Annotation:Roving Sailor (2) (The)
X:1 % T:Roving Sailor [2], The S:Levi Hall (Fayette County, Pa., 1944) M:4/4 L:1/8 B:Bayard - Dance to the Fiddle, March to the Fife (1981, No. 126) K:Ador e2e2 {B}d2B2|A2B2A2G2|B2e2d2B2|A2B2 d4| e2e2d2B2|{B}A2B2A2G2|A3B A2G2|B2 A2 A4|| |:ABAG F2D2|G2A2B2d2|efed B2G2|B2 A2 A4:|
ROVING SAILOR [2], THE. American, Reel or March (4/4 time). USA, southwestern Pa. A Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABB. The tune is used more for songs than dancing, states Bayard (1981), and in Ireland is joined to the ballad "William Taylor." In Pennsylvania it was a song and play-party tune, and was used as a dance tune by fiddlers. This ditty (with a 'floating' chorus) was sung to it:
Come, my little roving sailor,
Come, my little roving bee,
Come, my littl roving sailor,
Won't you ring around with me?
Chorus:
Granny will your dog bite? No, child, no, child,
Granny will your dog bite? No, child, no.
An alternative chorus was:
Little Betty Martin, tiptoe, tiptoe,
Little Betty Martin, tiptoe fine.