I've been a wild rover for many a year
I've spent all my money on whiskey and beer
Now I'm returning with gold in great store
And I swear that I'll play the wild rover no more

Chorus:
And it no, nay, never
(clap hands four times)
No, nay, never, No more
Will I play the wild rover
No, never, no more

I went into an ale house that I used to frequent
And I told the lady my money was spent
I asked her for credit and she answered me nay
Such a custom as yours I can get day

Chorus

And out of my pocket and pulled sovereigns bright
The landlady's eyes opened wide with delight
She said I have whiskey and wines of the best
And the words that I said were only in jest

I'd go home to my parents confess what I've done
And ask them to pardon their prodigal son
And if their'll caress me as oft times before
Then I swear that I play the wild rover no more

There was a wild colonial boy, Jack Dugan was his name
He was born and raised in Ireland, in a place called Castlemaine
He was his father's only son, his mother's pride and joy
And dearly did his parents love the wild colonial boy

At the early age of sixteen years, he left his native home
And to Australia's sunny shores he was inclined to roam
He robbed the rich and he helped the poor, he stabbed James MacEvoy
A terror to Australia was the wild colonial boy

For two long years this daring youth ran on his wild career
With a heart that knew no danger, and their justice he did not fear
He robbed the lordly squatters, their flocks he would destroy
A terror to Australia was the wild colonial boy

He bade the judge "Good morning!" and he told him to beware
For he never robbed an honest judge who acted "on the square"
"Yet you would rob a mother of her son and only joy
And breed a race of outlaws like the wild colonial boy!"

One morning on the prairie while Jack Dugan rode along
While listening to the mocking bird singing a cheerful song
Out jumped three troopers fierce and grim Kelly, Davis, and Fitzroy
They all set out to capture him, the wild colonial boy

Surrender now, Jack Dugan, for you see there's three to one
Surrender in the Queen's name, sir, you are a plundering son
Jack drew two pistols from his side and glared upon Fitzroy
I'll fight but not surrender cried the wild colonial boy

He fired a shot at Kelly, which brought him to the ground
And turning round to Davis he received his fatal wound
But a bullet pierced his brave young heart from the pistol of Fitzroy
And that was how they captured him the wild colonial boy

Take me away from the city
And lead me to where I can be on my own
I wanted to see you but now that I have
I just want to be left alone
I'll always remember your kind words
And I'll still remember your name
But I've seen you changing and turning
And I know that things won't be the same

Chorus:
I remember that summer in Dublin
And the Liffey it stank like hell
And the young people walking on Grafton Street
And everyone looking so well
I was singing a song I heard somewhere
Called Rock and Roll Never Forgets
When my hum it was smothered by a 46A
And the scream of a low-flying Jet
So I jumped on a bus to Dun Laoghaire
Stopping off to pick up my guitar
And a drunk on the bus told me how to get rich
I was glad we weren't going too far

So I'm leaving on Wednesday morning
Tryin' to find a place where I can hear
Where the wind and the birds and the sea and the rocks
And where open roads always are near
And if sometimes I tire of the quiet and I want to walk back up that hill
I'll just get on the road and I'll stick out my thumb
I know that you'll be there still

Chorus

I was eighteen years old, when I went down to Dublin
with a fistful of money and a cartload of dreams
"Take your time", said me father "stop rushing like hell
And remember all is not what it seems to be
For there's fellows would cut you for the coat on your back
Or the watch that you got from your mother
So take care me young buck-o and mind yourself well
And will you give this wee note to me brother"

At the time Uncle Benjy was a policeman in Brooklyn
And me father the youngest looked after the farm
When a phone call from America said 'Send the lad over'
And the ould fella said sure it wouldn't do any harm
For I spoent my life working this dirty old ground
For a few pints of porter and the smell of a pound
And sure maybe there's something you'll learn or you'll see
And you can bring it back home, make it easy on me

So I landed at Kennedy and a big yellow taxi
Carried me and my bags through the streets and the rain
Well my poor heart was pumping around with excitement
And I hardly even heard what the driver was saying
We came in the short parkway to the flatlands in Brooklyn
To my uncle's apartment on East 53rd
I was feeling so happy I was humming a song
And I sang you're as "Free as a bird"

