Johnny My Man (Farewell tae Whiskey) – Trad. Scottish
performed by Chris Caldwell
"This song is traditional to both Scotland and the North of Ireland. It appears in Volume 3 of the The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection (ed. Shuldham-Shaw, Lyle & Hall, pub. between 1981 and 2002 by Mercat Press.) It was collected by Gavin Greig between 1904 and 1914 near Aberdeen, Scotland from Miss Annie Shirer who said she got the song "From a Mr John Dick, twenty-five years ago. He is now in Fraserburgh and is a fine singer by ear.""
“Oh, Johnny my man, do you no think o' risin'
The day is weel spent and the night's comin’ on
Your siller's a' deen and the gill stoup is empty
Well, rise ye now Johnny, and come awa' hame.
The bairnies at hame are roarin' and greetin'
Nae meal in the barrel tae fill their wee wames
You sit here a drinkin' and leave us lamentin'
Well, rise ye now Johnny, and come awa' hame.”
“Wha's that at the door that's speakin' sae kindly
It's the voice o' me ain wifie, Maggie by name
Come in, my dear lassie, and sit doon aside me
There’s room in this alehoose for mair nor me”
“Oh Johnny, my man, dae ye no mind the courtin'
When the lang summer days we ne’er thocht would end
We’d spend dry days mang the sweet smellin' roses
And ne'er gie'd a thocht upon gaun awa' hame.”
“Oh weel dae I mind the times that ye speak o'
But these days they are gaun and will ne'er come again
But as for the present, we'll try for tae mend it
So gie's your hand Maggie, and I'll awa' hame.”
As Johnny arose, he banged the door open
Sayin', “cursed be the ale-hoose that e'er let me in
And cursed be the whiskey that mak's me so thirsty
So fare thee well, whiskey, and I'll awa' hame.”