels":

No Sir!
"Spanish Ballad"
Words and Music Arr. by A. M. Wakefield

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: No sir! No sir! No sir! No-- sir!
No sir! No sir! No sir! No.

1. My father was a Spanish merchant
And before he went to sea,
He told me to be sure and answer No!
To all you said to me.
CHORUS

3. If I was walking in the garden,
plucking flow'rs all wet with dew,
Tell me will you be offended,
If I walk and talk with you?
CHORUS

4. If when walking in the garden,
I should ask you to be mine,
and should tell you that I loved you,
would you then my heart decline?
CHORUS

Wakefield's version has the "Spanish merchant/captain" stanza. Versions with this stanza have been titled, "Spanish Merchant's Daughter." Many of the "she answers No" songs have the "My father was a Spanish merchant" stanza which is the reason she answers "No."

These "she answers No" songs had their roots in the 1600s English broadsides. The suitor asks questions expecting a "No" answer so he can win his love even with a "No" response. The first stanza of "Madam" found in "Oh No John" introduces the first courting question which may be answered Yes or No:

Yonder stands a handsome lady
Who she is I do not know
Shall I yon and court her for her beauty
What says you madam yes or no. [from a whale ship diary, 1819, New York]

The second type, "Oh No John," introduces some new stanzas and could be considered a separate song. It's origin is British and under that title^[6] was in circulation mainly in southern England in the later part of the 1800s and 1900s. US versions seem to be based entirey on the popular printed composite versions-- the most widely known is the compilation/arrangement by Cecil Sharp which was first published in his 1911 Somerset Folk Songs Series 4 and later in his 1916 "One Hundred English Folk Songs." Sharp's text was derived from two stanzas of Woolsey's version and stanzas from other versions. Woolsey's original Several had the "garter" stanza and the suitor and maid ended up in bed. Here's Sharp's sanitized popular version from 1911:

Oh No John (first two stanzas from from William Wooley of Bincombe in 1907, composite of 4 versions)

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.
O 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.
O No John! No John! No John! No!

O Madam in your face is beauty,
On your lips red roses grow,
Will you take me for your lover?
Madam, answer Yes or No.
O No John! No John! No John! No!

0 Madam, I will give you jewels,
I will make you rich and free,
1 will give you silken dresses;
Madam, will you marry me?
Oh No, John! No John! No, John! No!

O 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?
O No John! No John! No John! No!

O hark! I hear the church bells ringing,
Will you come to be my wife?
Or dear Madam, have you settled
To live single all your life?
O No John! No John! No John! No!

Sharp's version opens with the "Madam" first stanza showing the common connection between the two songs. Sharp's composite has a happy ending and the suitor and maid appear to be entering the realm of matrimonial bliss since the suitor has managed to learn how to ask the right questions to get the result he wants from her "no" response. "Oh No John" is not related in particular to "No Sir" songs, although some versions have mixed texts. The "Spanish merchant" stanza is often held in common.

"Oh No John" was in the repertoire of the Fuller Sisters, originally from Portsmouth England who toured the US to great acclaim. Their text below comes from "More Pious Friends and Drunken Companions: Songs and Ballads of Conviviality" by Frank Shay, dated 1928. They sang Sharp's arrangement with an additional penultimate stanza from Sharp's 1916 book, "One Hundred English Folk Songs" and a few minor changes:

OH, NO, JOHN!
As sung by the Fuller Sisters, 1928.

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."
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,
Bade me always answer "No!"
Oh, no, John, no, John, no, John, no.

O 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.

0 madam, I will give you jewels,
I will make you rich and free,
1 will give you silken dresses;
Madam, will you marry me?
Oh, no, John, no, John, no, John, no.

O madam, if 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,
Since 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.

Hark! I hear the trumpets 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.

A similar version of "Oh No, John" was sung by the children of the Pine Mountain Settlement School in Kentucky and published in their "Song Ballads & Other Songs of the Pine Mountain Settlement School," in 1923; Song 11, pages 17, 18. Their version was probably adapted from Sharp's two print versions of 1911 and 1916. Sharp and Karpeles visited the area in 1917 and Sharp's collection was known by local Settlement School founder Katherine Pettitt. Sharp's text was later recorded by Paul Robeson, African-American actor and singer in the 1950s. It was also a popular sixties revival song appearing in "Song Fest" (1964) and was in the repertoire of Canadian folk singer Oscar Brand (1920-2016).

