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