005 - A-Rovin’ (D)

The following version tune, according to Stan Hugill's Book is given only by Terry and Sharp, is probably the older one - it has the jerkiness of all shanties which were sung at the earlier brake-pumps and lever windlasses.
Below the text of the version, I will try to recreate: Lyrics from Shanties from the Seven Seas, by Stan Hugill.


A-ROVIN' (Hugill Version d)

In Amsterdam there lived a maid
    Bless you young women!
In Amsterdam there lived a maid
    Now mind what I do say!
In Amsterdam there lived a maid
    An' she was mistress of her trade
    I'll go no more a-rovin' with you fair maid

   A-rovin', a-rovin', since rovin's bin me ru-i-in
   I'll go no more a-rovin' with you fair maid

             *2*
I took this fair maid for a walk.
    Bless you, young women!
I took this fair maid for a walk.
    Now mind what I do say!
I took this fair maid for a walk,
An’ we had such a lovin’ talk.
    I’ll go no more, etc.

             *3*
An’ didn’t I tell her stories true,
Of the gold we found in Timbuctoo.

             *4*
But when she’d spent me bloomin’ screw,
She cut her cable an’ vanished too.

Other stanzas with a genuine ring are:

             *5*
I met her walking on the Strand,
Dressed up for to beat the band.

             *6*
In Number One New England Square,
Me Nancy Dawson she lives there.

             *7*
This last ten months I’ve bin to sea,
Ah’ hell, this gal looked good to me.