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A-Roving

Tune: Thomas Heywood
Words: Traditional

In Plymouth Town there lived a maid.
Bless you young women!
In Plymouth Town there lived a maid.
O mind what I do say!
In Plymouth Town there lived a maid,
And she was mistress of her trade.
I'll go no more a-roving with you, false maid.
 
Chorus:
A-roving, a-roving, since roving's been my ruin,
I'll go no more a-roving with you, false maid.

I took this fair maid for a walk.
Bless you young women!
I took this fair maid for a walk.
O mind what I do say!
I took this fair maid for a walk,
And we had such a loving talk.
I'll go no more a-roving with you, false maid.
(Chorus)
 
I took her hand within my own.
Bless you young women!
I took her hand within my own.
O mind what I do say!
I took her hand within my own
And said "I'm bound for my old home."
I'll go no more a-roving with you, False maid.
(Chorus)
 
(Repeat first verse & chorus)

Thomas Heywood's The Rape of Lucrece was played in London in about 1630 and contains a tune unmistakably akin to that of 'A-Roving'. It was certainly extremely popular at the time and was presumably taken on board by sailors and used as a capstan or heaving shanty. The words have been rewritten several thousand times by those with an eye for sobriety rather than authenticity. But somehow the original intentions of those ancient singers is never quite sublimated This version and these notes are from (would you believe?) a site devoted to German lieder. Actually this site is an excellent resource for songs in general although the stress is on lieder and hymns. It's a good place to find German lyrics to songs originally in other languages.

Here's yet another version:

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 thee fair maid.
 
Chorus:
A roving, a roving, since roving's been my ruin
I'll go no more a roving with thee fair maid.
 
Her lips were red, her eyes were brown,
Mark well what I do say.
Her lips were red, her eyes were brown,
And her hair was black and it hung right down,
I'll go no more a-roving with thee, fair maid.
(Chorus)
 
I put my arm around her waist ,
Mark well what I do say.
I put my arm around her waist,
Cried she,"Young man you're in great haste."
I'll go no more a-roving with thee, fair maid.
(Chorus)
 
I took that maid upon my knee,
Mark well what I do say.
I took that maid upon my knee,
Cried she, "Young man, you're much too free";
I'll go no more a-roving with thee fair maid.
(Chorus)
 
I kissed that maid and stole away,
Mark well what I do say.
I kissed that maid and stole away,
She wept- "Young man, why won't you stay ";
I'll go no more a-roving with thee, fair maid.
(Chorus)

This one's from a web site devoted to maritime-related software and such. They have some shanties, too. Beware if you go to one of their shanties pages, though, they'll force music on you. Another site has a subset of these verses and credits them to Lyrics from Songs of American Sailormen, by Joanna Colcord.

Two more versions, a bit more risqué are here. And for totally raunchy, here.

Paul Stamler notes, "...an old friend of mine once sang me a set of thoroughly scurrilous verses to "Sellenger's Round"; I'm working on getting them for you. She also sang a set of words to "A-Roving" ending with these verses:

Needless to say, there is an alternate last line, which still rhymes.