Book of Song

Ramblin' Rover, The

by Andy M. Stewart

( Chorus
Oh, there’re sober men a plenty,
And drunkards barely twenty,
There are men way over ninety
Who have never yet kissed a girl.
But gie me a ramblin’ rover,
Fae Orkney down to Dover.
We will roam the country over
And together we’ll face the world. )

There’s many that feign enjoyment
From merciless employment,
Their ambition was this deployment
Since the minute they left the school.
And they save and scrape and ponder
While the rest go out and squander,
See the world and rove and wander
And are happier as a rule.

Chorus

I’ve roamed through all the nations
Taken delight in all creation,
And I’ve tried a wee sensation
Where the company, did prove kind.
And when partin’ was no pleasure,
I’ve drunk another measure
To the good friends that were treasure
For they always are in our minds.

Chorus

If you’re bent with arth-i-ritis,
Your bowels have got colitis,
You’ve got gallopin’ bollockitis
And you’re thinkin’ it’s time you died,
If you been a man of action,
Though you’re lying there in traction,
You will take some satisfaction
In sayin, “Jesus, at least I tried.”

Chorus