Johnny Sands
Lyrics
A man whose name was Johnny Sands
Did marry Betty Hague,
And though she brought him gold and lands,
She proved a terrible plague;
For O, she was a scolding wife,
Full of caprice and whim:
He said that he was tired of life
And she was tired of him,
And she was tired of him.
Said he “Then I will drown myself;
The river runs below.”
Said she, “Pray do, you silly elf!
I’d wished it long ago.”
Said he, “Upon the brink I’ll stand;
Do you run down the hill
And push me in with all your might.”
Said she, “My love, I will.”
Said she, “My love, I will.”
“For fear that I should courage lack
And try to save my life,
Pray tie my hands behind my back.”
“I will,” replied his wife.
She tied them fast as you might think,
And when securely done,
“Now stand,” said she, “upon the brink,
And I’ll prepare to run,
And I’ll prepare to run.”
All down the hill his loving wife
Now ran with all her force
To push him in; he stepped aside,
And she fell in, of course.
There, splashing, dashing like a fish,
“Oh save me Johnny Sands!”
“I can’t, my dear, though much I wish,
For you have tied my hands,
For you have tied my hands,
For you have tied my hands!”
Collection item #D43B02. Sung by Amos Eaton, S Royalton, VT.
Did marry Betty Hague,
And though she brought him gold and lands,
She proved a terrible plague;
For O, she was a scolding wife,
Full of caprice and whim:
He said that he was tired of life
And she was tired of him,
And she was tired of him.
Said he “Then I will drown myself;
The river runs below.”
Said she, “Pray do, you silly elf!
I’d wished it long ago.”
Said he, “Upon the brink I’ll stand;
Do you run down the hill
And push me in with all your might.”
Said she, “My love, I will.”
Said she, “My love, I will.”
“For fear that I should courage lack
And try to save my life,
Pray tie my hands behind my back.”
“I will,” replied his wife.
She tied them fast as you might think,
And when securely done,
“Now stand,” said she, “upon the brink,
And I’ll prepare to run,
And I’ll prepare to run.”
All down the hill his loving wife
Now ran with all her force
To push him in; he stepped aside,
And she fell in, of course.
There, splashing, dashing like a fish,
“Oh save me Johnny Sands!”
“I can’t, my dear, though much I wish,
For you have tied my hands,
For you have tied my hands,
For you have tied my hands!”
Collection item #D43B02. Sung by Amos Eaton, S Royalton, VT.