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A-Roving
Last updated: 22.01.22
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.
  Issue Performer
     
  Midi File(s)   
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     Performer CD Title Supplier
       
cd15.gif Joan Baez Joan Baez, 5 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Paul Clayton Sailing & Whaling Songs of 19th Century CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Paul Clayton Whaling And Sailing Songs CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Alan Mills Songs of the Sea CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Various Artists A Treasury of Shanties and Songs of the Sea flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Various Artists World Library Of Folk And Primitive Music - Vol. 1 (England) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Various Artists Revels Celebration Of Spring Summer & Fall flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Various Artists Sea Shanties, Vol. 2 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Norman Luboff Choir Songs of the South/Songs of the Sea flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif  Richard Dyer-Bennet The Art Of Richard Dyer-Bennet flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Rocky River Bush Band Helge Arildsø Shanghaied Crew flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif The Robert Shaw Chorale Sea Shanties CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif