The Maid of Amsterdam

"The Maid of Amsterdam"
Roud #649
Song
Form Sea shanty
Writer(s) Traditional
Language English
"The Maid of Amsterdam"
A sample of Paul Clayton's 1954 recording
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"The Maid of Amsterdam", also known as "A-Roving," is a traditional sea shanty. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 649.[1]

Lyrics

The lyrics have many variations.[2] They are often cautionary tales of a sailor's amorous encounter with the Amsterdam maid, who, variably, is married,[3] taking advantage of the sailor for his money,[1] or has the pox.[4] The notes for the Doug Bailey-produced album Short Sharp Shanties claim the most traditional lyrics describe the sailor progressively touching different parts of the maid's body.[1] Regardless of varying lyrics, almost all versions contain the chorus of:

I'll go no more a-rovin', with you fair maid.
 A-roving, A-roving, since roving's been my ru-i-in,
 I'll go no more a-roving, with you fair maid.

A similar song featured in Thomas Heywood's play The Rape of Lucrece, first performed around 1630, is often credited as the origin of the shanty. However, this is contested by some experts, including Stan Hugill, who claims the song originates in the Elizabethan era.[3] The author of the notes for Sharp Sea Shanties writes, "It too has an amorous encounter with anatomical progression but there, to put it simply, all similarity ends. The presence of a common entertaining theme line does not prove a connection except possibly in the idea itself."[1]

The song was popular among British, Danish, and French sailors.[5]

Recordings

The song has been recorded by various artists, such as operatic baritone Leonard Warren, the Robert Shaw Chorale[6] and Paul Clayton. It was featured on the ending credits of episode two of the 1950s television show The Buccaneers and also as background music on various episodes.

References

Wikisource has original text related to this article:
  1. 1 2 3 4 Zierke, Reinhard (November 7, 2015). "A-Roving / Plymouth Town". Mainly Norfolk: English Folk and Other Good Music. mainlynorfolk.info. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
  2. ↑ "The Maid of Amsterdam: I'll Go No More A-Roving". Ratiocinativa. Wordpress. January 31, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Maid of Amsterdam". Contemplator. contemplator.com. 2016. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
  4. ↑ Engle, David G.; Waltz, Robert B. (2016). "A-Rovin'". Fresno State. California State University. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Maid of Amsterdam". Brethren of the Coast. brethrencoast.com. June 4, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1wL3MYsRtI
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