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I've been a wild rover for many a year,
And I've spent all me money on whiskey and beer;
But now I'm returning with gold in great store,
And I never will play the wild rover no more.
And it's no, nay, never,
No, nay, never, no more
Will I play the wild rover.
No, never no more.
I went into an ale house where I used to drink gin,
I told the landlady my bottle was spent;
I asked her for a bottle, she answered me nay,
Saying, "Customers like you I can get any day."
And it's no, nay, never,
No, nay, never, no more
Will I play the wild rover.
No, never no more.
I reached in my pocket and pulled out sovereigns bright,
And the landlady's eyes opened wide with delight;
She said, "I have whiskey and wines of the best."
But the answer I gave her was only in jest.
And it's no, nay, never,
No, nay, never, no more
Will I play the wild rover.
No, never no more.
I'll go home to my parents, confess what I've done,
And ask them to pardon their prodigal son;
And when they caress me as all times before,
I never will play the wild rover no more.
And it's no, nay, never,
No, nay, never, no more
Will I play the wild rover.
No, never no more.
And it's no, nay, never,
No, nay, never, no more
Will I play the wild rover.
No, never no more.
A variant was collected by Helen Creighton (1899-1989) and published as #65 in Songs And Ballads From Nova Scotia (Dent, 1932; Dover, 1966). Variants were also recorded by The Clancy Brothers and by The Dubliners.
A variant was collected in 1951 from Mrs. K. McCarthy of St. Shott's, NL, and published as Wild Rover in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA).
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Notes On Guitar Tabs:
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All guitar tabs have been contributed by visitors to this site and represent their interpretation of the tune. We are unable to verify their accuracy.
I've [G] been a wild rover for many a [C] year,
And [G] I''ve spent all me [D] money on whis-[D7] key and [G] beer;
But [G] now I'm returning with gold in great [C] store,
And I [G] never will play the [D] wild rov-[D7] er no [G] more.
And it's [D] no, nay, ne-[D7] ver,
[G] No, nay, never, no [C] more
Will I [G] play the wild [C] rover,
No [D7] never no [G] more.
