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as performed by Planxty on "The Well Below The Valley" (1973). "We learned this sad and beautiful song from the singing of Paddy Tunney who lives in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. He has described it as dating back to the days of the famine, when any bit of property at all was enough to tempt a man to jilt his true love in favour of the 'lassie with the land'" - Andy Irvine

    As I Roved Out by Planxty

    by trad
    As [Dm] I roved out on a [C] bright May [G] mor- [C] ning
    To [C] view the [F] meadows and [Dm] flowers [G] gay
    Whom [F] should I spy but my [G] own true lo-[Am] ver
    As [F] she sat under yon [G] willow tree

    I took off my hat and I did salute her
    I did salute her most courageously
    When she turned around well the tears fell from her
    Sayin' "False young man, you have deluded me

    A diamond ring I owned I gave you
    A diamond ring to wear on your right hand
    But the vows you made, love, you went and broke them
    And married the lassie that had the land"

    "If I'd married the lassie that had the land, my love
    It's that I'll rue till the day I die
    When misfortune falls sure no man can shun it
    I was blindfolded I'll ne'er deny"

    Now at nights when I go to my bed of slumber
    The thoughts of my true love run in my mind
    When I turned around to embrace my darling
    Instead of gold sure it's brass I find

    And I wish the Queen would call home her army
    From the West Indies, Amerikay and Spain
    And every man to his wedded woman
    In hopes that you and I will meet again.