Type 3, Spanish Lady, is different than appendix 8D. Spanish Lady (also titled Dublin City, 8D is derived from a 1776 bawdy song) although it's probable the name "Spoanish is taken from an unknown antecedent of 8D. There's is also a Spanish lady (My father was a Spanish merchant) who is the love interest in this appendix, 8A, "Oh No John" and "No Sir." In the following version of "Madam" from Cox's Folk Songs of the South, the Spanish lady is substituted for "lovely creature." There's also a brief "Rattle" nonsense chorus similarly found in Gypsy Davy:

Spanish Lady- Communicated by Miss Violet Noland, Davis, Tucker County, West Virginia in 1916; obtained from Mr. John Raese, who heard it sung when he was a boy.

1 Yonder stands a Spanish lady;
Who she is I do not know;
I'll go and court her for her beauty,
Let her answer yes or no.

Refrain: Rattle O ding, ding dom, ding dom,
Rattle O ding, dom day

2 "Madame, I have gold and silver,
Madame, I have house and land,
Madame, I have a world of pleasure,
And it shall be at your command."

3 "I care not for your gold and your silver,
I care not for your house and land,
I care not for your worldly pleasure:
All I want is a handsome man."

4 Blue it is a handsome color,
When it gets a second dip;
The first time a young man starts out courting
He is apt to get a slip.

5 The ripest apple soon gets rotten,
The hottest love it soon gets cold;
A young man's word is soon forgotten,
Pray, young man, don't be so bold.

This is a type 3 chorus which is rare in the US and more common in UK revisions of Spanish Lady and Galway City. This version with a Type 3 chorus is also a version of Spanish Lady IV in which "Spanish Lady" is substituted for "lovely creature." The oldest version of Spanish Lady IV was printed in 1893 in Wehman's song collection. Versions of Spanish Lady IV are classified under "Madam."

The difficulty with the many versions of "No Sir" sometimes titled, "My Father was a Spanish Merchant" is separating the traditional from those based on print. For example The Devlin version from NY and the Brown versions from NC could and probably did originate with Wakefield's print arrangement. The Brown Collection lumps "Oh No John" with "No Sir" and Brown A from Obadiah Johnson of Crossnore. Avery County, NC is Cecil Sharp's 1911 arrangement with the extra stanza as found in Fuller Sister and Pine Mountain Settlement versions. Brown B, C ("Spanish Merchant"), and D are versions of No Sir with Wakefield's text.

One archaic version of No Sir was sung by Lucy Garrison. No only is it a hybrid with "MAdam" but has the "No Sir" stanzas which would seem to precede the 1881 print version taken from "an American Governess."

No Sir- sung by Lucy Garrison of Manchester, Kentucky on 11 August, 1917 as collected by Cecil J. Sharp. Listen Lomax: https://archive.org/details/afc1937001_1503A1 also (solo): https://archive.org/details/afc1937001_1504A1

1. Yonder stands a pretty fair maiden
With her hands as white as snow,
I'll go and court her for her beauty,
Till she answers Yes or No,
   Yes or no, yes or no,
   Till she answers Yes or No.
   Yes or no, yes or no,
   Till she answers Yes or No.

2. "Madam, I am come a-courting,
If your favor I do gain,
And [if] you'll kindly entertain me,
Then perhaps I'll come again."
   Aha no, no, sir no,
   Every Answer to me was No.
   Aha no, no, sir no,
   Every Answer to me was No.

3. "Madam I have gold and silver,
Madam I have house and land,
Madam I have a ship on ocean,
It may be at your command."
CHORUS

4. "I don't want any of your gold and silver
I don't want any of your house and land,
I don't want any of your ship on the ocean
All I wants is a handsome man."
CHORUS

[Oh my darling how I love you
It breaks my heart to treat me so.
[ ] there's nary above you,
Kiss me once before you go.

