Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman

Subject: What are the words!
From: 1979
Date: 09 Aug 99 - 03:29 PM

If anyone can give me the remining verses to a song I'm calling "the Jolly Beggerman" I would be eternally grateful.

The first verse goes like this:

It's of a jolly beggerman came tripping o're the plains He came unto a farmer's door a lodging for to gain The farmer's daughter she came and viewed him cheek to chin She says, "you are a handsom man I pray we'll take you in

Then the Chorus goes:

I'll go no more a rovin', rovin' in the night I'll go no more a rovin' let the moon shine so bright I'll go no more a rovin'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: Bob Landry
Date: 09 Aug 99 - 03:49 PM

It's in the Digitrad database. Type the word Beggarman in the box at the top of this page and you'll find it.

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: 1979
Date: 09 Aug 99 - 07:45 PM

Thanks Bob, I checked under a few headings like that but didn't have the time to check them all so I just wrote a thread to see if anyone knew right off the bat so thanks again!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 10 Aug 99 - 02:01 PM

Ah, the trick is in the spelling!

Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: fairy godmother
Date: 10 Aug 99 - 03:03 PM

Do you still need the lyrics, I'll type them out if you do let me know!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: 1979
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 07:35 PM

Fairy I've got most of the lyrics but I think that I'm missing a verse or two. Maybe the one where something is thrown at the wall and another where she asks the beggerman his name, then again maybe I'm just thinking of antoher song. Either way thanks for the help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: Jeri
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 07:52 PM

If it helps at all, I think you're right. The version in the database may be close to the one you're looking for, but not the exact one.

I remember a verse about the woman getting mad and throwing something at the wall (a shoe?) because the beggarman has turned out to really be a beggarman.

C'mon, does anyone have Planxty's album 'Planxty' or 'Best of Planxty Live? The song is on both albums, and I believe it may be the one 1979 is looking for

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 08:45 PM

In the version sung and recorded by Ewan MacColl (not the one being discussed here), he asks the maiden, after "having his will of her":

"Hae ye cats or dogs aboot yer place, Oh, Maiden, tell me true?"
      Wi' my fal and my dal and my dandy O.
"An' what wad ye dae wi' them, my honey and my doo?"
      Wi' my teerin-oorin eerin-oorin andy O.

"They wad rieve (tear) a' my meal pyocks (sacks/pokes) an' gar (make) me curse an' ban!"
      Wi' my fal and my dal and my dandy O.
"The de'il gae wi' yer meal pyocks! Are ye the beggar man?"
      Wi' my teerin-oorin eerin-oorin andy O.

Then she's ta'en up his meal pyocks an' thrown them o'er the wa',
      Wi' my fal and my dal and my dandy O.
"The de'il gae wi' yer meal pyocks; my maidenheid's awa'!"
      Wi' my teerin-oorin eerin-oorin andy O.

Perhaps this will offer a memory boost to those who seek to recall the wall tossing episode. The spellings I have used are completely arbitrary, I'm afraid. I don't have MacColl's text in front of me and am running on an ancient memory of my own. I haven't sung the ballad in too many years.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: Lesley N.
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 09:16 PM

O.k. This is from the Planxty album - as per jeri's suggestion!

It's of a jolly beggarman
came tripping oer the plain
he came unto a farmer's door
a lodging for to gain
the farmer's daughter she came down
and viewed him cheek to chin
she says he is a handsome man
I pray you take him in

We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night
We'll go no more a roving
Let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving

He would not lie within the barn
Nor yet within the bier
But he would in the corner lie
Down by the kitchen fire
Oh then the beggar's bed was made
of good clean sheets and hay
and down beside by the kitchen fire
the jolly beggar lay

Chorus

The farmer's daughter she got up
to bolt the kitchen door
And there she saw the beggar
standing naked on the floor
He took the daughter in his arms
and to the bed he ran
Kind Sir, she said, be easy now
You'll waken our good man.

Chorus

Now you are no beggar
you are some gentleman
for you have stole my maidenhead
and I am quite undone
I am the lord, I am the squire
of beggars I be one
beggars may be robbers all
so you are quite undone

Chorus

She took the bed in both her hands
and threw it at the wall
Says go with you the beggar man
my maindenhead and all

Chorus

Is THIS is??????

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: Lesley N.
Date: 11 Aug 99 - 09:20 PM

I MEANT to type is this IT? Boy I sure hope so - cuz the lyrics weren't on the jacket and I had to figure them out. Think Igot it mostly right... Actually an enjoyable visit to an old album - reminds me of the Gaberlunzie Man. Both Bager and the Beggar are rumored to be King James V of Scotland...

Beds must have been a lot lighter then if she was throwing it against the wall... Guess it was just a few handfuls of hay...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: Len Wallace
Date: 12 Aug 99 - 02:42 AM

Here is a Scottish version:

there was a jolly beggar and a-beggin' he was boun' and he took up his quarters into a land-wart toun

Chorus: and we'll gang nae mair a rovin', a rovin in the night And we'll gang nae mair a rovin', let the moon shine sae bright We'll gang nae mair a rovin'

He would nae lieinto the barn, nor yet wad he in byre But in ahint the ha' door, or else beyont the fire

Chorus

The beggar's bed was made at e'en, wi guide clean straw and hay Just ahint the ha' the door, and there the beggar lay.

Chorus:

Up raise the guidman's dochter, and a' to bar the door And there she saw the beggar man was standin' on the floor

Chorus:

He took the lassie in his arms, and to the neuk he ran "O, hooly, hooly, wi' me sir, ye'll wauken oor guidman.

Chorus:

He took his horn frae his side, and blew baith loud and shrill And four and twenty belted knights came skippin' o'er the hill

Chorus:

And he took oot his little knife, loot a' his duddies fa' And he stood the brawest gentleman that was amang them a'

Len Wallace [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Jolly Beggerman
From: 1979
Date: 23 Aug 99 - 09:56 AM

Thanks Lesley you got it all. That last verse is the one I was loooking for I really appreciate it.