{"id":1912,"date":"2014-04-01T08:15:37","date_gmt":"2014-04-01T12:15:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=1912"},"modified":"2021-06-14T16:07:48","modified_gmt":"2021-06-14T20:07:48","slug":"a-rovin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=1912","title":{"rendered":"Maid from Amsterdam (A-Rovin’)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s another song subjectively presented by whichever of us happens to be singing it\u2026 Paul used to be famous for it, but either Tim or Rick will easily whip it out for the general amusement of our following.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span>
\nStan Hugill points out that this was a very popular pump chantey although it did make its way to being sung at the capstan; the old pumps were operated in an \u201cup and down\u201d fashion, like both ends of a see-saw, and it created a rhythm begging for song.\u00a0 The song MAY <\/em>be the oldest English-language work song used at sea; it is rather old and may<\/i> very well date back to Elizabethan times; there are to be found variants on the melody and it can be found in folk music traditions of many places in Europe.\u00a0 Sailors would sing it (as well as their other songs) for the titillation of the other men in their company but you will find it often \u201cwhitewashed\u201d for public consumption these days.\u00a0 Please do not take the lyrics set below as the only version out there!\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nAmsterdam is a famous port city in the Netherlands and has an equally famous red-light district \u2013 any such location has always been the land-based destination for a sailor ashore!\u00a0\u00a0 I have heard a version of this song setting it in New<\/i> Amsterdam \u2013 or, old New York (Manhattan Island) \u2013 But I doubt that that version is so old.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jos. Morneault<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Amsterdam there lived a maid<\/span>
\nMark well what I do say!<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nIn Amsterdam there lived a maid<\/span>
\nAnd she was a mistress of her trade<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no more a-rovin\u2019 with you fair maid!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nChorus:<\/span>
\nA-rovin\u2019, a-rovin, <\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nA-rovin\u2019s been my ru-i-n<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI\u2019ll go no more a-rovin\u2019 with you fair maid!<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nOne night I crept from my abode<\/span>
\nMark well\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nOne night I crept from my abode<\/span>
\nTo meet this fair maid down the road.<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no more\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nI met her walking on the strand<\/span>
\nMark well\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI met her walking on the strand<\/span>
\nWhere she reached out and took my hand<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nI took this fair maid for a walk<\/span>
\nMark well\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI took this fair maid for a walk<\/span>
\nAnd we had such a lovely talk<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nWe laid down on a grassy patch<\/span>
\nMark well\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nWe laid down on a grassy patch<\/span>
\nShe plumped down on her lovely ass<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nI put my hand upon her toe<\/span>
\nMark well\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI put my hand upon her toe<\/span>
\nShe said, \u201cYoung man, you\u2019re much too slow.\u201d<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no…<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nI put my arm around her waist<\/span>
\nMark well\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI put my arm around her waist<\/span>
\nShe said, \u201cYoung man, you\u2019re in great haste!\u201d<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nI put my hand upon her knee<\/span>
\nMark\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI put my hand upon her knee<\/span>
\nShe said, \u201cYoung man, that tickles me!\u201d<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nI put my hand upon her thigh<\/span>
\nMark\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI put my hand upon her thigh<\/span>
\nShe said, \u201cYoung man, you\u2019re rather high!\u201d<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nI put my hand upon her breast<\/span>
\nMark\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI put my hand upon her breast<\/span>
\nShe said, \u201cYoung man, that\u2019s my sea chest!\u201d<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nI put my hand upon her snatch<\/span>
\nMark\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI put my hand upon her snatch<\/span>
\nShe said, \u201cYoung man, that\u2019s my main hatch!\u201d<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nHer heart was pounding like a drum<\/span>
\nMark\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nHer heart was pounding like a drum<\/span>
\nMy prick was aching to get some<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nShe rolled me over on my back<\/span>
\nMark\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nShe rolled me over on my back<\/span>
\nAnd fucked me \u2018till my bollocks cracked<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nIn consequence of our fine spree<\/span>
\nMark\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nIn consequence of our fine spree<\/span>
\nShe swore that she\u2019d be true to me<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nIn two weeks time I was badly bent<\/span>
\nMark\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nI two weeks time I was badly bent<\/span>
\nSo off to sea I sadly went<\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\nIn three weeks time it hurt to piss<\/span>
\nMark\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/b>
\nIn three weeks time it hurt to piss<\/span>
\nOh she gave me the syphilis! <\/span>
\nI\u2019ll go no more a-rovin\u2019 with you fair maid!<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\n