5. Tell me one thing; tell me truly,
Tell me why you scorn me so,
Tell me why when I ask a question
You will always answer, No.
CHORUS

6. My father was a Spanish sailor
And before he went to sea,
Told me to be sure to answer, No Sir,
To everything you said to me.
CHORUS

7. If you're walking in your garden
Plucking flowers all wet with dew,
Tell me would you be offended,
If I walked and talked with you?
CHORUS

8. If when walking in your garden
I should ask you to be mine,
If I tell you that I love you
Would you then my heart decline?
CHORUS

9. If you're sitting in your parlour,
Well content as you'd wish to be,
Would it be a misbehaviour
For me to come and sit with thee?
CHORUS

10. There we sat and there we courted,
Till the chickens began to crow.
All in the world I had to ask her,
Open her arms and let me go.
CHORUS

The stanza between 4 and 5 was added from the two Lomax recordings. The first 4 stanzas and the extra stanza are primarily "Madam" whilst the last are "Spanish Sailor/No Sir" stanzas. This version was found in Kentucky in 1917 and surely dates back to the 1800s. Even though it has stanzas similar to the printed "No Sir" version of the late 1800s -- it would seem to pre-date that version by many years. Another version of "No Sir" with other stanzas of Madam was sung by Mrs. W. V. Henderson of Fayetteville, Arkansas on February 23, 1950:

No, Sir, No

Madam, I have come a-courting, courting favors for to gain,
And if you will entertain me, then perhaps I'll come again,
Oh, no, no, Sir, no, the answer to me was No, Sir, No,
Oh, no, no, Sir, no, all she'd say was a No, Sir, no.

Sir, you said you come a-courting, courting favors for to gain,
I will try to entertain you if you'll never come again,
Oh, no, no, Sir, no, all she'd say was a No, Sir, no.

Tell me one thing, tell me truly, tell me why you scorn me so,
Tell me why when I ask a question you will always answer
No, Oh, no, no, Sir, no, all she'd say was a No, Sir, no. Sir,

My father is a merchant and before he went to sea,
He told me to be sure to answer No to all you said to me,
Oh, no, no, Sir, no, all she'd say was a No, Sir, no.

Madam, while you're walking in the garden, plucking flowers wet with dew,
Would you be offended if I'd walk and talk with you,
Oh, no, no, Sir, no, all she'd say was a No, Sir, no.

Madam, while you're walking in the garden, if I were to ask you to be mine,
If I'd tell you that I loved you, would you then my heart decline?
Oh, no, no, Sir, no, all she'd say was a No, Sir, no.

The ripest apple soon is rotten, the warmest love will soon grow cold,
A young man's love is soon forgotten; please come, Sir, don't be so bold,
Oh, no, no, Sir, no, all she'd say was a No, Sir, no.

There they sat and talked together until chickens crowed for day,
And the very last words that were uttered, Open your arms and let me away,
Oh, no, no, Sir, no, all she'd say was a No, Sir, no.

Three stanzas are directly from "Madam" while the other are from "No Sir." The last stanza is not standard (i.e. from Wakefield) indicating this was not based on print. Another small group of songs is similar to the last two songs. They are songs with stanzas primarily of "Madam" with the "No Sir" and/or "she answered No" chorus. Here's a list:

a1. "No Sir, No" (Yonder is a comely flower) c. 1919 from "Kentucky Mountain Songs" by Wyman and Brockway.
a2. "No Sir, No" (Yonder is a comely flower) 1928 Bradley Kincaid, "My Favorite Mountain Ballads and Songs" with stanzas from Wakefield.
b. "Oh No, No Sir, No" sung by Mrs. Mary Brown of Greene County, PA. Collected by Bayard in 1929; from Pennsylvania Songs and Legends, Korson.
c. "Yonder Comes a Heavenly Creature" sung by O.B. Campbell Medford, OK 1934
d. "Madam I Have Come A-Courting" vocal performance by Jonathan Moses at Orford (New Hampshire); recorded by Helen Flanders on 08-24-1951. Learned in North Haven, Maine.

Added to this list is "Uh, uh No," sung by Lannis Sutton of Doxy, Oklahoma which has stanzas of Madam and the "she answered No" chorus with added stanzas with a western theme[]. It's similar to "Yankee Boys" which doesn't have the "she answered No" chorus. "Uh, uh No," was collected by Sam Eskin in 1951 and published in Lomax's " Folk-Songs of North America," 1960. A similar song "All of her answers to me were No," was recording by Peggy Seeger in 1955 on her Folkways LP, Folk Songs of Courting & complaint." Seeger's song is apparently based on Sutton's version.

