Origins: Ramblin' Rover (Andy M. Stewart)

Subject: Balacitus ? Ramblin' Rover. What is this?
From: John M.
Date: 07 Aug 98 - 11:31 AM

In the song, The Ramblin' Rover, by Andy Stewart, there is a line "gallopin with balacitus" Anyone know what this means, or if it is correct. Also "something" down to Dover? Probably Irish terms, and places. Can anyone can help???? Thanks, John M.

Subject: RE: Balacitus ? Ramblin' Rover. What is this?
From: Bill - Scotland
Date: 07 Aug 98 - 11:50 AM

Hi John,

It is Bollockitis (Ala - Problems with the male nether regions)
And it is "Orkney down to Dover and we'll roam the country over" etc...
Great song.

Regards
Bill

Subject: RE: Balacitus ? Ramblin' Rover. What is this?
From: Wolfgang Hell
Date: 10 Aug 98 - 11:49 AM

there's a site with many Andy Stewart songs including "Rambling Rover". go here

Wolfgang

Subject: Bollockitis? Ramblin' Rover. What is this?
From: John M.
Date: 16 Aug 98 - 01:59 PM

Is this a slang word for impotance, or an actual medical term?

Subject: Sober men and plenty??
From: GUEST,Dai Crowther
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 12:45 PM

Lyrics and chords (butlyrics first and foremost)for the song which starts 'There are sober men and plenty'.

Thanks

Dai.

Subject: Lyr Add: RAMBLIN' ROVER (Andy M. Stewart)
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 12:55 PM

I'll post 'em provided you never refer to this song by anything of than it's name... Ramblin Rover...

And you'll get no chrds from me 'cause it's a a capella song... Don't put music behind it please... It always sounds horrible when people to that to a capella songs...

RAMBLIN' ROVER
Andy M. Stewart

Oh there's sober men in plenty and drunkards barely twenty
There are men of over ninety that have never yet kissed a girl.
But give me a ramblin' rover from Orkney down to Dover
And we'll roam the country over and together we'll face the world

There's many who feign enjoyment from merciless employment
Their ambition was this deployment from the minute they left the school
And they save and scrape and ponder while the rest go out and squander
See the world and rove and wander and they're happier as a rule

I've roamed through all the nations t'an delight in all creation
And enjoyed a wee sensation where the company did prove kind
And when parting was no pleasure I drunk another measure
To the good friends that we treasure for you always are in my mind

If You're bent with arthritis Your bowels have got colitis
You've galloping' ballikites (sp?) and you're thinking' it's time you died
If you've been a man of action as you're lying there in traction
You will gain some satisfaction thinking," Jesus, At least I tried."

Sing it loud... sing it often!
^^^ {~`

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Sober men and plenty??
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 12:59 PM

The song is also in the DT: RAMBLIN' ROVER

Jon

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Sober men and plenty??
From: paddymac
Date: 29 Oct 00 - 09:36 PM

Clinton is right - it's a grevious sin indeed to even attempt to put any instrumental noise behind this song. The ladies, in particular, seem to love this song when it's done with several male voices in unison. We've tried some simple harmonies, but they just don't seem to be as effective as unison singing for this song. Well, at least we haven't found the right harmonies yet.

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Sober men and plenty??
From: Thyme2dream
Date: 30 Oct 00 - 12:53 AM

You're right Paddy, a lusty-voiced bunch of males singin' this song acapella is just the ticket! I must admit to trying to sing it alone in the car with my Silly Wizard live tape, but it just doesn't work for a girl...so I taught it to my sons!

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Sober men and plenty??
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 30 Oct 00 - 01:36 AM

I'm not sure I agree entirely with the idea of this song being done unaccompanied. The best versions I have heard use the bodhran and I believe that this song is very suited to rhythmical accompanyment.

Jon

Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Sober men and plenty??
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 30 Oct 00 - 02:20 AM

Ya... but a bodhran isn't an instrument... it's a torture device...

Besides, THE best version of this song is Andy's and -HE- does it unaccompanied... {~`

Subject: RE: Balacitus ? Ramblin' Rover. What is this?
From: GUEST,Polly
Date: 22 Aug 09 - 11:02 PM

Bollockitis: a made-up term for any random degrading disease. Probably made up by Andy on the spot, but could be made up by you tomorrow, "bollocks" as a prefix is like that, eg. bollockology, bollockopedia, bollocktastic, as is -itis as a suffix, eg. hungoveritis, idiotitis, headitis.

Also, they are Scottish!

Polly

Subject: RE: Balacitus ? Ramblin' Rover. What is this?
From: Songster Bob
Date: 22 Aug 09 - 11:56 PM

And it's not 'galloping WITH bollockitis,' it's 'galloping bollockitis,' meaning a really bad and worsening case of the dread disease. If one had true bollockitis, one would not be ABLE to gallop (with or without a horse).

Bob

Subject: RE: Origins: Ramblin' Rover (Andy M. Stewart)
From: GUEST,fiddlechick-charlie
Date: 01 Jun 19 - 10:30 PM

My 2-cents' worth:

"Bollockitis" I can also see interpreted as "Bull$h¡titis".

1) When someone tries to pull a fast one on someone else, the someone-else may counter with an exclamation of "Bull$h¡t!" or "Bollocks!".

2) Now, I agree with both POLLY's and BOB's explanations
of "gallopin' bollockitis" but it can also have an alternate/additional interpretation("double meaning"/"duple-entendre", if you will)...
MyHoney(bless his loving heart), *is* a Ramblin' Rover(we both are and we seem to be coming up to the later mile-markers quite aptly described in the last verse of Ramblin' Rover faster than we're willing to admit to ourselves, lol). He's also a VERBAL Rambler. AND he's been known to embellish his tales of yore("man"- measures? strictly for entertainment purposes? Who knows?/Who cares? His listeners enjoy it & that's what matters). So, yeah, I submit he qualifies as "having gallopin' bollockitis".

I've cobbled this bit out in a hurry. 'Hope I've been clear enough. Comments welcome(particularly "constructive" ones).

Love this song. Having lived a (So-Called)Life more Grasshopper* than Ant, it's kinda biographical, lol [*I'm a fiddler to boot, eh?]. First heard/learnt/performed it with one of my earlier bands[Nod to (The)SpleenBishops; Jim MAXWELL, Brent SANTIN et al -- Hugs&Kisses for you, too, John BISHOP]. Have been waxing "semi-mental" with nostalgia lately and just happened on this site.]

Tacet4now. ~=)charlie

Subject: RE: Origins: Ramblin' Rover (Andy M. Stewart)
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 02:52 AM

"Bollockitis" I can also see interpreted as "Bull$h¡titis".
Not what was meant at all.
From post above by "Polly" :
"Bollockitis: a made-up term for any random degrading disease. Probably made up by Andy on the spot, but could be made up by you tomorrow, "bollocks" as a prefix is like that, eg. bollockology, bollockopedia, bollocktastic, as is -itis as a suffix, eg. hungoveritis, idiotitis, headitis".
All there is to it, in a nutshell.

Subject: RE: Origins: Ramblin' Rover (Andy M. Stewart)
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 03:49 AM

Bollockitis = a pain in the balls.

Subject: RE: Origins: Ramblin' Rover (Andy M. Stewart)
From: Gordon Jackson
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 04:27 AM

The late, great Andy's original version was on his By the Hush album, which I still have on good old vinyl. It was recorded with full band, not unaccompanied. I presume the Folk Police above, albeit twenty-odd years ago, would have disapproved of Andy's own rendition.

Polly's explanation of 'bollockititis' is spot-on: I suppose you have to be from this side of the pond to pick up on idiomatic phrases like this. You can also make up a word like "Bull$h¡titis", it's just that that's not what Andy wrote, or meant.

Subject: RE: Origins: Ramblin' Rover (Andy M. Stewart)
From: GUEST,G
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 06:15 AM

A rude expression for a marriage a connection in these parts is still---
a bollock connection

Subject: RE: Origins: Ramblin' Rover (Andy M. Stewart)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 03:17 PM

Medical explanation - long overdue! Sorry, but I don't think Polly is correct! Surprised that no-ne has yet offered the correct answer.
For those of the other gender to myself, "Bollocks" are testicles. If they get inflamed, you then have "orchitis" or even "epididymo-orchitis". You can get this from such bugs as chlamydia, gonoccoccus and others.
"Bollockitis" scans better in the song - you need the 4 syllables, rather than 3 or 8!

Subject: RE: Origins: Ramblin' Rover (Andy M. Stewart)
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 03:56 PM

The only person who can give us the "correct" answer is sadly no longer around. Having known Andy since we were in our teens in Blairgowrie, I'd say Polly's answer is correct, in my estimation. Andy would not have been worried about medical accuracy in writing the song.

Subject: RE: Origins: Ramblin' Rover (Andy M. Stewart)
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 06:31 PM

Well, since I first heard it, I have always thought of it meaning as I described: but then I was a medic, and that's how medical minds work! To me, it has never meant anything other than that. But, as fiddle-chick Charlie said, there may be double meanings in it, as in "You're talking a load of bollocks".
The sad thing about the song is the line about "when you're lying there in traction" as it might have been a premonition of what was to come for Andy.