The Roving Journeyman Guitar Chords And Lyrics
A traditional song from Scotland. This version is by The Corries [ lyrics ]. The tin whistle sheet music notes are included along with the chord shapes for the Ukulele..
(Corries version)
I (D) am a rovin' journeyman, I roam from toon tae (G) toon,
And whenever (D) I get a job of work I'm (A) willing to sit (C) doon
Me (D) kit's all on me shoulder and me graftin' tool in (G) hand
And (D) around the country (G) I will go a (D) rovin' (A7) journeyman. (D)
(C) Whenever I come to (Am) Glasgow toon the (C) lassies jump for (G) joy,
Says (D) one unto another, "Well, here (A) comes a rovin' (C) boy."
Some (D) treat me to a bottle and the others to a (G) dram.
And the (D) toast goes round the (G) table, "Health (D) unto the (A7) journeyman" (D)
CHORUS: Wi' yer (C) linten adie (Am) toorin adie
(C) linten adie (Am) tooral linten (C) adie tooral (Am) linten addie (G) ay,
(D) Pots and pans and helpin' hands will (A) see you through the (C) day
(D)Linten adie tooral ooral ooral adie (G) ay
Gie a (D) penny tae the (G) journeyman tae (D) help him (A7) on his (D) way.
I hadna been in Glasgow toon a week but barely three
Before the provost's daughter went and fell in love wi' me.
She asked me for tae dine wi' her and took me by the hand
And she proudly told her mother that she loved the journeyman
"Ach, away ye go, ye silly maid, I'll hear ye speak no more,
How can ye love a journeyman ye've never seen before?"
"Oh mother sweet, I do entreat, I love him all I can,
And around the country I will go to see my journeyman!"
Ye'll need nae mair tae trudge on foot, ye'll hae a horse and pair,
My wealth with thee and poverty contented I will share.
So overflow the flowing bowl and drain it if ye can,
Toast the provost's daughter and the rovin' journey man.
Oh, I am a rovin' journeyman, I roam from town to town,
And whenever I get a job of work I'm willing to sit down
Me kit's all on me shoulder and me graftin' tool in hand
And around the country I will go a rovin' journeyman
(Corries version)
I (D) am a rovin' journeyman, I roam from toon tae (G) toon,
And whenever (D) I get a job of work I'm (A) willing to sit (C) doon
Me (D) kit's all on me shoulder and me graftin' tool in (G) hand
And (D) around the country (G) I will go a (D) rovin' (A7) journeyman. (D)
(C) Whenever I come to (Am) Glasgow toon the (C) lassies jump for (G) joy,
Says (D) one unto another, "Well, here (A) comes a rovin' (C) boy."
Some (D) treat me to a bottle and the others to a (G) dram.
And the (D) toast goes round the (G) table, "Health (D) unto the (A7) journeyman" (D)
CHORUS: Wi' yer (C) linten adie (Am) toorin adie
(C) linten adie (Am) tooral linten (C) adie tooral (Am) linten addie (G) ay,
(D) Pots and pans and helpin' hands will (A) see you through the (C) day
(D)Linten adie tooral ooral ooral adie (G) ay
Gie a (D) penny tae the (G) journeyman tae (D) help him (A7) on his (D) way.
I hadna been in Glasgow toon a week but barely three
Before the provost's daughter went and fell in love wi' me.
She asked me for tae dine wi' her and took me by the hand
And she proudly told her mother that she loved the journeyman
"Ach, away ye go, ye silly maid, I'll hear ye speak no more,
How can ye love a journeyman ye've never seen before?"
"Oh mother sweet, I do entreat, I love him all I can,
And around the country I will go to see my journeyman!"
Ye'll need nae mair tae trudge on foot, ye'll hae a horse and pair,
My wealth with thee and poverty contented I will share.
So overflow the flowing bowl and drain it if ye can,
Toast the provost's daughter and the rovin' journey man.
