As I Roved Out

As I roved out on a May morning, on a May morning right early

I met me love upon the way, Oh Lord, but she was early

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae

Her boots were black and her stockings white and her buckles shone like silver

She had a dark and a rolling eye and her ear-rings tipped her shoulder

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae

"What age are you, my bonnie wee lass? What age are you my honey?"

Modestly she answered me "I'll be seventeen on Sunday"

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae

"Where do you live, me bonnie wee lass? Where do you live me honey?"

"At a wee house up at the top of the hill, and I live there with me mammy"

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae

"If I went to the house on the top of the hill when the moon was shining clearly

Would you arise and let me in and your mammy not to hear ye?"

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae

I went to the house at the top of the hill when the moon was shining clearly

She arose to let me in, for her mammy chanced to hear her

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae

She caught her by the hair of the head and down to the room she brought her

With the root of a hazel twig, she was the well-beat daughter

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae

"Will you marry me now, me soldier lad? Will you marry me now or never?

Will you marry me now, me soldier lad, for you see I'm done forever?"

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae

"I can't marry you, my bonnie wee lass, I can't marry you, my honey

For I have got a wife at home and how could I disown her?"

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae

A pint at night is my delight and a gallon in the morning

The old women are my heartbreak, but the young one is me darling

And she sang lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle lilt-a-doodle-dee

And she hi-da-land-da-dee and she hi-da-land-da-dee

And she land-dae