Juanita (song)

Not to be confused with Wanita.

"Juanita" A Spanish Ballad
Sheet music cover (1855).
Written by	Hon. Mrs. Norton
Published	1855
Language	English

"Juanita" ("Nita Juanita") is a love song variously subtitled "A Spanish Ballad", "A Song of Spain", etc. "Juanita" was first published in 1855 attributed to Mrs. Norton, with music arranged by T.G May. The opening four-bar phrase of the song is taken from Handel's aria Lascia ch'io pianga from the opera Rinaldo, although the subsequent melody differs from that of the aria. The name of the song is derived from the refrains:

(First)

Nita! Juanita! Ask thy soul if we should part!

Nita! Juanita! Lean thou on my heart.^[1]

(Second)

Nita! Juanita! Let me linger by thy side!

Nita! Juanita! Be my own fair bride!^[2]

"Juanita" appears in numerous songbooks and has been recorded many times.

References

^ Norton, "Juanita".
^ Norton, "Juanita".

Choral Public Domain Library http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Juanita

Bibliography

Metropolitan Quartette (1909). "Juanita" mp3. Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project. University of California, Santa Barbara. [1]

Morgan and Stanley (1905). "Juanita" mp3. Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project. University of California, Santa Barbara. [2]

Norton, Mrs. "Juanita" (sheet music). Boston: Oliver Ditson (1885).