Ramblin' Rover Lyrics And Chords
The tin whistle sheet music for The Ramblin' Rover is included. The guitar timing is 4/4(Andy M Stewart) McCalmans’ version in F major with a capo on the 3rd fret. Chords by Marc. Also recorded by Silly Wizzard , Siobhan Miller, and by The Dubliners. The ukulele chord shapes are included. Scottish song lyrics .
Rambling Rover sheet music / tin whistle notes is in The Dubliners ebook of tabs
Chorus
There are (D)sober men a-plenty
And drunkards barely twenty
There are (G)men of over (D)ninety
Who have (Em)never yet kissed a (G)girl
But give (D)me a rambling rover
From Orkney down to Dover
We will (G)roam the country (D)over
And to(Em)gether we'll (A)face the (D)world
There are (D)many who seek enjoyment
Of merciless employment
Their am(G)bition this de(D)ployment
Since the (Em)minute they left the (G)school
And they (D)scrape and save and ponder
While the rest go out and squander
See the (G)world and rove and (D)wander
For they're (Em)happier (A)as a (D)rule
Chorus
I have (D)roamed through all the nations
Took delight in all creation
I've en(G)joyed a wee sen(D)sation
When the (Em)company did prove (G)kind
When (D)parting was no pleasure
I drank another measure
To the (G)good friends that we (D)treasure
For they (Em)always are on (A)our (D)mind
Chorus
If you're (D)bent with arthritis
And your bowels have got colitis
You've gal(G)loping bollo(D)ckitis
And your (Em)thinking it's time you'd (G)died
If you've (D)been a man of action
And you're lying there in traction
You can (G)gain some satis(D)faction
Thinkin' "(Em)J''''', at (A)least I (D)tried"
Chorus twice
There are (D)sober men a-plenty
And drunkards barely twenty
There are (G)men of over (D)ninety
Who have (Em)never yet kissed a (G)girl
But give (D)me a rambling rover
From Orkney down to Dover
We will (G)roam the country (D)over
And to(Em)gether we'll (A)face the (D)world
There are (D)many who seek enjoyment
Of merciless employment
Their am(G)bition this de(D)ployment
Since the (Em)minute they left the (G)school
And they (D)scrape and save and ponder
While the rest go out and squander
See the (G)world and rove and (D)wander
For they're (Em)happier (A)as a (D)rule
Chorus
I have (D)roamed through all the nations
Took delight in all creation
I've en(G)joyed a wee sen(D)sation
When the (Em)company did prove (G)kind
When (D)parting was no pleasure
I drank another measure
To the (G)good friends that we (D)treasure
For they (Em)always are on (A)our (D)mind
Chorus
If you're (D)bent with arthritis
And your bowels have got colitis
You've gal(G)loping bollo(D)ckitis
And your (Em)thinking it's time you'd (G)died
If you've (D)been a man of action
And you're lying there in traction
You can (G)gain some satis(D)faction
Thinkin' "(Em)J''''', at (A)least I (D)tried"
Chorus twice
Alternative version in the key of G.
Chorus
There are (G)sober men a-plenty
And drunkards barely twenty
There are (C)men of over (G)ninety
Who have (Am)never yet kissed a (C)girl
But give (G)me a rambling rover
From Orkney down to Dover
We will (C)roam the country (G)over
And to(Am)gether we'll (D)face the (G)world
There are (G)many who seek enjoyment
Of merciless employment
Their am(C)bition this de(G)ployment
Since the (Am)minute they left the (C)school
And they (G)scrape and save and ponder
While the rest go out and squander
See the (C)world and rove and (G)wander
For they're (Am)happier (D)as a (G)rule
Chorus
I have (G)roamed through all the nations
Took delight in all creation
I've en(C)joyed a wee sen(G)sation
When the (Am)company did prove (C)kind
When (G)parting was no pleasure
I drank another measure
To the (C)good friends that we (G)treasure
For they (Am)always are on (D)our (G)mind
Chorus
If you're (G)bent with arthritis
And your bowels have got colitis
You've gal(C)loping bollo(G)ckitis
And your (Am)thinking it's time you'd (C)died
If you've (G)been a man of action
And you're lying there in traction
You can (C)gain some satis(G)faction
Thinkin' "(Am)J''''', at (D)least I (G)tried"
Chorus twice
Chorus
There are (G)sober men a-plenty
And drunkards barely twenty
There are (C)men of over (G)ninety
Who have (Am)never yet kissed a (C)girl
But give (G)me a rambling rover
From Orkney down to Dover
We will (C)roam the country (G)over
And to(Am)gether we'll (D)face the (G)world
There are (G)many who seek enjoyment
Of merciless employment
Their am(C)bition this de(G)ployment
Since the (Am)minute they left the (C)school
And they (G)scrape and save and ponder
While the rest go out and squander
See the (C)world and rove and (G)wander
For they're (Am)happier (D)as a (G)rule
Chorus
I have (G)roamed through all the nations
Took delight in all creation
I've en(C)joyed a wee sen(G)sation
When the (Am)company did prove (C)kind
When (G)parting was no pleasure
I drank another measure
To the (C)good friends that we (G)treasure
For they (Am)always are on (D)our (G)mind
Chorus
If you're (G)bent with arthritis
And your bowels have got colitis
You've gal(C)loping bollo(G)ckitis
And your (Am)thinking it's time you'd (C)died
If you've (G)been a man of action
And you're lying there in traction
You can (C)gain some satis(G)faction
Thinkin' "(Am)J''''', at (D)least I (G)tried"
Chorus twice
The Rambling Rover” (Andy M. Stewart’s classic) is a lively Scottish folk tune in 6/8 time (a jig-like rhythm).
