Wild Rover
Marc Gunn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I spent all my money on whiskey and beer,
But now I've returned with gold in great store,
And I never will play the wild rover no more.
And it's no, nay, never
No, nay, never, no more,
Will I play the rover
I went down to an ale house I used to frequent,
And I told the landlady my money was spent.
I asked her for credit, but she answered me "Nay.
Such custom like yours I could have any day."
I took from my pocket ten sovereigns bright,
And the landlady's eyes opened wide with delight,
She said, "I have whiskeys and wines of the best,
And I'll take you upstairs, and I'll show you the rest.
I'll go home to my parents, confess what I've done,
And I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.
And if they caress me as oft times before,
I never will play the wild rover no more!
The song "Wild Rover" is a classic and widely popular traditional Irish song that tells the story of a man who has spent his life recklessly indulging in whiskey and beer, traveling and partying. However, the lyrics suggest a newfound sense of responsibility and an earnest desire to change his ways for the better. The singer has returned with a fortune to his name and promises to never play the "wild rover" again.
The refrain "No, nay, never" is a common way of expressing a strong negative response. In the context of the song, it represents the singer's determination and commitment to change. Despite his wild past, he is now a changed man, and the repetition of the words emphasizes this.
The second verse tells the story of the singer's attempt to get credit from a former drinking establishment, but his request is denied. The ten sovereigns he produces show that he now has the means to pay his debts and purchase the best the establishment has to offer. The landlady's delight highlights the transformative effect of wealth and success.
The last verse suggests that the singer has come to a realization about the importance of family and wants to make amends for his past behavior. If his parents forgive him and take him back, he promises to never be a wild rover again. The song ends on a positive and hopeful note, with a sense of redemption and personal growth.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been a wild rover for many a year,
I've lived a reckless, wandering life for a long time.
And I spent all my money on whiskey and beer,
I wasted all my money on alcohol.
But now I've returned with gold in great store,
But now I've come back with a lot of money.
And I never will play the wild rover no more.
And I will never live recklessly again.
And it's no, nay, never
And I will definitely not
No, nay, never, no more,
not ever live like that again.
Will I play the rover
I will not live recklessly anymore.
No never, no more.
Never, ever again.
I went down to an ale house I used to frequent,
I went to a pub I used to go to often.
And I told the landlady my money was spent.
I told the owner that I had no more money.
I asked her for credit, but she answered me "Nay.
I asked her for a loan, but she said no.
Such custom like yours I could have any day."
I could easily get another customer like you.
I took from my pocket ten sovereigns bright,
I took ten shiny golden coins from my pocket.
And the landlady's eyes opened wide with delight,
And the owner was very happy to see the money.
She said, "I have whiskeys and wines of the best,
She said that they had the best whiskey and wine.
And I'll take you upstairs, and I'll show you the rest.
And I'll take you upstairs to show you the other options.
I'll go home to my parents, confess what I've done,
I'll go home to my parents and tell them what I've done.
And I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.
And I'll ask them to forgive their wayward child.
And if they caress me as oft times before,
And if they show me love and affection as they have done before,
I never will play the wild rover no more!
I will never live recklessly again!
Contributed by Elliot J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.