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Faithful Johnny

[ RoudBS B97438 ; words Anne Grant of Laggan (1755-1838)]

Faithfu’ Johnie is a poem by Anne Grant of Laggan (1755-1838), set to music by Ludwig van Beethoven (25 Scottish Songs op. 108 no. 20)

Robin and Barry Dransfield sang Faithful Johnny in 1971 on their Trailer LP Lord of All I Behold. A live recording by Robin Dransfield at the Medway Folk Centre on 14 November 1972 was included on the CD reissue of his Topic album Tidewave, which was released with the name A Lighter Touch.

Jean Redpath sang Faithful Johnny in 1975 on her eponymous album Jean Redpath. She noted:

Robin and Barry Dransfield recorded this song on one of their LPs and I was greatly taken with it. They learned it from Johnny Handle who stumbled across it in a school song book. The Merry Piper Song Book for Schools (Finlay & Forster: McDougall) is the only printed source I have found and that publication claims that this is an “old Scottish Melody”. My thanks to Robin for his help, and to Helen Neish in Thurso for much (successful!) searching on my behalf.

Graham Metcalfe sang Faithful Johnnie in 1996 on his WildGoose CD Songs From Yorkshire. He noted:

This is the only song I know which mentions Halloween. From an early Dransfield record.

The Claque sang My Faithful Johnnie in 2008 on their WildGoose CD Sounding Now. They commented in their liner notes:

The song My Faithful Johnnie, as sung here, was learned from Eileen Armstrong from Belfast in 1973. It has a strange provenance including claims that the tune is by Beethoven. Jeannie Robertson is probably best responsible for a wider knowledge of it.

Bryony Griffith sang Faithful Johnny on her and Will Hampson’s 2011 CD Lady Diamond. They learned it from the singing of Graham Metcalfe.

Lyrics

Faithfu’ Johnie by Anne Grant

When will you come again, my faithfu’ Johnie,
When will you come again?
“When the corn is gathered,
And the leaves are withered,
I will come again, my sweet and bonny,
I will come again.”

Then winter’s winds will blaw, my faithfu’ Johnie,
Then winter’s winds will blaw;
“Though the day be dark wi’ drift,
That I canna see the lift,
I will come again, my sweet and bonny,
I will come again.”

Then will you meet me here, my faithfu’ Johnie,
Then will you meet me here?
“Though the night were halloween
When the fearfu’ sights are seen,
I would meet thee here,my sweet and bonny,
I would meet thee here.”

O come na by the muir, my faithfu’ Johnie,
O come na by the muir.
“Though the wraiths were glinting white
By the dim elf-candles’ light,
I would come to thee, my sweet and bonny,
I would come to thee.”

And shall we part again, my faithfu’ Johnie,
Shall we part again?
“Sae lang’s my eye can see, Jean,
That face so dear to me, Jean,
We shall not part again, my sweet and bonny,
We shall not part again.”

Source: Beethoven Werke XI, 1 (Schottische und walisische Lieder), edited by Petra Weber-Bockholdt (G. Henle Verlag, 1999, pp. 104-109); and Beethoven: Volkslied-Bearbeitungen [Folksong Arrangements], Vol. 17 (Deutsche Grammophon 453 786-2)

Bryony Griffith sings Faithful Johnny

When will you come again, my faithful Johnny?
When will you come again, my faithful Johnny?
When the corn is gathered, when the leaves are withered,
I will come again, my sweet and bonnie, I will come again.

When will you come again, my faithful Johnny?
When will you come again, my faithful Johnny?
Though the night be dark with drift that I cannot see the light,
I will come again, my sweet and bonnie, I will come again.

When will you come again, my faithful Johnny?
When will you come again, my faithful Johnny?
Though the night be Halloween, when the fearful sights are seen
I will come again, my sweet and bonnie, I will come again.

When will you come again, my faithful Johnny?
When will you come again, my faithful Johnny?
Now the corn is gathered, now the leaves are withered,
I will come again, my sweet and bonnie, I will come again.