Oh, I am a rovin' journeyman, I roam from town to town,
And whenever I get a job of work I'm willing to sit down
Me kit's all on me shoulder and me graftin' tool in hand
And around the country I will go a rovin' journeyman
Alternative version of the guitar chords.
I (G) am a rovin' journeyman, I roam from toon tae (C) toon,
And whenever (G) I get a job of work I'm (D) willing to sit (F) doon
Me (G) kit's all on me shoulder and me graftin' tool in (C) hand
And (G) around the country (C) I will go a (G) rovin' (D7) journeyman. (G)
(F) Whenever I come to (Dm) Glasgow toon the (F) lassies jump for (C) joy,
Says (G) one unto another, "Well, here (D) comes a rovin' (F) boy."
Some (G) treat me to a bottle and the others to a (C) dram.
And the (G) toast goes round the (C) table, "Health (G) unto the (D7) journeyman" (G)
CHORUS: Wi' yer (F) linten adie (Dm) toorin adie
(F) linten adie (Dm) tooral linten (F) adie tooral (Dm) linten addie (C) ay,
(G) Pots and pans and helpin' hands will (D) see you through the (F) day
(G)Linten adie tooral ooral ooral adie (C) ay
Gie a (G) penny tae the (C) journeyman tae (G) help him (D7) on his (G) way.
I (G) am a rovin' journeyman, I roam from toon tae (C) toon,
And whenever (G) I get a job of work I'm (D) willing to sit (F) doon
Me (G) kit's all on me shoulder and me graftin' tool in (C) hand
And (G) around the country (C) I will go a (G) rovin' (D7) journeyman. (G)
(F) Whenever I come to (Dm) Glasgow toon the (F) lassies jump for (C) joy,
Says (G) one unto another, "Well, here (D) comes a rovin' (F) boy."
Some (G) treat me to a bottle and the others to a (C) dram.
And the (G) toast goes round the (C) table, "Health (G) unto the (D7) journeyman" (G)
CHORUS: Wi' yer (F) linten adie (Dm) toorin adie
(F) linten adie (Dm) tooral linten (F) adie tooral (Dm) linten addie (C) ay,
(G) Pots and pans and helpin' hands will (D) see you through the (F) day
(G)Linten adie tooral ooral ooral adie (C) ay
Gie a (G) penny tae the (C) journeyman tae (G) help him (D7) on his (G) way.
“The Rovin’ Journeyman” is a lively, working-man’s song in 6/8 time, which gives it that rolling jig rhythm you hear in Scottish and Irish folk tunes.
You can play it with a bouncy strum or a lilting fingerpicking roll, both evoking a rovin’ tradesman’s gait.
Here’s how to play both for the first verse (the first eight lines before the chorus).
🎸 Strumming Pattern (6/8 Jig Feel)
Count: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Think “DAH-da-da DAH-da-da” — a swinging, rolling rhythm.
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
(counted as 1 2& 3&)
You can also feel it as two groups of three:
(↓) bass – (↓↑) brush – (↓↑) brush
That gives a rhythmic “boom–chick–chick, boom–chick–chick” feel.
Example (G chord):
| G | G |
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
1 2& 3& 1 2& 3&
Bass alternation ideas:
G → 6th → 4th strings
C → 5th → 4th strings
D / D7 → 4th → 5th strings
F → 6th → 4th strings
Dm → 4th → 3rd strings
Keep the accents on beats 1 and 4 to make it danceable.
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
For 6/8, we’ll use a rolling arpeggio pattern that fits the jig rhythm:
Thumb (1) – Index (2) – Middle (3) – Thumb (4) – Index (5) – Middle (6)
This gives a “rolling wave” feel, steady and forward-moving.
