I have known "A-roving" all my life under various titles ("The maid of Amsterdam" for example) but it was only when working through Andrew Gant's Folk Songs of the British Isles that I finally got round to working on it for the Vegesacker Whalermen. Andrew describes it as a traditional English sea-shanty (sic). Our revered Master Mariner W.B. Whall in his authoritative Sea Songs Ships and Shanties states: The motive of this favourite sea song is very old indeed, and appears (in slightly varying forms) in many writings, e.g., in Thomas Heywood's Rape of Lucrece.. The Master Mariner places the maid in Amsterdam and the two verse given hint at a bawdy encounter whilst Andrew prefers Plymouth and his verse are much sanitised.
As it is, this song goes down well with the Vegesacker Whalermen and it is a joy to hear Manfred Eichholz (the complete seaman) croaking his verses so convincingly. This is really a fine sea song which many a landlubber entertainer and entaineress have taken into their repertoires.

Lyrics