Well to shorten the story what I found out that day
Was that Benjy got shot in a downtown foray
And while I was flyng my way to New York
Poor Benjy was lying in a cold city morgue
Well I phoned up the ould fella, told him the news
I could tell he could hardly stand up in his shoes
And he wept as he told me, go ahead with the plan
And not to forget to be a proud Irishman

So I went up to Nelly's beside Fordham Road
And I started to learn about lifting the load
But the healthiest thing that I carried that year
Was the bitter sweet thoughts of my home town so dear
I went home that December 'cause the old fella died
Had to borrow the money from Phil on the side
And all the bright flowers and grass couldn't hide
The poor wasted face of my father

I sold up the old farmyard for what it was worth
And into my bag stuck a handful of earth
Then I boarded a train and I caught me a plane
And I found myself back in the U.S. again
It's been twenty-two years since I set foot in Dublin
The kids know to use the correct knife and fork
But I'll never forget the green grass and the rivers
As I keep law and order in the streets of New York

Near Banbridge town, in the County Down
One morning in July
Down the boreen came a sweet colleen
And she smiled as she passed me by
Oh, she looked so neat from her two bare feet
To the crown of her nut-brown hair
Such a winsome elf, that I pinched myself
To be sure I was really there

Chorus:
From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay
And from Galway to Dublin town
No maid I've seen like the sweet colleen
That I met in the County Down

As she onward sped I shook my head
And I gazed with a feeling rare
And I said, says I, to a passer-by
"Who's the maid with the nut-brown hair?"
Oh, he smiled at me, and with pride says he
"That's the gem of all Ireland's crown
Young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann
She's the Star of the County Down"

Chorus

At the harvest fair she'll be surely there
And I'll dress in my Sunday clothes
With my shoes shined bright and my hat just right
Win the heart of the nut-brown Rose
No pipe I'll smoke, no horse I'll yoke
And my plow will rust and brown
'Til a smiling bride by my own fireside
Sits the Star of the County Down

Last night as I lay dreamin'
Of pleasant days gone by
Me mind bein' bent on travelin'
To Ireland I did fly
I stepped aboard a vision
and followed with my will
'Til next I came to anchor
At the cross near Spancil Hill

Delighted by the novelty
Enchanted with the scene
Where in my early boyhood
Where often I had been
I thought I heard a murmur
And think I hear it still
It's the little stream of water
That flows down Spancil Hill

It being the 23rd of June
The day before the fair
Where Ireland's sons and daughters
In crowds assembled there
The young, the old, the brave and the bold
They came for sport and kill
There were jovial conversations
At the cross near Spancil Hill

I went to see my neighbours
To hear what they might say
The old ones were all dead and gone
The others turning grey
I met with tailor Quigley
He's as bold as ever still
Sure he used to make my britches
When I lived in Spancil Hill

I paid a flying visit
To my first and only love
She's white as any lily
And gentle as a dove
She threw her arms around me
Saying Johnny I love you still
She's Meg the farmers daughter
And the pride of Spancil Hill

I dreamt I stooped and kissed her
As in the day of 'ore
She said Johnny you're only joking
As many the times before
The cock crew in the morn'
He crew both loud and shrill
And I woke in California
Many miles from Spancil Hill

In Dublin's fair city where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
As she wheels her wheel barrow through the streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive alive-o

Chorus:
Alive alive-o, alive alive-o
Crying cockles and mussels alive alive-o

She was a fishmonger but sure 'twas no wonder
For so were her father and mother before
And they both wheeled their barrow
through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive alive-o

She died of a fever and no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
But her ghost wheels her barrow
through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive alive-o

I was stopped by a soldier he said you are swine
He hit me with his rifle and he kicked me in the groin
I begged and I peddled all me manners were polite
But sure all the time Is thinkin of me little armalite

And its down in the Bogside thats where I long to be
Lying in the dark with a provo company
A comrade on me left and another one on me right
And a clip of ammunition for me little armalite

Well a brave RUC man came walkin down our street
600 British soldiers he had lined up at his feet
come out ye cowardly Fenians come on out and fight
but he prayed Im only jokin when he heard the armalite

Well the army came to visit me was in the early hours
The saracens and solodins and fervered armoured cowards
They thought they had me covered but I gave em all a fright
With me armour piercin bullets of me little armalite

When Harry came to Belfast to see the battles won
The generals they had told him weve got them on the run
But corporals and privates when on patrol at night
Saying call for reinforcements its the bloody armalite