"A Rovin'"

Verse:

In Portsmouth town there lived a maid
Mark well what I do say!
In Portsmouth town there lived a maid
The British Navy was her trade,
I'll go no more a-rovin' with you fair maid.

Chorus:

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

Verse:

She swore to me that she was true
Mark well what I do say!
She's true to me, she's true to you
She's true to the whole damn Navy, too
I'll go no more a-rovin' with you fair maid.

Verse:

I put me hand upon her toe
Mark well what I do say!
I put me hand upon her toe
Sez she,"Young man, you're rather low"
I'll go no more a-rovin' with you fair maid.

Optional Verses:

I took this maid out for a walk
Mark well what I do say—
I took this maid out for a walk
And we had such a lovely talk;
I’ll go no more a rovin’ with you, fair maid


I didn’t tell her stories two,
Mark well what I do say—
I didn’t tell her stories two,
Of the gold we found in Timbuktu!
I’ll go no more a rovin’ with you, fair maid


I sat this maid upon my knee,
Mark well what I do say—
I sat this maid upon my knee,
Said she, “Piss Off, and let me be!”
I’ll go no more a rovin’ with you, fair maid


Now if you’d know this maiden’s name,
Mark well what I do say—
Now if you’d know this maiden’s name,
Why soon, like mine, ‘twill be the same.
I’ll go no more a rovin’ with you, fair maid


One night I crept from my abode 
Mark etc.
One night I crept from my abode
To meet this fair maid down the road
I'll go etc.

I met this fair maid after dark
And took her to her favorite park.

I took this fair maid for a walk
And we had such a loving talk.

I put me arm around her waist
Sez she, "Young man, you're in great haste!"

I put my hand upon her knee
Sez she, "Young man you're rather free!"

I put my hand upon her thigh
Sez she, "Young man you're rather high!"

She sore that she'd be true to me
But spent me pay-day fast and free

In three weeks time I was badly bent
Then off to sea I sadly went.

In a bloodboat Yank bound round Cape Horn
Me boots and clothes were all in pawn

Bound up Cape Stiff through ice and snow
And up the coast to Cally-o

An' then back to the Liverpool Docks
Saltpeter stowed in our boots an' socks

Now when I got home from sea
A soger had her on his knee.



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