The lyrics to this version of As I Roved Out tell the story of young girl who tries to sneak a man into her bedroom but is caught by her mother.
As I Roved Out – The Clancys
Videos
As I Roved Out – Andy Irvine
As I Roved Out – Christy Moore
She ends up getting beaten by her mother and her young lover abandons her. The chords are presented here in the key of A Minor.
Tommy Makem and the Clancys play the song in the key of C Minor. Place a capo on the third fret and play to chord shapes shown here to play in C Minor.
Use our key converter to play the chords in other keys.
As I Roved Out – lyrics and chords
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Chorus
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Her boots were black and her stockings white
And her buckles shone like silver
She had a dark and a roving eye
And her ear-rings tipped her shoulder.
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Chorus
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“What age are you my nice wee girl
What age are you my honey?”
How modestly she answered me
“I’ll be seventeen on Sunday.”
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Chorus
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I went to her house on the top of the hill
When the moon was shining clearly.
She arose to let me in
But her mammy chanced to hear her.
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Chorus
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She caught her by the hair of the head
And down to the room she brought her,
And with the root of a hazel twig
She was the well-beat daughter.
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Chorus
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“Will you marry me now my soldier lad
Will you marry me now or never?
Will you marry me now my soldier lad
For you see I’m done forever.”
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Chorus
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“No I won’t marry you my bonny wee girl,
I won’t marry you my honey.
For I have got a wife at home
And how could I disown her?”
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Chorus
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A pint at night is my delight
And a gallon in the morning.
The old women are my heart break
But the young ones is my darling.
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Chorus
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[/chordsandlyrics]
As I Roved Out – The Clancys
Videos
Lyrics and chords
As I Roved Out – Andy Irvine
As I Roved Out – Christy Moore