* * * *

Some Conclusions

"Oh No John," "No Sir" and the various "she answered No" songs evolved from various English broadsides and print versions of the 1600s and 1700s. "Oh No John" is not traditional in North America but has been adapted from Cecil Sharp's published 1911 and 1916 composite versions. Traditional versions of "Oh No John" are rare in England and are represented mainly by two complete versions collected from Woolsey and Beale in southern England in the early 1900s. Sharp's composite was published as early as 1923 in Kentucky and covers of it were recorded by Paul Robeson in the 1950s and Canadian folk singer Oscar Brand in the 1960s.

An arrangement of "No Sir" by English musician Mary Wakefield of a version collected from "an American Governess" was published in Philadelphia in 1881 ans twice in New York in 1882. Wakefield's four stanza arrangement had the "No Sir" chorus and was billed as "Sung by the leading Minstrels." Wakefield's "No Sir" was widely known and published so it entered tradition and has been collected in North America, the UK and Australia. A few versions have been collected in North America which are presumably from an earlier unknown tradition. Every version similar to, or based on, Wakefield's popular arrangement has not been included here. For example several single stanza music transcriptions from Brown, Volume V, have not been included and not every reprint of Wakefield's music has been mentioned. This study is not focused on cover versions.

The relationship with "Madam, I Have Come To Court You" is found in the first stanza of "Oh No John" and a number of versions with Madam stanzas and a "she answered No" chorus.

Both "Oh No, John" and "No Sir" have the "Spanish merchant" stanza which may be related to an early version of "Spanish Lady," a song with opening stanzas similar to, or based on, a bawdy English song from the 1770s. Only two extant versions with the Spanish Lady opening have been found in America and one of them has the "No sir" chorus. Despite having a stanza in common, "Oh No, John" and "No Sir" should be considered different songs with a possible common ancestry.

There ere are four basic types of "No" songs in North America as identified by the chorus. Some of the "No Sir" choruses also have "she answered No/All her answers to me were No" in the last line.

R. Matteson 2017]

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Footnotes:

1. The terms "song" and "ballad" are used interchangeably in the "Madam" songs and "she answered No" songs. By definition a ballad must tell a story and in many of these courting songs there is a plot although it's a flimsy one.
2. In the Irish versions the wooer is an observer or voyeur who watches a Spanish Lady washing her feet/clothes by candlelight.
3. The two songs are: "The Spanish Lady" sung by Nancy McCuddy Stevenson of Clarksville, TN on Dec. 5, 1953, learned from her father ("Folk Songs of Middle Tennessee: The George Boswell Collection" edited by Charles K. Wolfe- 1997) and "Spanish Lady" sung by Andrew Hawes of Pittsburg, New Hampshire June 18, 1943 (Collected and recorded by Helen Hartness Flanders).
4. Garrison was recorded twice by Lomax in 1937. Both versions have an extra stanza not found in Sharp's MS.
5. Some of the early cover versions include: A version of "No Sir" collected by Roberts that was sung about 1900 in Kentucky; "No Sir" from Mrs. T. N. Underwood of Correct, Ind. printed in The play-party in Indiana by Leah Jackson Wolford, 1916 and "No, Sir" taken from the manuscript songbook of Miss Lura Wagoner of Vox, Alleghany county, lent to Dr. Brown in 1936. (Brown Collection Vol. III); the entries in the book were probably made some twenty or more years earlier.
6. It should be noted that similar stanzas in the UK have been title "No Sir." See White/Hopper and Larner.

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CONTENTS: (To access individual texts click on the highlighted blue title or on the title attached to this page on the left-hand column).