Use:
Thumb (p) = E, A, or D string (bass)
Index (i) = G string
Middle (m) = B string
First Verse Tab
G C G D F
e|------------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B|------0-----------0-----------|------1-----------1|------0-----------0|------3-----------1|
G|----0---0-------0---0---------|----0---0-------0--|----0---0-------0--|----2---2-------2--|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--2-----------2----|--0-----------0----|--0-----------3----|
A|------------------------------|3------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-----------3----------------|-------------------|-3-----------3-----|-------------------|
I am a rovin’ journeyman, I roam from toon tae toon,
G C G C G D7 G
e|------------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B|------0-----------0-----------|------1-----------1|------0-----------1|------0-----------1|
G|----0---0-------0---0---------|----0---0-------0--|----0---0-------0--|----0---0-------2--|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--2-----------2----|--0-----------2----|--0-----------0----|
A|------------------------------|3------------------|-------------------|3------------------|
E|-3-----------3----------------|-------------------|-3-----------3-----|-------------------|
Me kit’s all on me shoulder and me graftin’ tool in hand,
And around the country I will go, a rovin’ journeyman.
🎶 Playing Tips
Keep your thumb steady — it drives the 6/8 rhythm.
Let the treble notes ring smoothly for a flowing jig feel.
Emphasize beats 1 and 4 to give a marching lilt.
For variety, you can hammer-on into chords (e.g. in G: open A→2nd fret on beat 1).
You can play it with a bouncy strum or a lilting fingerpicking roll, both evoking a rovin’ tradesman’s gait.
Here’s how to play both for the first verse (the first eight lines before the chorus).
🎸 Strumming Pattern (6/8 Jig Feel)
Count: 1 2 3 4 5 6
Think “DAH-da-da DAH-da-da” — a swinging, rolling rhythm.
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
(counted as 1 2& 3&)
You can also feel it as two groups of three:
(↓) bass – (↓↑) brush – (↓↑) brush
That gives a rhythmic “boom–chick–chick, boom–chick–chick” feel.
Example (G chord):
| G | G |
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
1 2& 3& 1 2& 3&
Bass alternation ideas:
G → 6th → 4th strings
C → 5th → 4th strings
D / D7 → 4th → 5th strings
F → 6th → 4th strings
Dm → 4th → 3rd strings
Keep the accents on beats 1 and 4 to make it danceable.
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
For 6/8, we’ll use a rolling arpeggio pattern that fits the jig rhythm:
Thumb (1) – Index (2) – Middle (3) – Thumb (4) – Index (5) – Middle (6)
This gives a “rolling wave” feel, steady and forward-moving.
Use:
Thumb (p) = E, A, or D string (bass)
Index (i) = G string
Middle (m) = B string
First Verse Tab
G C G D F
e|------------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B|------0-----------0-----------|------1-----------1|------0-----------0|------3-----------1|
G|----0---0-------0---0---------|----0---0-------0--|----0---0-------0--|----2---2-------2--|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--2-----------2----|--0-----------0----|--0-----------3----|
A|------------------------------|3------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-----------3----------------|-------------------|-3-----------3-----|-------------------|
I am a rovin’ journeyman, I roam from toon tae toon,
G C G C G D7 G
e|------------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B|------0-----------0-----------|------1-----------1|------0-----------1|------0-----------1|
G|----0---0-------0---0---------|----0---0-------0--|----0---0-------0--|----0---0-------2--|
D|--0-----------0---------------|--2-----------2----|--0-----------2----|--0-----------0----|
A|------------------------------|3------------------|-------------------|3------------------|
E|-3-----------3----------------|-------------------|-3-----------3-----|-------------------|
Me kit’s all on me shoulder and me graftin’ tool in hand,
And around the country I will go, a rovin’ journeyman.
🎶 Playing Tips
Keep your thumb steady — it drives the 6/8 rhythm.
Let the treble notes ring smoothly for a flowing jig feel.
Emphasize beats 1 and 4 to give a marching lilt.
For variety, you can hammer-on into chords (e.g. in G: open A→2nd fret on beat 1).
A Rovin' Journeyman Sheet Music Notes
