I was wondering if the Digital Tradition had the definitive version of "Gypsy Rover." Since it was published by Walton's, I looked in my six Walton's Irish songbooks for the song - and didn't find it. The closest I could come to a "definitive" version was in the Collected Reprints from Sing Out! (pink volume, page 283) [words that are different from the DT version are bold]:

THE GYPSY ROVER (The Whistling Gypsy)
(Leo Maguire)

1. The gypsy rover come over the hill,
Bound through the valley so shady;
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang,
And he won the heart of a lady.

CHORUS:
Ah-di-do, ah-di-do-da-day,
Ah-di-do, ah-di-day-dee;
He whistled and he sang 'til the green woods rang,
And he won the heart of a lady.

2. She left her father's castle gate,
She left her own true lover;
She left her servants and her estate,
To follow the gypsy rover.

3. Her father saddled his fastest steed
Roamed the valley all over;
Sought his daughter at great speed,
And the whistling gypsy rover.

4. He came at last to a mansion fine,
Down by the river Clayde;
And there was music, and there was wine,
For the gypsy and his lady.

5. "He's no gypsy, my father," said she,
"My lord of free lands all over;
And I shall stay till my dying day
With my whistling gypsy rover."

Words and music by Leo Maguire
©1951, Walton's Piano & Musical Instrument Galleries


Notes: Many folkies mistakenly regard this as a traditional song. Though it is clearly based on the "Gypsy Davy" family of songs (Child Ballad #200), it is actually a modern composition by Irish songwriter Leo Maguire...Tommy Makem performs this on Newport Folk Festival 1960, vol. 1 (VRS) 9083)


Child #200
Roud-1
@gypsy @courtship
filename[ GYPSYRVR
TUNE FILE: GYPSYRVR
CLICK TO PLAY
DC

Note that phrase toward the bottom: "My lord of free lands all over" - is she addressing the father, or talking about the gypsy? It isn't abstitutely clear, is it?
Note that the Digital Tradition has it "Ah-de-do, ah-de-da-ay" in the second line of the chorus. At first, I thought this was a typographical error - but it's how the Seekers sing it.

---

For comparison, here is the version in the Digital Tradition:

GYPSY ROVER
(Leo Maguire)

1. The gypsy rover came over the hill
Down through the valley so shady,
He whistled and he sang 'til the greenwoods rang,
And he won the heart of a lady.

Chorus:
Ah-de-do, ah-de-do-da-day,
Ah-de-do, ah-de-da-ay
He whistled and he sang 'til the greenwoods rang,
And he won the heart of a lady.

2. She left her father's castle gates
She left her own fine lover
She left her servants and her state
To follow the gypsy rover.

3. Her father saddled up his fastest steed
And roamed the valleys all over
Sought his daughter at great speed
And the whistling gypsy rover.

4. He came at last to a mansion fine,
Down by the river Claydee
And there was music and there was wine,
For the gypsy and his lady.

5. "He is no gypsy, my father" she said
"But lord of these lands all over,
And I shall stay 'til my dying day
With my whistling gypsy rover."


Child #200
Roud-1
@gypsy @courtship
filename[ GYPSYRVR
TUNE FILE: GYPSYRVR
CLICK TO PLAY
DC

My conclusion? Maybe there is no definitive version, but the Digital Tradition transcription is as good as any.