Often Drunk and Seldom Sober

Jimmy Hutchison: On Autumn Harvest ah007: Old Songs & Bothy Ballads: Grand to Be a Working Man. Recorded at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival May 2008.

Learned from the singing of Old Davie Stewart (the Galoot) whose rendition of the song was recorded by Hamish Henderson and is on Greentrax CDTRAX9052. Davie became well known in the Scottish folk revival of the 1960s when he was a regular guest at the St Andrews Folk Club where Jimmy was one of the organisers. Davie was one of Scotland's travelling people, who sang and played melodeon as he travelled around the country, a well kent face at Scotland's feeing markets and country fairs and as a busker in the streets of Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow. He probably picked up this song in Ireland - the song certainly seems to contain a mixture of Irish and Scottish elements.

1: Oh I'm often drunk and I'm seldom sober,
I'm a constant rover from town to town;
And when I'm sick and my days are over,
Oh lay me down my Molly Bawn.

2: Noo 'twas in September, I weel remember,
The dreary hour as I roved on;
I was roving through the county Galway,
And I fell in wi young Molly Bawn.

3: Noo I been wet and I been weary,
And tired of foot as I roved on,
Oh I happened on to the fair at Galway,
And fell in love wi young Molly Bawn.

4: For I'm often drunk and I'm seldom sober,
I'm a constant rover fae town to town;
And when I'm sick and my days are over,
Oh lay me down my Molly Bawn.

5: Noo I steppit up tae her bedroom window,
And knockit gently upon the glass;
She says, "Who'se that at my bedroom window,
Disturbing me at my lang night's rest?"

6: Oh 'tis I your lover, noo pray discover,
Oh open the door love and let me in;
For I have traivelled throughout the night,
And I am tired love untae the skin.

7: For I'm often drunk and I'm seldom sober,
I'm a constant rover fae town to town;
And when I'm sick and my days are over,
Oh lay me down my Molly Bawn.

8: Well she opened the door wi the greatest pleasure,
She opened the door and let me in;
And there we rolled in each other's arms,
Until that night was passed and gane.

9: For I'm often drunk and I'm seldom sober,
I'm a constant rover fae town to town;
And when I'm sick and my days are over,
Oh lay me down my Molly Bawn.