Interesting Facts about the Go Roving
“Go Roving”, comes from a fine old Norwegian shanty book called Opsang fra Seilskibstiden —‘Shanties from the Sailing-Ship Days’— D. H. Brochmann. He gives to us a few stanzas of the English version of the Go Roving, several in Norwegian. This Norwegian version was composed by a Norwegian poet, Henrik Wergelands, a fine character who took many of the obscene shanties of his time and rewrote them, building his themes mainly around some famous ship.
In each case he rewrote enough stanzas for a long heave or hoist; in this version of “A-rovin’ —Shanty for the Christiania Packet” – Wergeland made sixteen verses. Most of his versions are patriotic and nostalgic.
After giving the first few stanzas of the usual English version, the text in Opsang, Brochmann explains: ‘. . . these first three verses only are decent. It is now preferable to continue with Wergeland’s version’! and this was a comment to other verses that were too obscene and bawdy to print them out.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 48 – A-Rovin’ A).
The lyrics: “Brage og Idun, et nordisk Fjærdingårsskrift” by Frederik Barfod (Sommernummer 1841).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 52).
The Record of the Go Roving
You also can find this record on my YouTube channel here or directly listen below. Additionally, if you want to share your opinion about the record or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or leave a comment at the bottom of this blog article.
The full lyrics
Go Roving (Capstan Song for the Christiania Packet)
Nu muntres op saa mangt et Sind.
– Maerk vel hvad jeg vil si!
Nu muntres op saa mangt et Sind.
Paketten er nu halet ind.
– I’ll go no more a-rowing with you fair maid
– go roving, go roving,
– Since rovin’s bin my ru-i-in,
– We’ll go no more a-rovin’,
– With you fair maid.
* 2 *
Nu stiger Hjertet i vor Barm.
Med Styrke løfter sig vor Arm.
* 3 *
Nu ruller Blodet i vort Bryst.
Nu heise vi med Kraft og Lyst.
* 4 *
I Veiret Oxehov’det gaaer.
Paa Bryggen endnu flere staaer.
* 5 *
De undres hvad vel deri er:
om Porter eller Gingerbeer?
* 6 *
Men gid vi brygged Porter selv
af eget Malt og egen Elv!
* 7 *
Ja gid vi brygged selv vort Øl!
Og drak det saa i Krus af Sølv!
* 8 *
Saa drak vi og med bredfuldt Maal
Det gjæve gamle Norges Skaal.
* 9 *
Saa drak vi og med Velbehag
en Skaal for Norges røde Flag.
* 10 *
Saa drak vi til vi drak os mæt
en lystig Skaal for vor Paket.
* 11 *
Tilsidst vi letted paa vor Spunds;
og drak Kapteinens Skaal tilbunds.
* 12 *
Og altiblandt, med muntre Vers,
vi heise Baller under Mers.
* 13 *
Og Damen stryger strunk forbi.
Hun undres hvad vel er deri
* 14 *
Til Tjeneste, der er, Madam!
en Mængde fremmed Modenskram.
* 15 *
Men gid du gik — Hurra my boy!
i eget hjemmevirket Tøi!
* 16 *
Saa fik du før du gik herfra
et ærligmeent Matroshurra.
