The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #7782   Message #3735233
Posted By: GUEST,Howard Jones
04-Sep-15 - 05:35 AM
Thread Name: Alternative words for the Wild Rover??
Subject: RE: Alternative words for the Wild Rover??
The standard version is so overdone that I am utterly fed up with it. Worse, the original meaning of the song is subverted by the jolly, rollicking, "right up yer kilt" approach. It was a temperance song, not a drinking song. However it is wildly popular so I suppose we are stuck with it.

I've started to do Sam Larner's version. The words aren't so much different from the well-known version, but after he has pulled out handfuls of gold the wild rover rejects the landlady's offer of brandy and whisky - "oh no, landlady, I'll have none at all". The slower tune makes it altogether more reflective and brings out the meaning. It's on VOTP and can be heard on Spotify.