Wild Rover

Traditional | Roud 1173, Ballad Index MA069

Lyrics:

I’ve been a wild rover for manys a year
And I spent all me money on whiskey and beer
Now I’m returning with gold in great store
I never will play the “Wild Rover” no more

And it’s no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more
Will I play the “Wild Rover”
No, never, no more

I went to an alehouse I use to frequent
I told the landlady my money was spent
I asked her for credit, she answered me, “Nay
Such a custom as yours, I could have any day”

And it’s no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more
Will I play the “Wild Rover”
No, never, no more

I took from me pockets, ten sovereigns bright
And the landlady’s eyes opened wide with delight
She said, “I have whiskeys and wines of the best
And the worst that I told you were only in jest”

And it’s no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more
Will I play the “Wild Rover”
No, never, no more

I’ll go home to my parents, confess what I’ve done
And ask them to pardon their prodigal son
And when they’ve caressed me as oftimes before
I never will play the “Wild Rover” no more

And it’s no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more
Will I play the “Wild Rover”
No, never, no more

Additional Verses

You can keep all your money and your beer likewise too
For not another penny am I spending with you
For the money I’ve got, I’m taking good care
And I never will play the Wild Rover no more

She reached up behind her to grab a glass from the shelf
And I says, “Aha,” just laughing to myself
She said, “But, dear sir, your whiskey is poured”
I said, “Keep/Stick your bad whiskey, you bloody old fraud”

There was Katy and Nancy and Margaret and Sue
And three or four more who belonged to our crew
We’d stay up ’til midnight and make the place roar
I’ve been a wild boy but I’ll be one no more

Collected by Francis James Montgomery Collinson
If I had all the moeny that I had spent here
It would buy me a big house, my fam’ly to rear
It would buy me a big house, it would patch me a barn
It would buy me a new coat to keep my back warm

I’ll go home to my father, and get me a wife
And never return to this prodigal life
I’ll go home to my mother and there I’ll remain
And I ne’er shall be called the wild rover again

From Bod9835–
Let nobody tempt you to draw out your gear
There’s ruin in tasting the weakest of beer
And if you would value heart, sole, purse, or mind
Come down to the pump—leave the alehouse behind

From Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia–
Now I’m resolved to lead a new life
I’ll settle me down and marry a wife
And to keep those wild, ravenous wolves from the door
I ne’er shall be called the wild rover no more

From the singing of The Corries-
So I pulled from my pocket, a handful of gold
And upon the round table, it glittered and rolled
She said, we have whiskey and beer of the best
What I told you before was only in jest

Written by Adam Summerhayes-
So I bought from her whiskey and wines of the best
And then lay on my back with a knife in my chest
As she took from my pockets, the rest of my gold
Then she stood there and laughed as my body went cold

Lyrics from an Early 1800s Broadside

Bodleian Bod3810
Published between 1817-1828 by T. Batchelar, 115, Long Alley, Moorfields, London

I have been a wild rover these dozen long years
I have spent all my money in ale, wine, and beer
Therefore will I lay up my money in store
And I never will be a wild rover no more

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And never will be a wild rover no more

From alehouse to alehouse I have spent all my pay
I have spent all my money and good time away
Therefore will I lay up money and good time
And never will be a wild rover no more

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And never will be a wild rover no more

I went to an alehouse where I used to resort
And called for some beer, my cash they thought short
I’d ask them to trust me, their answer was nay
Such customers as you I can have every day
Therefore will I lay up my money in store
And never will play the wild rover no more

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And never will be a wild rover no more

I pulled out my handful of silver straightway
It was only to try them and hear what they’d say
They said I was welcome to liquor of the best
For all that they said was just only in jest

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And never will be a wild rover no more

O no, sir, said I, now that never can be
I’ll see you all hang’d if I spend one penny
Therefore will I lay up my money in store
And never will play the wild rover no more

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And never will be a wild rover no more

Lyrics from a Broadside

Bodleian Bod9832, from the Charles Harding Firth (1857-1936) collection. Date unknown.

When I was a young man I rov’d up and down
Through every city and fine market town
Alehouses and taverns I made them to roar
But now I will play the wild Rover no more

It was in Edinburgh city I first did begin
With cunning girls there I spent many a pound
And the landlady slily [sic] would double the score
But now I will play the wild Rover no more

It was next town to Glasgow I now took my way
With Nancy and Sally I spent the whole day
I met with young Molly as bright as the sun
She brought me repentance before it was long

She agreed with me in the chamber of lie
I thought I had got a sweet armful of joy
But when I was sleeping I found she was gone
My money and clothing had also put on

This impudent girl having used me so base
I applied to the whiskey my spirits to raise
For a glass of good liquor our spirits will cheer
It drowns all our sorrows and drives away care

