The Foggy Dew
Ye Vagabonds Lyrics


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When I was a bachelor young and bold
I followed the roving trail
The only thing that I ever done wrong
I courted a handsome maid

I wooed her all the summertime
And part of the winter too
The only thing I ever done wrong
Was to keep off the foggy dew

'Twas on one night about twelve o'clock
As I lay fast asleep
There came this maid to my bedside
And bitterly she did weep

She wept, she moaned, she tore her hair
And she cried "what shall I do?"
So I rolled her into bed
And I covered up her head
For to keep off the foggy dew

Well all the first part of that night
And we did sport and play
And all the latter part of that night
Snug in my arms she lay

And when the broad daylight appeared
She cried "I am undone!"
Well hold your tongue
My pretty young girl
For the foggy dew has gone

Well I never told nobody her name
And its damned be if I do




But it's often times that i think on that night
That I kept off the foggy dew

Overall Meaning

The Foggy Dew by Ye Vagabonds is a traditional Irish folk song that tells the story of a young bachelor who made the mistake of courting a woman despite knowing she was not the one for him. He speaks of his only wrong being pursuing her despite this, but providing some comfort as she wept one night. The reference to the "foggy dew" in this song is metaphorical for the doubts and lies that can come from a relationship that one knows deep down is doomed.


The opening lines describe the man’s youth and his roving spirit, which led him to pursue a woman he knew wasn't right for him. He admits that he courted her despite knowing it was wrong. The foggy dew is a metaphor for his clouded judgment – he knew he was making a mistake, but he decided to ignore it.


The next verse describes the night the woman shows up at his bedside crying and moaning. For the rest of the night, they stay in bed together, but when the dawn breaks, she realizes her mistake, and the "foggy dew" clears away. The singer thinks back on that night often, but he never reveals the woman's name.


Overall, The Foggy Dew is a melancholic song that speaks of the regrets that can come from bad decisions. It is a reminder that we must listen to our inner voice and be honest about our feelings to prevent mistakes that could lead to heartache.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was a bachelor young and bold
As a young and adventurous bachelor


I followed the roving trail
I wandered about without any specific plans or ties


The only thing that I ever done wrong
The one mistake I ever made


I courted a handsome maid
I pursued a beautiful woman


I wooed her all the summertime
I spent the entire summer romancing her


And part of the winter too
And continued into the winter months


The only thing I ever done wrong
The one mistake I ever made


Was to keep off the foggy dew
Was to avoid getting heavily involved with her


'Twas on one night about twelve o'clock
One night at around midnight


As I lay fast asleep
While I was soundly sleeping


There came this maid to my bedside
The woman I courted came to my bed


And bitterly she did weep
And she weeped bitterly


She wept, she moaned, she tore her hair
She expressed her distress and sorrow through weeping, moaning, and hair-tearing


And she cried "what shall I do?"
And she asked me for help


So I rolled her into bed
I helped her into bed


And I covered up her head
And I covered her head with a blanket


For to keep off the foggy dew
To avoid getting heavily involved with her


Well all the first part of that night
All the early part of that night


And we did sport and play
We engaged in leisure and play


And all the latter part of that night
And later that night


Snug in my arms she lay
She slept comfortably in my arms


And when the broad daylight appeared
And when dawn broke


She cried "I am undone!"
She exclaimed that she was ruined


Well hold your tongue
Quiet, hush


My pretty young girl
My dear young woman


For the foggy dew has gone
The danger has passed


Well I never told nobody her name
I never revealed her identity to anyone


And its damned be if I do
And I won't do it even if damned


But it's often times that i think on that night
But I do often think about that night


That I kept off the foggy dew
That I avoided getting heavily involved with her




Writer(s): Traditional, James Mcnally

Contributed by Eva W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@imsneeky

what happens to our childhood,it only always seems to be a memory,never actually the present,long gone and hazy,and,if we are very lucky,gold tinged

@MurarichSiberian

U may sit and write ...aaaall U remember about your childhood... Maybe 2 days U write, then U'll feel different way, more free, because all heavy things ill be gone

@mikkoangeloagas4349

Just found this band lately. What an underrated masterpiece.

@MrSharky334

God, the way the stringed instruments swell at the line “and in the latter part of that night snug in my arms she lay” is just transcendent ❤

@themattlowry

I was watching a John Creedan yolk on RTE player where he travels around Ireland anda small section of this song started to play.
I Shazammed it and found absolute magic. Amazing musician and amazing tune.

@SimonWilliams1965

Absolutely mesmerising rendition of this fine song. Fecking awesome lads. And wonderful graphics. Simply magnificent, hats off to you.

@LeighGhostTao

Lovely, great Blackwaterside reference in the lyrics too.

@siamterry

Very very tastily done, I could easily become addicted to listening to these musicians !

@jnrmac1

Stupendous. Absolutely love this tune. Fantastic vocals.

@siamterry

P.S. Whoever did the intriguing art work also deserves a mention :)

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