Songbook/The Raggle Taggle Gypsies

Guitar Guitar/Chord changes C-Am and Hammer-On

The Raggle Taggle Gypsies

Scottish folk song (published 1740) – Alternative title: "The Gypsy Laddie", "The Raggle Taggle Gypsy", "Black Jack Davy", Text and melody: trad. many variants, some handed down orally, Key: A-aeolian, arranged by Mjchael  

Many text variants date from the 18th century and were sold in broadsheet format (simply folded song sheet) for pennies. The basic structure of the ballad is as follows: A daughter from a good family runs off with a gypsy. Her father tries in vain to bring the daughter back, as she is not prepared to leave her husband. Then the text variants diverge greatly. Sometimes the woman's poverty is described, sometimes a child is mentioned, sometimes the father takes revenge on the gypsy clan.

The originally Scottish ballad soon became an integral part of Irish folk music.

1

There were [Am]three of the gypsies a come to my door,

And down stairs ran this a-[C]lady, O.

[Em]One sang [Am]high and [Em]another sang [Am]low

And the other sang [C]bonny bonny Bis-[Em]ca-[Am]y O

2

Then she [Am]pulled off her silk finished gown,

And put on hose of [C]leather, O

The [Em]ragged ragged [Am]rags a-[Em]bout our [Am]door

She's away with the [C]wraggle-taggle [Em]gypsies,[Am]O.

3

It was [Am]late last night when my lord came home,

Inquiring for his a-[C]lady O

The [Em]servants [Am]said on [Em]every [Am]hand

She's gone with the [C]wraggle-taggle [Em]gypsies,[Am]O.

4

O [Am]saddle to me my milk-white steed

And go and fetch me my [C]pony, O

That [Em]I may [Am]ride and [Em]seek my [Am]bride,

Who's gone with the [C]wraggle-taggle [Em]gypsies,[Am]O.

5

O [Am]he rode high, and he rode low

He rode through wood and [C]copses too,

Un-[Em]til he [Am]came to a [Em]wide open [Am]field,

And there he e[C]-spied his a-[Em]lady [Am]O

6

What [Am]makes you leave you house and land?

What makes you leave you [C]money, O?

What [Em]makes you [Am]leave you [Em]new-wedded [Am]lord,

To follow the [C]wraggle-taggle [Em]gypsies, [Am]O.

7

"Last [Am]night you slept on a goosefeather bed,

With the sheet turned down so [C]bravely, O.

To-[Em]night you'll [Am]sleep in a [Em]cold open [Am]field,

Alone with the [C]wraggle-taggle [Em]gypsies, [Am]O."

8

"What [Am]care I for a goose-feather bed,

With the sheet turned down so [C]bravely, O.

For to-[Em]night I'll [Am]sleep in a [Em]cold open [Am]field,

In the arms of my [C]wraggle-taggle [Em]gypsies, [Am]O.

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