By Stirling to Pert as I marched along
My heart was as light as the whiskey was strong
I lov’d it so dearly, I pawn’d all my clothes
Which brought me to limbo in spite of my nose

Then I went to an alehouse which I did frequent
Where many a pound I had foolishly spent
I ask’d her to trust me, but her answer was No
Your word is a bauble, it’s not worth a straw

This usage so base, from a woman so bad
Makes thousands of things run round in my head
It opened my eyes which were quite shut before
But now I will play the wild Rover no more

You brave soldiers and sailors, and tradesmen also
Take care of your money wherever you go
Take warning by me who have tried so before
But now I will play the wild Rover no more

Lyrics published in the Forget-Me-Not Songster (1840)

As published in J. S. Locke’s 1840 collection, Forget-Me-Not Songster.

I have been a wild rover those dozen long year
I spent all my money on ale, wine and beer
But now I will lay up my money in store
And I will never play the wild rover no more

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
I never will play the wild rover no more

I went to an ale-house, I us’d to resort
I began for to tell them my money was short
I asked them to trust me, their answer was nay
Such customers as you we can get every day
But now I will lay up my money in store
And I will never play the wild rover no more

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
I never will play the wild rover no more

I pull’d out a handful of silver straightway
In order to try them and hear what they’d say
They said I was welcome to liquor of the best
And all that they said was only in jest
But now I will lay up my money in store
And I never will play the wild rover no more

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
I never will play the wild rover no more

Nay, nay, then, said I, that never shall be
I’ll see you all hang’d ere I spend one penny
But now I will lay up money in store
And I never will play the wild rover no more

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
I never will play the wild rover no more

But now I am resolv’d for my future life
To settle myself and marry a wife
And we’ll keep those ravenous wolves from the door
For I never will play the wild rover no more

Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
I never will play the wild rover no more

Lyrics from Modern Street Ballads (1888)

Published in John B. Ashton’s 1888 book Modern Street Ballads.

I’ve been a wild rover these seven long years
I’ve spent all my money in ale and strong beers
But the time has come my boys, to take better care
Unless poverty happens to fall to my share

So therefore I’ll lay up my money in store
And I never will play the wild rover any more
Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And then I will play the wild rover no more

I went to an ale house where I used to resort
I began for to tell them my money got short
I asked them to trust me, but their answer was nay
Such customers as you we may have every day

So therefore I’ll lay up my money in store
And I never will play the wild rover any more
Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And then I will play the wild rover no more

Then my hands from my pockets I pulled out straightway
Pulled a handful of gold out to hear what they’d say
O! Here’s ale, wine, and brandy, here’s enough of the best
It was only to try you, I was but in jest

So therefore I’ll lay up my money in store
And I never will play the wild rover any more
Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And then I will play the wild rover no more

Begone you proud landlord, I bid you adieu
For the devil of one penny will I spend with you
For my money I’ve got boys, I’ll take better care
And I never will play the wild rover no more

So therefore I’ll lay up my money in store
And I never will play the wild rover any more
Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And then I will play the wild rover no more

So now I’ll go home to my sweet loving wife
In hopes to live happy all the days of my life
From rambling and roving, I’ll take better care
Unless poverty happens to fall on my share

So therefore I’ll lay up my money in store
And I never will play the wild rover any more
Wild rover, wild rover, wild rover no more
And then I will play the wild rover no more

Lyrics Sung by Mary Anne Carolan

I’ve been a wild rover for many a long year
And I spent half my money drinking strong ale and beer
Ah, but now for the future I will take better care
In case that misfortune may come to my share

Wild roving I’ll give over, wild roving I’ll give o’er
And I never shall be called a wild rover no more

I went into the alehouse where I used to resort
And I told the landlady that my money was short
But when she heard my story these words she did say
I can get many customers like you any day

Wild roving I’ll give over, wild roving I’ll give o’er
And I never shall be called a wild rover no more

I put my hand in my pocket some money to find
And I pulled out the full of my two hands five times
When she saw I had money and money galore
When she saw I had money she called me her stór
And she said, I have liquor, and that of the best
“These words I have spoken were only in jest”

Wild roving I’ll give over, wild roving I’ll give o’er
And I never shall be called a wild rover no more

If I had all the money that I left in your care
It would till all my land and my family rear
It would thatch all my houses and build me a barn
It would buy me a coat for to keep my back warm

Wild roving I’ll give over, wild roving I’ll give o’er
And I never shall be called a wild rover no more

Australian Lyrics

Published in Douglas Stewart and Nancy Kessing’s 1957 book Old Bush Songs and Rhymes of Colonial Times from the collection of Dr. Percy Jones with additional stanzas collected by Russel Ward from Mrs. Byrnes.

I’ve been a wild rover this many a year
And I’ve spent all my money on whisky and beer
But now I’m returning with gold in great store
And I never shall play the wild rover no more