Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover

Subject: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Charcloth
Date: 06 May 01 - 04:18 PM

hello all I always heard that "The Gypsy Rover" was a child ballad (#200) but I only have the Student version of His collection & the Gypsy Rover is not in the student edition. I have been unable to axcess the data base here to find out & it is not on Lesly's site. So does any one have any info on "The whistling Gypsy Rover" as to when it was written or any other info. Thanks all, Charcloth

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: MMario
Date: 06 May 01 - 04:23 PM

Gypsy rover appears to be a modern derivitive from Child Ballad #200. There are about 17 variations in the Digital tradition online (you can find by putting #200 into the search box above right)

There are a couple discussions archived in the forum as well.

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Charcloth
Date: 06 May 01 - 04:30 PM

I have been trying to axcess the forum but I keep getting a page that says something about the http being unsuported. I am not quite sure what that means. but me thinks there's something out of whack here on mudcat for a short time.

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: MMario
Date: 06 May 01 - 04:41 PM

yes - it's been down - but it's back. I just did the reccomended searches above.

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Charcloth
Date: 06 May 01 - 04:54 PM

yeah I finally got through & did the searches but I am not sure that the info I sought is there I really wish I had Child's full editions.

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 May 01 - 09:45 PM

The full set wouldn't really help you with this particular song.   See  Gypsey Rover  It would appear that this song was written, not very long ago, by Leo Maguire.  The story is based on older, traditional songs, of course (search the Digitrad and Forum for Child #200, as MMario said), but this one, and its tune, seems to be a modern, commercial composition.  There is a discussion of it in this earlier thread:  Whistling Gypsy  which includes a translation of the text into Irish Gaelic made by Proinsias Ó Maonaigh (father of Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan).

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Charcloth
Date: 07 May 01 - 12:19 AM

thanks Malcolm, I checked all that after the data base came back up. I had thought that the version mentioned was contained in the Childs collection. My memory doesn't function with total recall & as I stated the student edition is not at all complete. So I guess I will have to travel to the library to find what I used to know

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Mrrzy
Date: 07 May 01 - 09:36 AM

This is still one of the prettiest love songs I know. I am especially fond of the Clancy Brothers version, with or without Tommy Makem. Any info would be much appeciated, if you ferret anything out, please post.

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 07:03 PM

Hi,i need information on the "Gypsy Rover", on the writers history, and backround for a school project. Thanks!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 07:48 PM

See the links to other, more informative, discussions here, which you will find at the top of this page. Probably the most useful one is

Gypsy Rover a real folk song

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Leadfingers
Date: 08 Mar 07 - 08:08 PM

Any research will be hampered by the number of titles for what is basically the same song ! Raggle Taggle Gypsy(s), Wistling Gypsy , Gypsy Dave(y), Seven Gypsies , Black Jack Davey , etc ! And the contemporary versions too !

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: GUEST,Mignon
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 08:38 PM

Hi there! I do know that "The Gypsy Rover" we all know and love appeared in a film made in the 1950's - I saw it on telly as a kid -
set in the Middle Ages. It was sung by a lone horseman, playing a lute as he travelled, but damned if I can think of the film's title!

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Peace
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 09:02 PM

Good link here about the song.

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 12:24 AM

Leo McGuire wrote a contemporary version of this song called "Whistling Gypsy" in Dublin in 1950. He modified the original story by changing the wife who ran off with the gypsy to the daughter. His song was recorded by the Kingston Trio and others.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Help: history of the song 'Gypsy Rover
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 12:43 AM

In fact, Maguire seems only slightly to have re-worked a traditional version. See the thread I linked to earlier for detail; including a likely American source for his redaction. This is an old, 'stub' thread and there isn't much point in continuing it by adding information that is already more comprehensively given elsewhere.