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Oh, no, John!
Last updated: 07.01.24
I have known this song since childhood and always enjoyed it. It could also often be heard being sung by the great and famous on the radio at the back end of the 1940's. I did not take into my repertoire however, until coming across it Folk Songs of the British Isles. It originates from a Cecil Sharp collection and is a jolly account of an arduous young man wooing a charming young captain's daughter who had been taught always to say "No" as a defence against masculine wiles. Our hero is up to the mark by wittily conducting a conversation such that even when the girl always says "No", matrimony is the final result.

When with Das Trio it would be sung by Maike Weyerts while I accompanied her on my concertina..
Recently (October, 2013), I found another amusing 7-verse variant under the title of No, Sir, No given in Marrow Bones.
  Composer Sequencer
     
audiomidi15.gif Unknown Frank Petersohn
  Composer Performer Instruments
       
audiodbemp315.gif Unknown Geoff Grainger Voice, Concertina
     Performer CD Title Supplier
       
cd15.gif Geoff Grainger Manifold Love flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif dbe15.gif
cd15.gif Roy Henderson Roy Henderson - Centenary Release flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif
cd15.gif The Oxford New College Choir Early One Morning flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Paul Robeson Great Voices of the Century- Paul Robeson flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Paul Robeson Paul Robeson CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Paul Robeson The Peace Arch Concerts flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
     Title Performer Composer
       
youtube15.jpg Oh, no, John! (2:05) Paul Robeson Traditional