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The Roving Journeyman

[ Roud 360 ; Ballad Index MA062 ; trad.]

Tom Willett sang The Roving Journeyman in 1962 at the age of 84 as title track of the Willett family's album The Roving Journeymen. This recording was also included in 1989 on the Topic anthology There Is a Man Upon the Farm (The Voice of the People Volume 20).

John Kirkpatrick learned The Roving Journeyman from Tom Willett's recording and sang it in 1998 on Brass Monkey's third album Sound and Rumour.

Lyrics

John Kirkpatrick sings The Roving Journeyman

I am a roving journeyman and I roam from town to town
And when I've done a job of work I'm willing to sit down
With me kit all on me shoulder and me grafting tool in hand
And it's round the country I will go a roving journeyman

And when I came to London town the maidens jumped for joy
Said one unto the other Oh here comes a roving boy
They treat me to the bottle and they treat me to the can
And it's let the toast go round boys to the roving journeyman

Well I had not been in London town the days were scarcely three
Before me master's daughter she fell in love with me
She asked me for to dine with her and she took me by the hand
And she proudly told her mammy that she loved a journeyman

Oh get away you foolish maid such folly speak no more
How can you love a roving man you've never seen before
Oh mother sweet I do entreat I love him all I can
And it's round the country I will go with my roving journeyman

Acknowledgements

Transcribed by Garry Gillard.