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by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830 - 1894)

Boy Johnny
Language: English 
"If you'll busk you as a bride
  And make ready,
It's I will wed you with a ring,
  O fair lady."

"Shall I busk me as a bride,
  I so bonny,
For you to wed me with a ring,
  O boy Johnny?"

"When you've busked you as a bride
  And made ready,
Who else is there to marry you,
  O fair lady?"

"I will find my lover out,
  I so bonny,
And you shall bear my wedding-train,
  O boy Johnny."

Text Authorship:

  • by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830 - 1894), "Boy Johnny", appears in A Pageant and Other Poems, first published 1881 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Edric Cundell (1893 - 1961), "Boy Johnny", published 1921 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Gerald Finzi (1901 - 1956), "Boy Johnny", published 1936 [ SS chorus or unison chorus and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Samuel Liddle (1864? - 1951), "Boy Johnny", published 1900 [ voice and piano ], from Eight Christina Rossetti Poems [sung text not yet checked]
  • by (James) Albert Mallinson (1870 - 1946), "Boy Johnny", published 1901 [ voice and piano ], also set in German [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958), "Boy Johnny", 1902, published 1902, first performed 1902 [ voice and piano ], from Two Songs, no. 1, in the September 1902 Vocalist [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-09-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 80

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