Johnny Be Fair
Ruth Notman Lyrics
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And I would marry Johnny, but my father up and said
I'm sad to tell you daughter what your mother never knew
But Johnny is a son of mine and so he's kin to you
Well, Jimmy be fair and Jimmy be fine and wants me for to wed
And I would marry Jimmy, but my father up and said
I'm sad to tell you daughter what your mother never knew
Well, Billy be fair and Billy be fine and wants me for to wed
And I would marry Billy, but my father up and said
I'm sad to tell you daughter what your mother never knew
But Billy, too, is a son of mine and so he's kin to you
You never seen a girl so sad and sorry as I was
The boys in town are all my kin and my father is the pa
If this continue I shall die a single miss
So I'll go to mother and complain to her of this
Oh daughter, haven't I taught you to forgive and to forget
Even if this all is true, still you needn't fret
Your father may be father to all the boys in town, still
He's not the one who sired you, so marry who you will
The lyrics of Ruth Notman's Johnny Be Fair tell the story of a woman who is being courted by three different men, Johnny, Jimmy, and Billy. She is ready to marry any one of them but is stopped by her father, who reveals that all three men are sons of his and therefore, she is related to them. This leaves her feeling heartbroken and trapped, as she cannot marry any of the men she loves. She decides to go to her mother to complain about the situation, and her mother advises her to forgive and forget her father's actions and marry whoever she desires.
The song's message is a commentary on the societal norms of that time and highlights the fact that for women, their lives and decisions were often dictated by the men in their lives, be it their father or husband. The woman in the song is not given agency over her life, and her father's actions leave her feeling hopeless and resigned to a life of being single.
The lyrics of the song, along with Notman's evocative vocals, make the listener feel the emotions of the singer and empathize with her situation. The song is a poignant reminder of the struggles women have faced throughout history to gain control over their own lives and make choices that are truly theirs.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, Johnny be fair and Johnny be fine and wants me for to wed
There is a man named Johnny who is very attractive and desires to marry me.
And I would marry Johnny, but my father up and said
I want to marry Johnny, but my father gave me some bad news.
I'm sad to tell you daughter what your mother never knew
I am saddened to have to reveal to you a secret that your mother never knew about.
But Johnny is a son of mine and so he's kin to you
Johnny is also my son, which makes him your brother and therefore ineligible to marry.
You never seen a girl so sad and sorry as I was
I was extremely sad and remorseful about the situation.
The boys in town are all my kin and my father is the pa
All of the boys in town are my brothers, and my father is their father as well.
If this continue I shall die a single miss
If this situation continues, I will never find a suitable husband and will likely remain single for the rest of my life.
So I'll go to mother and complain to her of this
I will go to my mother and discuss this issue with her.
Oh daughter, haven't I taught you to forgive and to forget
My daughter, haven't I taught you the importance of forgiveness and letting go of grudges?
Even if this all is true, still you needn't fret
Even if this situation is true, there is no need for you to worry excessively about it.
Your father may be father to all the boys in town, still
While it is true that your father is the father of all the boys in town,
He's not the one who sired you, so marry who you will
he is not your biological father, so you are free to marry whomever you choose.
Contributed by Zoe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.