The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #1239 Message #4209752
Posted By: Lighter
13-Oct-24 - 02:30 PM
Thread Name: Origins: She Had a Dark and a Rovin' Eye
Subject: RE: Origins: She Had a Dark and a Rovin' Eye
Appearing in late 1950 was “The Roving Kind,” words & music by the pseudonymous "Jesse Cavanaugh & Arnold Stanton."
The song was first recorded by The Weavers on the Decca label. Watch them perform it in 1951:
Wikipedia ludicrously notes that "Mitchell's jocular version followed the original sea-shanty style." It reached #4 on the national "Billboard" chart in December, 1950, and stayed on the list for 17 weeks.
"The Roving Kind" never mentions a "fireship." "Clipper ship" and the less suggestive and more readily understandable "pirate ship" take its place.