Find traditional instrumental music
X:1
T:Johnny don't get Drunk
M:C|
L:1/8
R:Reel
N:Transcribed by Frank Maloy based on the version by John
N:Ashby (1915-1979, Fauquier County, Va.)
B:Stephen F. Davis - Devil's Box, vol. 12, No. 4, Dec. 1978 (p. 26)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:D
a2|"D"afab a2g2|fafe d2 dB|AcAc dBAD|"A7"[F2A2][E4A4]a2-|
"D"afab a2g2|fafe d2 dB|"A7"AcAc dBA[FA]|"D"[E2A2][D4A4]:|
|:[A2A2]-|"D"[A2A2][AA][AB] [A2A2][AA][AA]|[FA][A2A2][AB] [A2A2][A2A2]-|[A2A2][AA][AA] [AA][AB][AA][AA]|"A7"[F2A2][E4A4][A2A2]-|
"D"[A2A2][AA][AB] [A2A2][AA][AA]|"G"[G,G][D2B2][Dd] [D2B2]Bc|"A7"AcAc dBA[FA]|"D"E2A2[D4A4]:|
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." American, Reel (cut time). USA; Kentucky, Virginia, 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. See also the related "My Wife Died on Saturday Night."
Additional notes
Source for notated version : - 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. Stephen F. Davis (The Devil's Box), vol. 12, No. 4, Dec. 1978; p. 26. 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 0061, Owen "Snake" Chapman - "Fiddle Ditty" (1990). 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]
Hear Owen "Snake" Chapman's recording at Slippery Hill [2]
Back to Johnny Don't Come Home Drunk
