| Author | Topic: Add: A-Roving | |
| dmcg | Posted - 10 Sep 04 - 10:52 am | |
In Amsterdam there lived a maid, Mark well what I do say, In Amsterdam there lived a maid, And she was mistress of her trade, I'll go no more a-roving, with you fair maid. A-roving, a-roving, since roving's been my ruin, I'll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid. I took that fair maid for a walk, Mark well what I do say, I took that fair maid for a walk, And we had such a loving talk. I'll go no more a-roving, with you fair maid. A-roving, a-roving, since roving's been my ruin, I'll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid. I put my arm around her waist, Mark well what I do say, I put my arm around her waist, So slim and trim and tightly laced, I'll go no more a-roving, with you fair maid. A-roving, a-roving, since roving's been my ruin, I'll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid. Source: Singing Together, Autumn 1960, BBC Publications Notes: From The Shanty Book, Part II, Curwen and Son. The tune is a simplified version of Hugill's, (see the abc project file for Shanties from the Seven Seas. The lyrics above have been 'rendered suitable' for primary school children; I have posted Hugill's lyrics below. Edited By dmcg - 10-Sep-2004 10:59:53 AM | ||
| dmcg | Posted - 10 Sep 04 - 11:15 am | |
Hugill's lyrics are below: In Amsterdam there lived a maid, Mark well what I do say, In Amsterdam there lived a maid, An' she wuz mistress of her trade, I'll go no more a-rovin', with you fair maid. A-rovin', a-rovin', since rovin's been me ruin, We'll go no more a-roving with you, fair maid. One night I crept from my abode To meet this fair maid down the road. I met the fair maid after dark, An' took her to her favourite park. I took this fair maid for a walk, An' we had such a lovin' talk. I put me arm around her waist, Sez she, "Young man, yer in great haste!" I put me hand upon her knee, Sez she, "Young man, yer rather free!" I put me hand upon her thigh, Sez she, "Young man, yer rather high!" I towed her to the "Maiden's Breast", From south the wind veered wes'sou'west. An' th'eyes in her head turned east an' west And her thoughts wuz as deep as an ol' sea-chest. We had a drink - of grub a snatch, We sent two bottles down the hatch. Her dainty arms wuz white as milk, Her lovely hair wuz soft as silk. Her heart wuz poundin' like a drum, Her lips wux red as any plum. We laid down on a grassy patch, An' I felt such a ruddy ass. She pushed me over on me back, She laughed so hard her lips did crack. She swore that she'd be true to me, But spent me pay-day fast and free. In three weeks' time I wuz badly bent, Then off to sea I sadly went. In a bloodboat Yank bound round Cape Horn, Me boots an' clothes wuz all in pawn. Bound round Cape Stiff through ice an' snow, An' up the coast to Callyo. An' then back to the Liverpool Docks, Saltpetre stowed in out boots an' socks. Now when I got back home from sea, A soger had her on his knee. | ||
| dmcg | Posted - 10 Sep 04 - 11:20 am | |
I find it mildly amusing that these days we probably wouldn't have many complaints about most of the Hugill version, but might run foul of some groups thinking that the line "So slim and trim and tightly laced" promotes an anorexic image and we shouldn't be imposing this on children at that age! Edited By dmcg - 10-Sep-2004 11:35:28 AM | ||