Digital Tradition Mirror

Johnny With the Bandy Legs

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Johnny With the Bandy Legs
(Josef Marais)

Of a fellow, John Ferreira, we will sing, we will sing
He could ride a horse or pig or anything, anything;
But whenever he would walk, all the people, they would talk
For his bowlegs were as rounded as a ring.
     And all the people called Ferreira, Johnny with the bandy legs
     And all the people called Ferreira, Johnny with the bandy legs

cho: Hup, hop, hip on the left foot
     Hup, hop, hip on the right foot
     Stay in the middle of the road, Ferreira,
     Johnny with the bandy legs.

Every time when Johnny made his Mary mad, Mary mad,
There was one good remedy that Mary had, Mary had,
When her Johnny did her wrong, she would sing this little song
And it always made him very, very mad.
     Go, pack your things and trek, Ferreira, Johnny with the bandy legs
     Go, pack your things and trek, Ferreira, Johnny with the bandy legs
cho:

Papa said to Mary, "John is good and strong, good and strong
So why wait 'til someone else may come along, come along?
Take him now, while you can, after  all, he is a man
And time is flying, don't delay too long.
     Go, pack your things and trek with Ferreira, Johnny with the bandy legs
     Go, pack your things and trek with Ferreira, Johnny with the bandy legs"
cho:

Mary made a secret wish that in the spring, in the spring
That the stork a little baby them would bring, them would bring
When at last he did arrive, the old stork he brought them five
And once again poor Johnny heard her sing:
     Go, pack your things and trek, Ferreira, Johnny with the bandy legs
     Go, pack your things and trek, Ferreira, Johnny with the bandy legs
cho:

Note: adapted (and translated) from Afrikaans
Copyright Alamo Music, Inc.
Recorded by Marais and Miranda
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!