    1) No! No!-- Sinclair/Rowbotham (PA) 1832 print--"No! No! The celebrated duet" was sung by Mr. Sinclair and Mrs. Rowbotham and widely published including in "The Singer's Own Book," 1832, Philadelphia.
    2) No Sir- American governess (US) 1882 Mary Wakefield-- Words and Music arranged by A. M. Wakefield from an American governess; published 1881 in Philadelphia and 1882 in New York. This is the original of most versions from the US and Canada.
    3) No, Sir- Holmes (KY) c.1900 Roberts
    4) No Sir- Aura Wagoner (NC) c.1916 Brown B
    5) No Sir- Lucy Garrison (KY) 1917 Sharp MS
    No Sir- Maud Morrison (KY) 1917 Sharp MS
    No Sir- Mrs. Underwood (IN) 1917 Wolford
    O No John- Pine Mt. Settlement School (KY) 1923
    Spanish Merchant's Daughter- Stoneman (VA) 1928
    No Sir, No- Mrs. Louisa Moses (KY) 1930 Fuson
    Scottish Merchant's Daughter- Daley (OK) c.1935
    My Father Was a Spanish Merchant- Devlin (NY) 1937
    No, Sir, No- Grace Longino (TX) 1939 Lomax
    O No, John- Obadiah Johnson (NC) c.1940 Brown A
    No Sir, No Sir- Maggie Morgan (AR) 1942 Randolph
    Spanish Lady- L.A. Hawes (NH) 1943 Flanders REC
    Yes Sir, No Sir- Perkins Flint (VT) 1944 Flanders
    No Sir No- Mrs. W. V. Henderson (AR) 1950 Parler B
    No Sir, No Sir- Weare/Davis (AR) 1954 Parler A
    No Sir- Mrs. W.N. Osborne (AR) 1957 Wolf Coll.
    No Sir- Oleavia Houser (AR) 1958 Parler C
    No Sir- Bessie Atchley (AR) 1960 Parler D
    No Sir- Edna Ritchie (KY) 1961 REC J. Ritchie

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Brown Collection versions and notes:

14. No, Sir

This courting song, also known as 'My Father was a Spanish Merchant.' goes back with some changes in the course of time to the seventeenth century and has been many times printed in popular songbooks; see Kittredge's very thorough bibliographical note to Tolman's Ohio texts, JAFL xxxv 406-7. In some texts it shows contamination with 'Madam, I Have Gold and Silver.' It has been reported as traditional song from Virginia (FSV 237), Kentucky (BKH 81; TKMS 98-101 may be reckoned a form of it), Tennessee (BTFLS III 96), Arkansas (OFS iii 104-5), Ohio (JAFL xxxv 405, BSO 146). Indiana (Wolford 73-4, as a play-party song), and Iowa (MAFLS xxix 44); it is listed in Miss Pound's syllabus: forms of it appear in Sharp's One Hundred English Folk Songs and in JFSS iv 208 (Dorset); and it is no doubt known and sung much more widely than this list would indicate.

A. 'O No, John.' From the manuscripts of Obadiah Johnson of Crossnore. Avery county. This is much the fullest of our North Carolina versions.

1. 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.

     O no, John! No, John! No, John! No!

(This is the refrain line, sung in the person of the girl after each stanza sung by the man.)

2. '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!'

3 'O madam, in your face is beauty,
On your lips red roses grow.
Will you take me for your lover?
Madam, answer yes or no.

4. 'O madam, I will give you jewels,
I will make you rich and free,
I will give you silken dresses.
Madam, will you marry me?

5. 'O 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?

6. '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?

7 'O hark! I hear the church bells ringing;
Will vou come and be my wife?
Oh, dear madam have you settled
To live single all your life?'

B. 'No, Sir." From the manuscript songbook of Miss Lura Wagoner of Vox, Alleghany county, lent to Dr. Brown in 1936; the entries in the book were probably made some twenty or more years earlier.

1. 'Tell iiie one thing, tell me truly,
Tell nie why you scorn nie so.
Tell nie. when 1 ask a question.
Yon will always answer No.'

Chorus: No, sir, no, sir, no, sir, no, sir,
No, sir, no, sir, no, sir, no.

2. 'My father was a Spanish merchant,
And, before he went to sea,
He told me to be sure and answer
"No" to all you said to me.'

3. 'If, when walking in the garden,
Plucking flowers all wet with dew,
Tell me. would you be offended
If I walk and talk with you?

4. 'If, when walking in the garden,
I should ask you to be mine
And should tell you that I love you,
Would you then mv heart decline?'

