Rambleaway

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Een van de eerste Britse Folksongs die ik leerde. De tekst heb ik uit het boek “The Seeds of Love”, een mooie verzameling songs van Stephan Sedley (1967). De melodie komt van de LP “Anthems in Eden” van Shirley & Dolly Collins (1969).
Shirley Collins leverde een grote bijdrage aan de folkrevival in Engeland. Ze is nu voorzitter van de English Folk Dance and Song Society.

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As I was a-going to Derrydown Fair
With my fine scarlet Coat and everything rare
Enough to entice all the maidens that day
When they set their eyes on young Rambleaway

Now the very first steps I took into the fair
I saw pretty Nancy a-combing her hair
I gave her the wink and she rolled her dark eye
Said I to myself, “I'll be there by and by”

As I was a-walking that night in the dark
I took my bright Nancy to be my sweetheart
She smiled in my face and these words she did say
“Are you the young man they call Rambleaway”

I said, “Pretty Nancy, don't smile in my face
For I do not intend to stay long in this place”
So I give her three doubles and fair length and share
I told her I'd ramble but didn't know where

When twenty-four weeks they were over and past
This fair pretty maiden did sicken at last
Her gown wouldn't meet nor her apron strings stay
And all through the love of young Rambleaway

So come pretty maidens wherever you be
When courting young fellows don't make yourself free
For if you should do so you'll rue the sad day
When you met with the like of young Rambleaway