That means for a rolling, dancing feel rather than a straight 4/4 strum.
Below you’ll find both a strumming pattern and a fingerpicking tab for the first verse, matched to that lilting 6/8 rhythm.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (6/8 Folk Jig Feel)
Count: 1 2 3 4 5 6
You can think of it as: "Down Down-Up Down-Up"
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
Try accenting the 1st and 4th beats slightly:
1 (strong) 2 3 4 (medium) 5 6
This gives that rolling bounce you hear in Irish/Scottish folk songs.
Example (G chord):
| G | G |
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
(1 2 3 4 5 6)
Optional Bass Alternation:
For G → alternate 6th & 4th strings
For C → alternate 5th & 4th strings
For Am → alternate 5th & 6th strings
For D → alternate 4th & 5th strings
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
This follows a rolling arpeggio in 6/8 time, giving a rhythmic pulse that fits the song’s feel.
Each measure = one chord (unless lyrics change faster).
Verse 1:
G C G
e|--------3-----------3----------|--------0-----------0----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0--------|------1---1-------1---1--------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0------|----0-------0---0-------0------|
D|--------------------------------|--2-----------2---------------|
A|--------------------------------|3-----------------------------|
E|-3-----------3------------------|------------------------------|
There are sober men a-plenty, and drunkards barely twenty,
C G Am C
e|--------0-----------0----------|--------3-----------3----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1--------|------1---1-------1---1--------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0------|----2-------2---0-------0------|
D|--2-----------2----------------|-------------------------------|
A|3-------------------------------|0-----------0------------------|
E|--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
There are men of over ninety, who have never yet kissed a girl.
G C G
e|--------3-----------3----------|--------0-----------0----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0--------|------1---1-------1---1--------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0------|----0-------0---0-------0------|
D|--------------------------------|--2-----------2---------------|
A|--------------------------------|3-----------------------------|
E|-3-----------3------------------|------------------------------|
But give me a rambling rover, from Orkney down to Dover,
C G Am D G
e|--------0-----------0----------|--------0-----------2-----------3----|
B|------1---1-------1---1--------|------1---1-------3---3-------0------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0------|----2-------2---2-------2---0--------|
D|--2-----------2----------------|0-----------0------------------------|
A|3-------------------------------|-------------------------------2----|
E|--------------------------------|-------------------------------3----|
We will roam the country over, and together we'll face the world.
🎶 Performance Tips
Keep your thumb alternating a steady bass pulse: it drives the 6/8 rhythm.
Use p-i-m (thumb–index–middle) finger sequence.
Let the chords ring together — don’t pluck too sharply.
Feel the “1-2-3 / 4-5-6” grouping — it’s like a rolling jig.
That means for a rolling, dancing feel rather than a straight 4/4 strum.
Below you’ll find both a strumming pattern and a fingerpicking tab for the first verse, matched to that lilting 6/8 rhythm.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (6/8 Folk Jig Feel)
Count: 1 2 3 4 5 6
You can think of it as: "Down Down-Up Down-Up"
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
Try accenting the 1st and 4th beats slightly:
1 (strong) 2 3 4 (medium) 5 6
This gives that rolling bounce you hear in Irish/Scottish folk songs.
Example (G chord):
| G | G |
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
(1 2 3 4 5 6)
Optional Bass Alternation:
For G → alternate 6th & 4th strings
For C → alternate 5th & 4th strings
For Am → alternate 5th & 6th strings
For D → alternate 4th & 5th strings
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
This follows a rolling arpeggio in 6/8 time, giving a rhythmic pulse that fits the song’s feel.
Each measure = one chord (unless lyrics change faster).
Verse 1:
G C G
e|--------3-----------3----------|--------0-----------0----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0--------|------1---1-------1---1--------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0------|----0-------0---0-------0------|
D|--------------------------------|--2-----------2---------------|
A|--------------------------------|3-----------------------------|
E|-3-----------3------------------|------------------------------|
There are sober men a-plenty, and drunkards barely twenty,
C G Am C
e|--------0-----------0----------|--------3-----------3----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1--------|------1---1-------1---1--------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0------|----2-------2---0-------0------|
D|--2-----------2----------------|-------------------------------|
A|3-------------------------------|0-----------0------------------|
E|--------------------------------|-------------------------------|
There are men of over ninety, who have never yet kissed a girl.
G C G
e|--------3-----------3----------|--------0-----------0----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0--------|------1---1-------1---1--------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0------|----0-------0---0-------0------|
D|--------------------------------|--2-----------2---------------|
A|--------------------------------|3-----------------------------|
E|-3-----------3------------------|------------------------------|
But give me a rambling rover, from Orkney down to Dover,
C G Am D G
e|--------0-----------0----------|--------0-----------2-----------3----|
B|------1---1-------1---1--------|------1---1-------3---3-------0------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0------|----2-------2---2-------2---0--------|
D|--2-----------2----------------|0-----------0------------------------|
A|3-------------------------------|-------------------------------2----|
E|--------------------------------|-------------------------------3----|
We will roam the country over, and together we'll face the world.
🎶 Performance Tips
Keep your thumb alternating a steady bass pulse: it drives the 6/8 rhythm.
Use p-i-m (thumb–index–middle) finger sequence.
Let the chords ring together — don’t pluck too sharply.
Feel the “1-2-3 / 4-5-6” grouping — it’s like a rolling jig.
Siobhan Miller song Ramblin' Rover
Ramblin' Rover PDF Sheet Music Score In A
Alternative Version Of Ramblin' Rover sheet music score
The ramblin' rover sheet music and tin whistle notes