C. 'Spanish Merchant." Obtained by G. D. Harmon from W. K. Harris of Union Mills, Rutherford county. Same as B except that it lacks the first stanza.

["Spanish Merchant;" Ewart Wilson 1929 similar Hauser's version]

D. 'No, Sir!' Obtained from Aura Holton of Durham in 1922. The text as in C, with direction that the chorus is to be sung by the boy and the girl together. Seems to be a play-party song.

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This version was sung in the US tours by the English singers -- Fuller Sisters. Stanzas are from Sharp's two print versions of Oh No John. From: More Pious Friends and Drunken Companions: Songs and Ballads of Conviviality by Frank Shay; with drawings by John Held Jr. 1928

OH, NO, JOHN!
As sung by the Fuller Sisters

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."
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,
Bade me always answer "No!"
Oh, no, John, no, John, no, John, no.

O 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.

0 madam, I will give you jewels,
I will make you rich and free,
1 will give you silken dresses;
Madam, will you marry me?
Oh, no, John, no, John, no, John, no.

O madam, if 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,
Since 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.

Hark! I hear the trumpets 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.

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Notes from Cox (Version is of Madam" not the "she answered No" songs:

FOLK-SONGS OF THE SOUTH 465

158. THE SPANISH LADY

This brief ditty, sometimes used as a game-song, is formed upon "O No, John," for which see Sharp, Folk-Songs from Somerset, iv, 46; Sharp, One Hundred English Folksongs, No. 68; Sharp, English Folk Songs, n, 116; Buck, The Oxford Song Book, p. 147; Journal, xxxv, 405; Pound, p. 43; Wyman MS., No. 49. It keeps, however, only the opening stanza of "O No, John" (see also Gomme, Traditional Games, I, 320; Kidson and Moffatt, Eighty Singing Games, p. 84). Fragments of that song are used as game-rhymes in Indiana (Wolford, The Play-Party in Indiana, p. 73) and Missouri (Belden's collection); cf.
Pound, p. 77.

For texts similar to the West Virginia piece see Newell, Games and Songs of American Children, p. 55; Barry, Journal, xxiv, 341; Broadwood and Fuller Maitland, English County Songs, p. 90; Butterworth, Folk Songs from Sussex, p. 2; Gillington, Songs of the Open Road, No. 10, p. 22. Gardiner, Folk-Songs from Hampshire, p. 41; Journal of the Folk-Song Society, iv, 297; Ebsworth, Roxburghe Ballads, viii, ii, 852; Alfred Williams, Folk-Songs of the Upper Thames, p. 196. Of these, all have stanza 3, and all but Newell have stanza 5. Neither of these two stanzas belongs to "O No, John." For stanza 5, in other contexts or alone by itself, see Ashton's Real Sailor-Songs, 72 ; Journal of the Folk-Song Society, 1, 29, 45; Journal of the Irish Folk-Song Society, ix, 28. Stanza 3 has some resemblance to lines in " The Quaker's Wooing," which is also used as a game-song (Newell, p. 94; Rosa S. Allen, Family Songs, p. 14; Pound, No. 108; Focus, in, 276; Journal, xvm, 56; xxiv, 342). Stanzas 2 and 3 occur in one West Virginia version of "A Pretty Fair Maid" (No. 92).

For references to similar songs see Kittredge, Journal, xxxv, 406.

Communicated by Miss Violet Noland, Davis, Tucker County, 1916; obtained from Mr. John Raese, who heard it sung when he was a boy.

1 Yonder stands a Spanish lady;
Who she is I do not know;
I'll go and court her for her beauty,
Let her answer yes or no.

Refrain: Rattle O ding, ding dom, ding dom,
Rattle O ding, dom day

2 "Madame, I have gold and silver,
Madame, I have house and land,
Madame, I have a world of pleasure,
And it shall be at your command."

3 "I care not for your gold and your silver,
I care not for your house and land,
I care not for your worldly pleasure:
All I want is a handsome man."

4 Blue it is a handsome color,
When it gets a second dip;
The first time a young man starts out courting
He is apt to get a slip.

5 The ripest apple soon gets rotten,
The hottest love it soon gets cold;
A young man's word is soon forgotten,
Pray, young man, don't be so bold.

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