Digital Tradition Folk Music - A-Rovin' Sheet Music and Lyrics

A-Rovin' 1 Sheet Music

A-Rovin' 2 Sheet Music

A-ROVIN' (1) Lyrics 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-rovin' with you fair maid A-rovin', a-rovin', since rovin's been my ru-i-in I'll go no more a-rovin' with you fair maid One night I crept from my abode Mark etc. One night I crept from my abode To meet this fair maid down the road I'll go etc. I met this fair maid after dark And took her to her favorite park. I took this fair maid for a walk And we had such a loving talk. I put me arm around her waist Sez she, "Young man, you're in great haste!" I put my hand upon her knee Sez she, "Young man you're rather free!" I put my hand upon her thigh Sez she, "Young man you're rather high!" * She sore that she'd be true to me But spent me pay-day fast and free In three weeks time I was badly bent Then off to sea I sadly went. In a bloodboat Yank bound round Cape Horn Me boots and clothes were all in pawn Bound up Cape Stiff through ice and snow And up the coast to Cally-o An' then back to the Liverpool Docks Saltpeter stowed in our boots an' socks Now when I got home from sea A soger had her on his knee. A-ROVIN' (2) Lyrics In Portsmouth town there lived a maid Bless you young women In Portsmouth town there lived a maid Do mind what I do say! In Portsmouth town there lived a maid The British Navy was her trade, I'll go no more a-rovin' with you fair maid. A-rovin', a-rovin', since rovin's been my ru-i-in I'll go no more a-rovin' with you fair maid. She swore to me that she was true Bless etc. She swore to me that she was true Do mind etc. She's true to me, she's true to you She's true to the whole damn Navy, too I'll go no more etc. I put me hand upon her toe Sez she,"Young man, you're rather low" I put me hand upon her knee Sez she,"Young man, you're makion' free" I put me hand upon her thigh Sez she,"Young man, you're drawin' nigh" I put me hand upon her thatch Sez she,"Young man, that's my main hatch" I slipped me mainmast to her blocks Sez she, "Young man, I've got the pox!" * I've omitted 7 of Hugill's rather clumsy attempts to sanitize the song. If you can't figure out how an "anatomical progression" works, you're beyond help. RG From Shanties from the Seven Seas, Hugill @bawdy @sailor @work filename[ AROVIN1 TUNE FILE: AROVIN.1 TUNE FILE: AROVIN.2

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!