As I roved out on a May mornin' On a May mornin', right early I spied my love upon the way Oh Lord, but she was early Her shoes were black, her stockings white And her buckles shone like silver She had a dark and rovin' eye And her earrings touched her shoulders (Chorus) And she sang: "A lith a dlddle, lith a diddle lith a dlddle dee Cha hiddle hundiddy, cha hiddle hundiddy and cha lan day" And she sang: "A lith a dlddle, lith a diddle lith a dlddle dee Cha hiddle hundiddy, cha hiddle hundiddy and cha lan day and cha lan day" How old are you my bonny be girl how old are my darlin' How old are you my bonny be girl "I'll be seventeen on Sunday" While I went to her house at the top of the hill And the moon was shinin' clearly She arose to let me in but her mother chanced to hear me (Chorus) When she caught her by the hair of the head
And out of the room, she brought her And with the root of a hazel branch She was the well-beat daughter. "Will you marry me now, me soldier boy? Will you marry me now, or never? Will you marry me now, me soldier boy? Can you see I'm done forever?" Well I won't marry you, my bonnie be girl Well I won't marry you, my darlin' For I have got a wife at home And how can I disown her? (Chorus) Well, a pint at night is my delight And a gallon in the mornin' The old women' they are my heartbreak But the young ones are my darlin's As I roved out on a May morning On a May morning, right early I spied my love upon the way Oh Lord, but she was early (Chorus) And she sang: "A lith a dlddle, lith a diddle lith a dlddle dee Cha hiddle hundiddy, cha hiddle hundiddy and cha lan day and cha lan day."