Annotation:My Jo Janet

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MY JO JANET. Scottish, Air (whole or cut time). C Major (Howe): D Major (McGibbon). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Howe): AABB (McGibbon). The earliest form of the tune (with an anonymous lyric) appears in old lute manuscripts such as the Skene (c. 1615-20) and Rowallan (c. 1612-28). Emmerson (1972) groups this ballad with other anonymous lyrics from the 17th century (such as "Muirland Willie," "The Barrin' o the Door," and "The Wowing of Jok and Jynny") which "add considerably to our knowledge of the habits and outlook of these times." Composer Franz Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809) composed a setting of the song, which begins:

Sweet Sir, for your courtesie,
"When ye come by the Bass, then,
"For the love ye bear to me,
"Buy me a keeking glass, then."
"Keek into the draw-well,
"Janet, Janet;
"And there ye'll see your bonny sel',
"My jo, Janet."

"Keeking in the draw-well clear,
"What if I should fa' in, Sir?
"Syne a' my kin will say an' swear,
"I drowned mysel' for sin, Sir!"
"Haud the better be the brae,
"Janet, Janet; "Haud the better be the brae,
"My jo, Janet."

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; p. 126. McGibbon (Scots Tunes, book III), 1762; p. 91.

Recorded sources:

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