Annotation:Johnny Don't Come Home Drunk

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JOHNNY, DON'T COME HOME DRUNK. AKA - "John John Don't You Come Home Drunk," "Johnny Don't Get Drunk," "Johnny Johnny Don't Get Drunk," "Don't Come Home Drunk Johnny," "Jimmy Don't Come Home Drunk." Old-Time, Breakdown. USA; Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Silberberg): AABB (most versions). The melody is known as a Missouri tune and is one of '100 essential Missouri tunes' listed by Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden. However, it is widely disseminated throughout the 'greater Appalachian' and Mid-west regions. Some see similarities between this tune and the Irish reel "Miss Monahan/Miss Monaghan's Reel." Jeff Titon (2001) believes the tune may have been derived from a temperance song. Source Owen "Snake" Chapman (b. 1919, Kentucky) said he thought he might have learned it after hearing it played on the radio.

Sources for notated versions: Bob Walters (Burt County, Nebraska), recorded in 1954 [Christeson, Milliner & Koken]; Art Stamper (Ky.) [Phillips]; Stuart Williams [Songer]; Owen "Snake" Chapman (Whitesburg, Letcher County, Ky., 1990) [Titon]; Carthy Sisco [Silberberg].

Printed sources: R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddler's Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; p. 62. Milliner & Koken (Milliner-Koken Collection of American Fiddle Tunes), 2011; p. 347. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; p. 74. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; p. 76 (appears as "Johnny Don't Get Drunk"). Songer (Porland Collection), 1997; p. 115 (appears as "Johnny, Johnny, Don't Get Drunk"). Titon (Old-Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 79, p. 107 (appears as "Johnny Don't Get Drunk").

Recorded sources: County 727, John Ashby - "John Ashby and the Free State Ramblers: Old Virginia Fiddling" (1970). County 779 & County CD2712, Art Stamper (Ky.) - "The Lost Fiddler" (c. 1982). June Appal 0067, Snake Chapman - "Seedtime on the Cumberland" (1992). Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association 001, Pete McMahan - "Ozark Mountain Waltz" (1987). Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, Cyril Stinnett (1912-1986) - "Plain Old Time Fiddling." Missouri State Old Time Fiddlers' Association, MSOTFA 109, "Paddy on the Turnpike" (1993).

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]

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