The Night Visit- John Riley (Ros) c.1973 C. Moore
[Text from Christy Moore http://www.christymoore.net/ This is a corrupt version of "As I Roved Out" ultimately derived from the version by Seamus Ennis-- Christy's version has the lovers' roles reversed. The traditional version had him leaving her! The line which says "Blow out the candle" was actually "I hope to God you're able." The mangled lyrics include "When broken shells make Christmas bells." This cover has had some circulation.
The opening stanza is different than Ennis' version which constitutes this as a variant of Ennis version. Moore reportedly learned his version from a singer named John Riley at a music gathering in Roscommon in the 1970s.
At the bottom of the page are a better set of lyrics of the same arrangement that were posted on Mudcat as taken from a recording by The Bards.
R. Matteson 2018]
THE NIGHT VISIT (AS I ROVED OUT) an arrangement of the version of Seamus Ennis
Who are you, me pretty fair maid
Who are you, me honey?
Who are you, me pretty fair maid
Who are you, me honey?
She answered me modestly,
"Well I am me mammy's darling."
CHORUS With your too-ry-ah
Fol-de-diddle-dah
Me Day-re fol-de-diddle
Dai-rie oh.
And will you come to me mammy's house
When the moon is shining clearly.
And will you come to me mammy's house
When the moon is shining clearly.
I'll open the door and I'll let you in
And divil the one will hear us.
CHORUS
So I went to her house in the middle of the night
When the moon was shining clarely.
So I went to her house in the middle of the night
When the moon was shining clarely.
Shc opened the door and she let me in
And divil the one did hear us.
CHORUS
She took me horse by the bridle and the bit
And she led him to the stable
She took me horse by the bridle and the bit
And she led him to the stable
Saying "There's plenty of oats for a soldier's horse,
To eat it if he's able."
CHORUS
She took me by the lily-white hand
And she led me to the table
She took me by the lily-white hand
And she led me to the table
Saying "There's plenty of wine for a soldier boy,
Drink it if you're able."
CHORUS
She got up and she made the bed
And she made it nice and aisy
She got up and she made the bed
And she made it nice and aisy
Then she took me by the hand
Saying "Blow out the candle!"
CHORUS
There we lay till the break of the day
And divil the one did hear us
There we lay till the break of the day
And divil the one did hear us
She arose and put on her clothes
Saying "Darling, you must leave me."
CHORUS
When will I return again
When will we get married
When will I return again
When will we get married
When broken shells make Christmas bells
We might well get married.
CHORUS
__________________
MY PRETTY FAIR MAID (Variant with improved text) from recording by The Bards.
1 And who are you, my pretty fair maid,
And who are you my bonnie?
Oh, who are you, my pretty fair maid,
And who are you my bonnie?
She answered me right modestly:
I am my mommy's darlin'.
With me toor-I-ah-fol-de-diddle-ah.
Die-ree-fol-de-diddle-dare-I-o.
2 And will you come to me mommy's house,
When the moon is shinning clearly?
Oh, will you come to me mommy's house,
When the moon is shinning clearly?
I'll open the door and I'll let you in,
The divil the one will hear us.
With me toor-I-ah-fol-de-diddle-ah.
Die-ree-fol-de-diddle-dare-I-o.
3 So, I went to her house, in the middle of the night,
When the moon was shinning clearly.
Oh, I went to her house, in the middle of the night,
When the moon was shinning clearly.
She opened the door, and she let me in,
The divil the one did hear us.
With me toor-I-ah-fol-de-diddle-ah.
Die-ree-fol-de-diddle-dare-I-o.
4 Well, she took my horse by the bridle and the bit,
And she led him to the stable.
Oh, she took my horse by the bridle and the bit,
And she led him to the stable.
There's plenty of oats for the soldier's horse
To eat them, if he's able
With me toor-I-ah-fol-de-diddle-ah.
Die-ree-fol-de-diddle-dare-I-o.
5 Then she took me by the lily white hand,
And she led me to the table.
Oh, she took me by the lily white hand,
And she led me to the table.
There's plenty of wine for the soldier boy
So drink it, if you're able.
With me toor-I-ah-fol-de-diddle-ah.
Die-ree-fol-de-diddle-dare-I-o.
6 Then I got up and I made the bed,
And I made it nice and easy.
Oh, I got up and I made the bed,
And I made it nice and easy.
Then I got up and I laid her down
Sayin': Lassie, are you able?
With me toor-I-ah-fol-de-diddle-ah.
Die-ree-fol-de-diddle-dare-I-o.
7 Well, there we lay till the break of the day,
And the divil the one did hear us.
Oh, there we lay till the break of the day,
And the divil the one did hear us.
Then I arose and I put on me clothes
Sayin': Lassie, I must leave you.
With me toor-I-ah-fol-de-diddle-ah.
Die-ree-fol-de-diddle-dare-I-o.
8 Well, when will you return again,
And when will we get married?
Oh, when will you return again,
And when will we get married?
When broken shells make Christmas bells,
We might well get married.
With me toor-I-ah-fol-de-diddle-ah.
Die-ree-fol-de-diddle-dare-I-o.