X:141
T:Limerick Rake, The
R:song
D:The Dubliners
Z:id:hn-song-141
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=70
K:Edor
E | E>GF EDE | G>AB e2
e | dBB AFG | A>FE D2
D | E>GF EDE | G>AB e2
e | dBB B>AF | EE2- E2
B | B>ee e>fe | dBc d2
d/d/ | e>dB A>FG | A>FE D2
D/D/ | E>GF EDE | G>AB e2
e/e/ | dBB B>AF | EE2- E2 ||
W:I am a young fellow that's easy and bold,
W:In Castletown conners I'm very well known.
W:In Newcastle West I spent many a note,
W:With Kitty and Judy and Mary.
W:My parents rebuked me for being such a rake,
W:And for spending my time in such frolicsome ways,
W:But I ne'er will forget the good nature of Jane,
W:Agus fágaimíd siúd mar atá sé.
W:
W:My parents had reared me to shake and to sow,
W:To plough and to harrow, to reap and to mow.
W:Me heart being too airy to drop it so low,
W:I set out on a high speculation.
W:On paper and parchment they taught me to write,
W:In Euclid and grammar they opened my eyes,
W:And in multiplication in truth I was bright,
W:Agus fágaimíd siúd mar atá sé.
W:
W:If you chance for to go to the town of Rathkeale,
W:The girls all round me do flock on the square.
W:Some offer me apples and others sweet cakes,
W:and treats me unknown to their parents.
W:There is one from Askeaton and one from the Pike,
W:And another from Arda, my heart has beguiled,
W:Though being from the mountains her stockings are white,
W:and I'd love to be tightenin' her garters.
W:
W:Now to quarrel for riches I ne'er was inclined,
W:For the greatest of misers must leave all behind.
W:But I'll purchase a cow that will never run dry,
W:And I'll milk her by twisting her horn.
W:John Damer of Shronel had plenty of gold,
W:And Lord Devonshire's treasure was twenty times more,
W:But he's laid on his back among nettles and stones,
W:Agus fágaimíd siúd mar atá sé.
W:
W:This old cow can be milked without clover or grass,
W:She'd be pampered on barley, sweet corn and hops.
W:She'll be warm, she'd be stout, she'd be free in her paps,
W:And she'll milk without spancil or halter.
W:And the man that will drink it will cock his caubeen,
W:And if anyone laughs we'll have wigs on the green,
W:And the feeble old hag will get supple and free,
W:Agus fágaimíd siúd mar atá sé.
W:
W:If I chance for to go to the market of Croom,
W:With a cock in my hat and my pipes in full tune,
W:I am welcome at once and brought up to a room
W:Where Bacchus is sporting with Venus.
W:There's Peggy and Jane from the town of Bruree,
W:And Biddy from Bruff and we all on the spree,
W:Such a combing of locks as there was about me,
W:Agus fágaimíd siúd mar atá sé.
W:
W:There's some say I'm foolish and more say I'm wise,
W:But being fond of the women I think is no crime,
W:Sure the son of King David had ten hundred wives,
W:And his wisdom was highly regarded.
W:I'll till a good garden and live at my ease,
W:And each woman and child could partake of the same,
W:If there's war in the cabin, themselves they could blame,
W:Agus fágaimíd siúd mar atá sé.
W:
W:But now for the future I think I'll get wise,
W:And I'll marry all those women who acted so kind,
W:Aye I'll marry them all on the morrow by and by,
W:If the clergy agreed to the bargain.
W:And when I'm on my back and my soul be at peace, *
W:all those children and wives they could keen at my wake,
W:And they all gather round and they offer their prayers,
W:To the Lord for the soul of their father.
W:
W:* or: When the Devil he comes my soul for to take,