Lyr Req/Add: The Bould Rake / Bold Rake

Subject: RE: req/ADD: The Bould Rake / Bold Rake
From: GUEST,That Bloke With A Guitar
Date: 04 Feb 10 - 05:18 PM

That's my page in the first post.

Christy's is for sure, the definitive version, but it's not the one I sing, and the chords are obviously different.

The version I learned was from a bloke called Jimmy Carlton who played it in a bar called The Fisherman's Hut in Leeds one night. 1999, I think it was. It was a lovely song, that I was very much taken with, and I asked him for the lyric. The one he gave me was a bit different from both of the above:

I am a bould rake, and this nation I've travelled all round
In search of a fair one, her hair curls would never be found
She was deft in each limb and her skin was far whiter than snow,
And if I don't get her, quite crazy to Bedlam I'll go.

On a fine summer's morning out a cold grainy chapel I strayed,
It was there I fell a courting this innocent, harmless, young maid;
She was so fair a creature, that I could her senses beguile,
Ah, she took to her bosom saying, "Johnny, don't you leave me awhile."

Oh, That very first night up to the town of Rosgrail strayed
And the night after that in the sweet town of Harless we lay;
When the money was gone it was then she began to condole
Saying "Johnny, dear Johnny 'tis better to part than to stay"

"O Johnny, if you leave me, that the great God may pity my moan,
How could you deceive me and take me so far from my home
You promised to marry me and never to wander your mind,
To wed lovely Sally and leave other fair maids behind."

"Indeed if I said it I'm sure it was right from my heart,
To wed lovely Sally and all other fair maids to part,
Let this be a lesson to all other girls of your kind,
Never leave with a rake or a rambler will leave you behind.

I go home to my clergy and I tell him the bad life I've led,
I'll be hoping for pardon for never with you could I wed,
But if you'll forgives me I will lead a correct sober life,
I'll go home to a good rake, and I'll live leaving your love behind.

Subject: ADD Version: The Bould Rake
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 09 - 03:11 AM

OK, here's what I hear on the recording, which is very close to what's in the book:

THE BOLD RAKE

I am a bold rake, and this nation I travelled all round
In search of a fair one, her equal was never yet found;
She was neat in each limb and her skin was far whiter than snow,
And if I don't gain her, quite crazy to Bedlam I'll go.

One fine summer's morning down to Culgreany chapel I strayed,
It was there I fell a courting this innocent, harmless, young maid;
She was so fair a creature, that I could her senses beguile,
For she took to her bosom saying, "Darling, don't leave me awhile."

Oh, That very first night up to the town of Roscrea we did stray
And the night after that in the sweet town of Thurles we lay;
When her money was gone it was then she began to condole
And I said, "My sweet fair maid, it's better to part and go home."

"O Johnny, if you leave me, that the great God may pity my moan,
How could you deceive me and take me so far from my home
You promised to marry me and never to alter your mind,
That you'd wed lovely Sally and leave other fair maids behind."

"Oh, Indeed if I said it I'm sure it was far from my heart,
To wed lovely Sally and all other maids for to part,
Let this be a lesson to all other girls of your kind,
To beware of a rake or a rambler will leave you behind.

"I'll go home to my clergy and I tell him the bad life I've led,
I'll be hoping for pardon for never with you could I wed,
And if he forgives me I'll lead a correct sober life,
I'll go home to Longacre and live with my own lawful wife."


Transcribed by ear from the Christy Moore box set,1964-2004, disc 6.

I'm not sure I hear everything correctly, especially on the last verse.
-Joe-

Subject: ADD: The Bold Rake
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 09 - 02:48 AM

Here's a somewhat different version:

THE BOLD RAKE

I am a bold rake, and this nation I travelled all round
In search of a fair one, her equal was never yet found;
She was neat in each limb and her skin far whiter than snow,
And if I don't gain her, quite crazy to Bedlam I'll go.

One fine summer's morning to Culgreany chapel I strayed,
Where I fell a courting this innocent harmless maid;
She was so fair a creature, That I could her senses beguile,
I took her in my arms saying, "Darling, don't leave me behind."

That very night up to the town of Roscrea we did stray
And the night after that in the sweet town of Thurles we lay;
When her money was out it was then she began to condole
And I said, "My sweet fair maid, it's better to part and go home."

"O Johnny, if you leave me, that the great God may pity my moan,
How could you deceive me and bring me so far from my home
You promised to marry me and never to alter your mind,
That you'd wed lovely Sally and leave other sweethearts behind."

"Indeed if I said it I'm sure it was far from my heart,
To wed lovely Sally and all other maids for to part,
Let this be a warning to all other maids of your kind,
To beware of a rake or a rambler will leave you behind.

"I will go to my clergy and tell him the bad life I led,
Hoping for pardon for never with you could I wed,
And if he forgives me I'll lead a correct sober life,
I'll go home to Longacre and live with my own lawful wife."

Source: Irish Street Ballads, collected and annotated by Colm O Lochlainn, 1935 (1960 Corinth Books edition) pp 74-75

tune available upon request

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Bould Rake
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 09 - 02:26 AM

Boy, that's a hard one to understand. I found this at a facebook page:

[G] [Em] [C] [Am] [D] [Em] [C] [Am]

[G]I am a bould rake this [Em] nation I've travelled all [C] round [Am]
[D] In search of a fair one her [Em] hair curls would never be [C] found [Am]

There are lots and lots of lyrics at http://www.christymoore.com, but I didn't find this one. Note that Christy Moore spells it "Bould Rake," and others spell it "Bold Rake."

Subject: Lyr Req: The Bould Rake
From: GUEST,Donie
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 02:57 PM

Would anyone have the lyrics to the bould rake sang by chrisy moore in his box set collection